PSALM 41
For the choir director: A psalm of David.
Oh, the joys of those who are kind to the poor!
The Lord rescues them when they are in trouble.
The Lord protects them and keeps them alive.
He gives them prosperity in the land
and rescues them from their enemies.
The Lord nurses them when they are sick
and restores them to health.
“O Lord,” I prayed, “have mercy on me.
Heal me, for I have sinned against you.”
But my enemies say nothing but evil about me.
“How soon will he die and be forgotten?” they ask.
They visit me as if they were my friends,
but all the while they gather gossip,
and when they leave, they spread it everywhere.
All who hate me whisper about me, imagining the worst.
“He has some fatal disease,” they say.
“He will never get out of that bed!”
Even my best friend, the one I trusted completely,
the one who shared my food, has turned against me.
Lord, have mercy on me.
Make me well again, so I can pay them back!
I know you are pleased with me,
for you have not let my enemies triumph over me.
You have preserved my life because I am innocent;
you have brought me into your presence forever.
Praise the Lord, the God of Israel,
who lives from everlasting to everlasting.
Amen and amen!
For the choir director: A psalm of David.
Oh, the joys of those who are kind to the poor!
The Lord rescues them when they are in trouble.
The Lord protects them and keeps them alive.
He gives them prosperity in the land
and rescues them from their enemies.
The Lord nurses them when they are sick
and restores them to health.
“O Lord,” I prayed, “have mercy on me.
Heal me, for I have sinned against you.”
But my enemies say nothing but evil about me.
“How soon will he die and be forgotten?” they ask.
They visit me as if they were my friends,
but all the while they gather gossip,
and when they leave, they spread it everywhere.
All who hate me whisper about me, imagining the worst.
“He has some fatal disease,” they say.
“He will never get out of that bed!”
Even my best friend, the one I trusted completely,
the one who shared my food, has turned against me.
Lord, have mercy on me.
Make me well again, so I can pay them back!
I know you are pleased with me,
for you have not let my enemies triumph over me.
You have preserved my life because I am innocent;
you have brought me into your presence forever.
Praise the Lord, the God of Israel,
who lives from everlasting to everlasting.
Amen and amen!
When Leaders StruggleIs David paranoid!? Has the temperature of his body risen to the point of addling his brain? “I’m king, I’m deathly sick, and they’re all out to get me, even my best friend! Make me well, God, so I can get revenge! Oh, and by the way, I know you are pleased with me.” Huh?
Maybe others are making moves on his throne. Maybe they have judged him and concluded God has shown his rejection of David through terrible sickness. I don’t know. I do know this. People do those kinds of things. Even today, people conclude God has withdrawn his blessings when things go wrong in a leader’s life or leadership.
When leaders, especially spiritual leaders, experience deep pits – emotional, physical, or spiritual – people talk. Gossip really does spread, and story becomes more sordid as it goes around. Leaders really do wonder who their true friends are in difficult times and who are those who have only been friendly and supportive as long as things go well and are successful in the leader’s life.
David was such an effective king that his reign became the standard against which others’ reigns were measured. Despite his profound moral failures, and his deep spiritual questions, he even became the one who would lend his name and reputation to the Messiah, “The Son of David.” Even highly effective leaders go through seasons of despair, tragedy, even ineffectiveness.
Unlike mortals, God isn’t tied to the temporary ups and downs (however high or low) of a leader’s life. He sees the integrity of the heart and anchors his confidence in his calling rather than the seasons of life.
Lord God, grant me the integrity as a follower of leaders to stand by them in their times of tragedy and agony. Grant me the wisdom to understand the line between those things that disqualify a leader for office and those seasons of ill winds that come to each of us. – Mike Leamon
Politics and ChurchThe visit by Obama and McCain to Saddleback Church this past weekend has been plastered all over the news. The evangelical vote is critical to the election this fall and each candidate is trying to capture their share of this “new” voting block. I found it interesting to read the quote from our newspaper the Rochester D&C. The paper quoted a church member who thought McCain lined up better on moral issues like abortion, but then quoted Rick Warren on the church’s stance on poverty and helping the poor.
Many of the people who attend Saddleback left still undecided because they see Obama’s positions on helping the poor as more in line with Scripture than McCain, but like McCain’s stance on abortion.
For many evangelicals a candidate’s position on abortion and homosexuality is the litmus test. I found it encouraging to see an influential segment of the Church standing not just for moral values but also social justice. For too long we have ignored the plight of the poor and oppressed in favor of our own lavish lifestyles and “rights” to prosperity.
In contrast, the Psalmist recognized the Lord blesses those who care for the poor. It is not easy to freely give up your money and time for people who may likely abuse your gifts, but God instructs us to do it anyway.
God, forgive me for not doing my part to help those in need, and for thinking I have made a great sacrifice when I do help them. Replace my self absorption with love that expresses itself in the same way you expressed your love. – Dan Jones
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