Blessed Are the Poor

For the recording, we're on Psalms 41. We just read verse 1.

Blessed is the one who considers the poor.

For those who think about the poor and the weak and allow them to make decisions,

that's what David has on his mind here.

Because we've been given grace from God.

And because of that, we aren't to harden our hearts and think that we're special and above other people.

But we've been blessed so that we can take on and pick up the cause of the poor and the weak.

In referring to Christians in this verse, Charles Spurgeon said that they do not toss them a penny and go on their own way,

but inquire about their sorrows.

They sift out their cause.

They study the best ways for their relief and practically come to their rescue.

Such as these have the mark of the divine favor plainly upon them.

And as surely the sheep of God's pasture as if they wore a brand upon their foreheads.

So that's what is in view here of those who consider the poor.

And really, when we want to think of an example, we can't get one better than Jesus.

If we think of 2 Corinthians 8, 9, it says,

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor,

so that you, by his poverty, might become rich.

And then as we look at the second half of verse 1, it says,

In the day of trouble, the Lord delivers him.

It isn't saying that we won't have troubles or hardships,

but rather that God will preserve us and bring us through those hardships.

So we see God helping those who think about and help other people.

Right?

So that's the foundation.

That's our first opening verse for this chapter.

Verses 1, 2, 3 lay out the promises and the blessings that come to those who consider the poor.

So we see that those who consider the poor are blessed,

but we also see in verse 2 and 3 that there are other blessings that come with it.

The Lord protects him, this is verse 2, and keeps him alive.

He is called blessed in the land.

You do not give him up to the will of his enemies.

The Lord sustains him on his sickbed.

In his illness, you restore him to full health.

It can kind of seem odd at first to be rewarded for caring for the weak or giving to the poor.

It's almost as if I do it so that I get something back.

But remember in the New Testament when Jesus was talking to the rich young ruler

and he had everything and he comes to Jesus and says,

What do I need to do to get into heaven?

And Jesus looked at him and loved him and said to him,

You lack one thing.

Go and sell all that you have and give to the poor

and you will have treasure in heaven and come and follow me.

Although it sounds at first like Jesus is saying if you do these things,

it's almost like buying your salvation.

It isn't what he's saying.

Rather, Jesus is exposing where the young man's heart is.

He seems like a pretty good moral person,

but his love for his money is above everything else.

And that's what Jesus is bringing out.

He's told that he will get treasure in heaven by carrying and giving to the poor.

Jesus is trying to get us to see that caring for the poor,

loving those around us, that's what matters.

It's who we love and not the stuff that we love.

We don't hold on to possessions in this life because Jesus has salvation and treasures for us

that far exceed those things that we have here.

And that's what Jesus is trying to get the rich young ruler,

but also us to understand.

So the first part, those first three verses,

is the blessings that we get from helping the poor.

So David lays that out there.

The next section, verses 4 through 9,

David is giving us his situation here.

So as for me, this is verse 4,

As for me, I said, O Lord, be gracious to me.

Heal me, for I have sinned against you.

My enemies say of me in malice,

When will he die and his name perish?

And when one comes to see me,

he utters empty words,

while his heart gathers iniquity.

When he goes out, he tells it abroad.

So just to break down a little bit of those verses,

in verse 4, it says,

O Lord, be gracious to me.

Heal me, for I have sinned against you.

At first, it seems a little odd

because he's asking for healing

because he's sinned.

I would think when you want grace from somebody,

you would say,

I've been good or I'm trying to do better

and not, I've sinned.

So be gracious to me.

But what we see here is

David is asking for graciousness

because he's broken.

He says he's broken.

That's why he sins

towards the Lord.

It's because of that sin

and that brokenness,

he needs healing.

And so that's why he's asking the Lord

to be gracious.

And then a little further down

in verse 6,

And when one comes to me,

he utters empty words,

while his heart gathers iniquity.

When he goes out,

he tells it abroad.

So what's happening here,

if it doesn't make sense

right off the bat,

is that people are coming into David

in whatever trial and sickness

he's going through,

and they're just giving him

just fluffy, fake words.

It's not,

they don't mean it.

They really,

behind his back,

they hate him.

They're like,

Oh, King David,

we hope you feel better.

If there's anything I can do,

let me know.

I hope you get better soon.

And then they turn around

and leave,

and they talk about him.

They don't even care

about his well-being.

And that's what we see

happening here.

Verse 7,

All who hate me

whisper together about me.

They imagine the worst for me.

They say,

A deadly thing

is poured out on him.

He will not rise again

from where he lies.

Even my close friend

in whom I trusted,

who ate my bread,

has lifted his heel against me.

In that verse,

we're probably quickly reminded

of Jesus' relationship

to Judas.

Right?

Judas acted like a close friend

and he ate bread with Jesus.

But in the end,

we know that he betrayed him.

So we have,

the first section is

blessings and promises

to those who

help the poor

and the needy,

who consider them,

who do something about them.

And then after that,

we see David giving us

a picture of the situation

he's in.

