A prayer for mercy in time of illness, when friends betray and enemies attack.
Scripture References:
st. 1 = vv. 1-3
st. 2 =vv. 4-9
st. 3 =vv. 10-13
As in Psalms 38 and 39, the psalmist prays for God's mercy and restoration in a time of illness, which he views as discipline for his sins. The psalmist's enemies seize the occasion to publicly discredit him. Even his "close friend" (v. 9) turns against him. Apparently betrayal was not rare in ancient Israel. Jesus himself experienced profound betrayal by Judas at a time when Jesus seemed powerless before the growing opposition of Jewish religious leaders. This psalm expresses our confidence that the LORD delivers the godly from illness and from the attack of enemies (st. 1). In it we appeal for God's mercy in the face of our enemies' gloating and a friend's betrayal (st. 2) and pray that God will restore us and undo the slander of our enemies (st. 3). Bert Polman (PHH 37) versified this psalm in 1985 for the Psalter Hymnal, borrowing the opening lines from the paraphrase in the 1912 Psalter.
Liturgical Use:
Suitable as a confession of sin, but also appropriate during illness or other distress occasioning slander or the alienation of friends. Because Jesus experienced a close parallel in the betrayal by Judas, this psalm is also fitting for Holy Week.
--Psalter Hymnal Handbook
Bert Frederick Polman (b. Rozenburg, Zuid Holland, the Netherlands, 1945; d. Grand Rapids, Michigan, July 1, 2013) was chair of the Music Department at Calvin College and senior research fellow for the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship. Dr. Bert studied at Dordt College (BA 1968), the University of Minnesota (MA 1969, PhD in musicology 1981), and the Institute for Christian Studies. Dr. Bert was a longtime is professor of music at Redeemer College in Ancaster, Ontario, and organist at Bethel Christian Reformed Church, Waterdown, Ontario. His teaching covered a wide range of courses in music theory, music history, music literature, and worship, and Canadian Native studies. His research specialty was Christian hymnody. He was also an orga… Go to person page >
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