“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.” Psalm 41:1-3 NLT
Guarantees are hard to come by these days. There is no such thing as a ‘sure thing.’ Certain consumer products are labeled to be guaranteed to work for a specified about of time, but we all know that is not always the case. You are guaranteed a degree by a major university if you study hard and apply yourself, but the school suddenly closes without warning. The same is true in the workplace, you’re guaranteed employment if the company can afford to stay in business. There are no guarantees, or sure things, in life outside the intervention of the Lord God.
David, the author of Psalm 41, gives us the assurance that joy is guaranteed when we are kind to the poor. These first three verses of Psalm 41 correspond to one of Jesus’ Beatitudes given in the Sermon on the Mount. “God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy.” (Mt.5:7 nlt) David is ill and sees himself in this psalm he is writing. He was one who had shown mercy and knew the joy he had helping others. David trusted the Lord would show mercy and heal him giving him future joy in helping others who are sick and poor. David understood this as a sure thing.
Joy is extended to us as we give to the poor and meet their needs. The recipient of the gift, the poor, is joyous in the generosity of the giver for the adequate supply of needed substance. David continues noting the blessings bestowed upon those who are kind to the poor. The Lord God will rescue them from trouble and their enemies giving them on-going protection and prosperity. These are signs of a sure thing, guaranteed joy when helping the poor. David was confident God would show him mercy as he had shown mercy to those under his rule who needed help. The Lord will sustain us in our continued efforts to help the poor, bringing joy to all and that’s a sure thing!
Read: Psalm 41 NLT – Psalm 41 – For the choir director: A – Bible Gateway
Word for the Soul 