Big Idea: Irrespective of the cause of our illnesses, the Lord cares for us in our vulnerability.

Understanding the Text

The literary type of Psalm 41 has been the topic of much discussion, since the poem does not seem to fall easily into any single type. Perhaps Kraus’s “prayer song of the sick”1 is appropriate for this psalm, although we might simply designate it as an individual lament. The psalm, in fact, begins with a benediction on those who “have regard for” the sick (see the comments on 41:1). Craigie identifies the setting of the psalm as the sanctuary where the suppliant prays for healing. While this may be true, in order to arrive at that conclusion, certain parts of the liturgy are assumed.2 Yet it does make sense that such a momentous event would be celebrated publicly in …