Sick, ridiculed, betrayed: such is the one who says this prayer. Perhaps we know him and he is beside us waiting for our support.
1* 2Blessed the one who has regard for the poor;
the Lord delivers him in time of trouble.
3The Lord protects him, preserves his life,
and gives him happiness in the land;
he yields him not to the will of his foes.
4The Lord helps him when he gets sick,
and heals him of all his ailments.
5I have pleaded, “O Lord, have mercy on me;
heal me, in spite of all my iniquity.”
6My enemies ask of me in malice,
“When will he die and his name perish?”
When they come in to see,
they talk emptily gathering slanderous gossip.
No sooner have they left, that they tell their comments.
7Then all my enemies whisper together,
imagining the worst for me:
8“A deadly disease has fastened on him.
He will never get up again!”
9Even my most trusted friend,
with whom I shared my food,
has lifted his heel against me.
10But you, O Lord, have mercy on me;
lift me up to give them recompense.
11This will assure me that I enjoy your favor:
if my enemies do not triumph over me,
12if you uphold my integrity
and let me stand in your presence forever.
13Praise the Lord, the God of Israel,
from all eternity and forever!
Amen. Amen!
