The Blessings of Christian Benevolence

PSALM 41

SCRIPTURE READING

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Introduction

David begins this psalm by pronouncing a blessing. The blessedness of one who considers the plight of the poor is the thought for our meditation in this psalm ( verse 1).

Consider this statement "Bread for myself is a material question, bread for my neighbour is a spiritual". The English poet William Wordsworth (1770-1850) says "The best portions of a good man's life - His little, nameless, unremembered acts of kindness and love."

Our Lord Jesus Christ taught this truth in the Sermon of the Mount, Matthew 5:7 "Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy."

(I) He who shows mercy to others ( verse 1a)

"Blessed is he that considereth the poor…" This is the person that acts with insight, to be prudent, to consider, to ponder, to understand, to act prudently, to act with devotion in considering the plight of the poor. (The Complete Word Study Dictionary - Old Testament, Strong 7919)

Such an obligation to show mercy lies upon the Spirit-filled conscience each time we come in contact with someone, whether a close relative, a friend or a stranger, who ask for our help. The poor "lD;" refers to the weak and the helpless. How is this word used in the Old Testament? It is used often to designate poor and oppressed persons whom the Lord has special concern (Exodus 23:3 ). They are on the opposite social scale from the rich (Exodus 30:15 ,1 Samuel 2:8 ,Proverbs 10:15 ,22:16 ) and their condition separates them from even their friends (Proverbs 19:4 ). The poor have no power and are weak, helpless (Job 34:28 ,Psalm 82:3 ,Proverbs 22:22 ). It depicts poor, non influential persons who are the opposite of great, powerful or influential ones (Jeremiah 5:4 ). (The Complete Word Study Dictionary - Old Testament, Strong 1800)

Consider this pointed question "Can a man love God while ignoring the need of his brother?" The Proverbs echo that same admonition Proverbs 21:13 "Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard." Also, in Proverbs 22:9 "He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor."

A parallel passage to ( verse 1a) is seen in Deuteronomy 15:7-11 ,it is written "If there be among you a poor man of one of thy brethren within any of thy gates in thy land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not harden thine heart, nor shut thine hand from thy poor brother.

De 15:8 But thou shalt open thine hand wide unto him, and shalt surely lend him sufficient for his need, in that which he wanteth.

De 15:9 Beware that there be not a thought in thy wicked heart, saying, The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand; and thine eye be evil against thy poor brother, and thou givest him nought; and he cry unto the LORD against thee, and it be sin unto thee.

De 15:10 Thou shalt surely give him, and thine heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him: because that for this thing the LORD thy God shall bless thee in all thy works, and in all that thou puttest thine hand unto.

De 15:11 For the poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land."

Interestingly, a Chinese proverb observes, "He suffers most who is most selfish." The fruit of our selfishness is withholding dues. And "if we build to please ourselves, we are building upon sand; if we build for the love of God, we are building on the rock".

Therefore, is it for a selfish desire of self-preservation that we render help to the helpless? God forbid! It must come from a heart of gratitude and gratefulness for that ability, the power that lay in our hands to distribute to the necessity of the saints. The power was first given to us by God. As a good steward of the manifold blessings received from the hand of God, we give. The Apostle Paul taught the Ephesian Elders in Acts 20:35 "I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive."

The Apostle Paul also taught the Galatian Christians in Galatians 6:10 "As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith."

The character of benevolence is a Godly trait that we do well to learn.

(II) Will surely receive mercy in his time of need ( verses 1b-3)

What the LORD will do for the merciful?

(1) The LORD will deliver him in time of affliction.

(2) The LORD will preserve/keep/watch him.

(3) The LORD will keep him alive.

(4) The LORD will not deliver him to the will of his enemies.

(5) The LORD will strengthen/support/ sustain him.

What is the portion of the merciful?

(1) He shall be blessed upon the earth ( verse 2).

(2) He shall be comforted in his sick bed ( verse 3).

(III) Who humbles himself pleading for mercy ( verse 4-10)

"LORD, be merciful unto me" ( verse 4, 10) is the heart cry of the psalmist in his great distress. David acknowledged his sin before the LORD, "for I have sinned against thee". This is the picture of a man after God's own heart. This is the prayer posture of the contrite publican humbled before God - Luke 18:13 "And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner." Our Lord Jesus Himself affirmed this portion of Scripture in his assessment that the contrite heart is worthy to be helped as it was in David's case, Luke 18:14 "I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted."

"Be merciful" is from the verb "!n:x'" that means "to show favour, to be gracious toward, to have mercy on, being compassionate toward". It is rendered in the imperative, an urgent plea or entreaty of David to God, for unmerited divine favour. It denotes gracious acts toward some in need as taught also in Proverbs 19:17 "He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again."

He was in sickness and pleaded for healing ( verse 3, 8, 10). His enemies spoke evil of him, longing to see his death and his reputation tarnished ( verse 5-7). His trusted friend betrayed him ( verse 9).

Psalms 41:9 "Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me." David's trusted adviser Ahithophel conspired with Absalom, David's son to usurp the kingdom. What treachery! This is the account. 2 Samuel 15:30-32 "And David went up by the ascent of mount Olivet, and wept as he went up, and had his head covered, and he went barefoot: and all the people that was with him covered every man his head, and they went up, weeping as they went up.

2 Samuel 15:31 And one told David, saying, Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom. And David said, O LORD, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.

2 Samuel 15:32 And it came to pass, that when David was come to the top of the mount, where he worshipped God, behold, Hushai the Archite came to meet him with his coat rent, and earth upon his head."

God immediately sent help in Hushai who will thwart the counsel of Ahithophel in 2 Samuel 17:7 ,14 "And Hushai said unto Absalom, The counsel that Ahithophel hath given is not good at this time… And Absalom and all the men of Israel said, The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel. For the LORD had appointed to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, to the intent that the LORD might bring evil upon Absalom." God knows and He is never late in delivering his servant, notice that David's prayer was immediately answered by the LORD in 2 Samuel 15:32-33 in the person of Hushai.

Psalm 41:9 is fulfilled in the betrayal of our Lord by his own disciple Judas Iscariot recorded in John 13:18 "I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me." Jesus told Peter that who would betray Him when he said in

John 13:26 "Jesus answered, He it is, to whom I shall give a sop, when I have dipped it. And when he had dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon.

John 13:27 And after the sop Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, do quickly."

Such affliction of outright betrayal by the disciple whom Jesus had painstakingly nurtured is most heart breaking. It would surely dampen, discourage the heart of man. But if his hope is in God, come what may, in the will of God, even such betrayal as our Lord had gone through, God is glorified. John 13:31 "Therefore, when he (Judas Iscariot) was gone out, Jesus said, Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him." Therefore, we can learn from this portion of Scripture and take heart.

(IV) Being directly blessed of God ( verses 11-13)

Here David raised his thanksgiving by giving glory to his God, acknowledging His hand in caring for him during the times of his distress, for His God, the LORD God of Israel is from everlasting to everlasting ( verse 13).

David testified that he knew by experiential knowledge how God delights in him to grant victory over his enemy ( verse 11).

He further testified how God upholds him in complete security until his transformation when he beholds his God face to face because he was steadfast in holding on to doing according to God's Word with God's help ( verse 12).

May we not forget the agony our Lord Jesus Christ suffered for our redemption, "Lest I forget Gethsemane, Lest I forget Thine agony; Lest I forget Thy love for me, Lead me to Calvary."

May the Lord give to us the spirit of dispensing mercy, as we too have received mercy.