And then verse 10,

we have David's request.

So you're kind of getting

the flow of what's going on

with this psalm.

David's kind of setting it up.

And it comes up to this verse

as he makes his request.

But you, O Lord,

be gracious to me

and raise me up

that I may repay them.

This is one of those sections

where it sounds like

there's some Christian

revenge going on.

And almost David is saying

it's okay to show revenge

towards people.

But we have to keep in mind

that this is the Old Testament

and we're talking about

King David.

John Calvin,

which I thought was really good,

he pointed out that

David was not

as one of the common people,

but a king appointed by God.

And invested with authority.

And it is not from

an impulse of flesh,

but in virtue of the nature

of his office

that he is led to denounce

against his enemies

the punishment

that they merited.

Basically what he's saying,

the office that God

set up as king

comes with reverence

and authority.

And when people act against it,

it makes sense

that they are judged

and punished for that.

So it's a little different

than us taking vengeance

on someone else.

The vengeance that we take

is by showing how God

takes care of us, right?

In times of illness

or a trial

that we're going through.

We get to show them

that God helps us

keep our faith

and makes us stronger

and brings us

through those trials.

And that's what we proclaim

about God.

That's the revenge

that we're showing back on them.

So it's not like physical revenge

that we're acting out

on those people.

But it's still revenge

nonetheless.

Because those are enemies.

There are people

who wanted to see you fail

and yet they see

that God comes behind us

and lifts us up.

And then we come

to the last section

of this chapter.

So we have

the blessings

and the promise

that come with those

who consider

and love the poor.

Then we have

David's condition

where he's going

through this trial.

He gives,

he states his request

and then

through that

the Lord is answering

that request.

So these last three verses

is God,

is David,

saying how he trusts

the Lord

and also thanking God

for delivering

him through this.

So verse 11 is,

by this I know

that you delight in me.

My enemy will not

shout in triumph over me.

So you start to get

the idea that

that Dave is being

brought up

out of his sickness

and out of the trial

that he's going through.

Also take note here

when he says that

my enemy will not

shout in triumph over me.

He's not saying that

we're not going to

have any enemies,

just rather that

there are no troubles

that God can't

help us triumph over.

So there will be trials,

there will be

sickness,

there will be

fill in the blank,

but we have a God

that brings us

through that.

Verse 12,

you have upheld me

because of my iniquity,

or you have upheld me

because of my integrity,

not quite the same thing,

and set me in your

presence forever.

Blessed be the Lord,

the God of Israel,

from everlasting to everlasting.

Amen and amen.

So it's kind of cool.

In the beginning of this

psalm,

verse 1,

we see that the blessing

is coming from God

to those who

consider the poor.

In this last verse,

we see the blessing

going back up to God

after we have been

blessed and taken care of

by him.

So,

you okay?

So,

we should,

like David,

be able to express

gratitude and praise

to God

who has extended

grace to us.

So,

what is the point

of this psalm for us?

Hopefully,

so far in what we've

looked at,

it has been an encouragement

to see how David

has held on to

some of these

truths.

And we can easily see

how this psalm,

in so many ways,

points to Jesus.

Just to give you

a quick rundown

of what came out

of those verses.

Jesus cared for

the poor.

That was not only

the earthly poor,

but the spiritually poor.

Jesus cared for them.

Angels ministered to him

when he was weak

in the desert.

That comes out

in verse 3.

His enemies hated him.

They plotted against him.

They wanted to kill him,

like what was happening

with David.

We talked about

how Judas,

one of his close friends,

betrayed him.

That was talked about

in verse 9.

He was crucified

and God raised him up.

We see that in verse 10.

God delighted in him,

verse 11.

And he was upheld

because of his integrity

and perfectness.

And now he sits

in the presence

of God forever.

And we see that

brought out in verse 12.

So it's really cool.

There's a lot of connections

that we can see

between David

and ultimately

what we see

taking place in Jesus.

But,

and that's good,

but like how do,

how do we connect

with this psalm?

How does this psalm

help us where we are?

If we consider the poor,

if we help the weak,

if we,

if we give to the needy,

then will God reward us?

Right?

So if we help those around us,

does that mean God's

going to give to me?

And that is partly true.

Only the order of it

is wrong.

God has considered

and loved us,

us being the poor and needy.

He has given us grace.

He's given us forgiveness.

He's given us salvation.

And it's because of that

that we should consider

those around us in need.

Both from an earthly standpoint,

so if you're able

to help those in need

with money or with food

or with your giving

of your time,

then we do that.

But also from an

eternal standpoint,

and that is sharing the gospel.

So I'll just say that again

in case it was a little distracting.

He's given us grace

and forgiveness and salvation.

And because of that,

we should consider

those around us in need.

Both earthly and spiritual

by sharing the gospel.

So that's what I think

is what we can really

get out of this psalm.

Not to mention

all the other encouraging points

that were brought out,

but just seeing that

God is looking for us,

his people,

to share his love

with a world that's poor

in so many different ways.

And we have that ability.

So...

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