February 27, 2009
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How blessed are those who care for the poor!
Psalms 41:1-13 For the leader. A psalm of David: How blessed are those who care for the poor! When calamity comes, ADONAI will save them. (2) ADONAI will preserve them, keep them alive, and make them happy in the land. You will not hand them over to the whims of their enemies. (3) ADONAI sustains them on their sickbed; when they lie ill, you make them recover. (4) I said, “ADONAI, have pity on me! Heal me, for I have sinned against you!” 830 (5) My enemies say the worst about me: “When will he die and his name disappear?” (6) When they come to see me they speak insincerely, their hearts meanwhile gathering falsehoods; then they go out and spread bad reports. (7) All who hate me whisper together against me, imagining the worst about me. (8) “A fatal disease has attached itself to him; now that he lies ill, he will never get up.” (9) Even my close friend, on whom I relied, who shared my table, has turned against me. (10) But you, ADONAI, have pity on me, put me on my feet, so I can pay them back. (11) I will know you are pleased with me if my enemy doesn’t defeat me. (12) You uphold me because of my innocence you establish me in your presence forever. (13) Blessed be ADONAI the God of Isra’el from eternity past to eternity future. Amen. Amen.
Adonai’s blessings being poured out upon those who minister and care for the poor.
If you are a person who has compassion and helps others, then Adonai will help you. It doesn’t promise that others will help you, but Adonai will help you.
A weekend fisherman looked over the side of his boat and saw a snake with a frog in its mouth. Feeling sorry for the frog, he reached down, gently removed the frog from the snake’s mouth and let the frog go free. But now he felt sorry for the hungry snake. Having no food, he took out a flask of bourbon and poured a few drops into the snake’s mouth. The snake swam away happy, the frog was happy and the man was happy for having performed such good deeds. He thought all was well until a few minutes passed and he heard something knock against the side of his boat and looked down. With stunned disbelief, the fisherman saw the snake was back, with two frogs.
(9) Even my close friend, on whom I relied, who shared my table, has turned against me.
David’s friend that came against him was Achitofel (Ahithophel). This man was not only David’s close friend, but his counselor, his adviser. They were very close.
Achitofel was such a smart man that when he spoke, people trusted his advice as if Adonai Himself were speaking.
2 Samuel 16:23 In those days Achitofel’s advice was regarded as highly as if someone had sought out the word of God; it was this way with Achitofel’s advice both to David and to Avshalom.
Achitofel had close ties with David besides being one of his main advisors. His son Eli’am was one of David’s “Mighty Men”:
2 Samuel 23:34 Elifelet the son of Achasbai the son of the Ma’akhati, Eli’am the son of Achitofel from Giloh, thirty-seven in all.
When David’s son Avshalom (Absalom) rebelled against his father, one of the first people Avshalom asked to join him was Achitofel. After Avshalom marched into Jerusalem with his troops, he asked his advisers for counsel. Achitofel suggested to Avshalom that he take the ten concubines that David had left behind and have sex with them in a tent on the roof of the palace for the whole nation to witness. Achitofel wanted Avshalom to show such incredible disrespect to his father that everyone would know that Avshalom was in complete control.
Being betrayed by someone close to you is one of the deepest wounds. Sometimes we know what it is to be hurt by others, and so we put up little walls of protection around us to keep us from being hurt. We try not to get too close to some individuals because they look like they might hurt us. But when we find a friend, someone who looks safe, and we put our defenses down, it hurts when that friend turns and hurts us.
Blessed be ADONAI the God of Isra’el from eternity past to eternity future. Amen. Amen.
Shalom
Comments (6)
it is truly horrible to be betrayed by someone close to you. but praise God we have the promise found in 34:18
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted
and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
Good morning! I hope all is well! I have kind of been absent from Xanga lately.
@sarahfus - that should have said Psalm 34:18
this is so true. there’s such a need, everywhere we look. we have so much to be thankful here in the united states especially.
i never heard the story about the fisherman and the snake/frogs! that will be a nice story to remember.
If I had to choose…I would definitely pick God’s help over other folks….wouldnt you????
Have a wonderful Friday
Ruth Ann
@Hecalmsthestorm - yeah, have been missing hearing from you