You are blessed when you consider the poor. That is what Psalm 41 says. The psalm is even specific about how you are blessed when you consider the poor. We'll look at the ways a little later in this article.
First, some context: King David was having some troubles. His enemies were planning his demise; he had some health issues, and he needed help from the Almighty God. Although David had sinned against God, as we all have, he believed God had his back. The Lord could heal the king, and David would know God’s delight when his enemies were defeated.
Out of David’s situation, we receive the promise that those who consider the poor are blessed. How are they blessed? Let’s look at the ways:
- On the day of trouble, which we all have, the Lord delivers them.
- The Lord protects and keeps them alive.
- Those who consider the poor will be known as blessed within their communities and throughout the land.
- The Lord will not give them up to the will of their enemy.
- The Lord will sustain them when they are sick and will restore them to full health.
This is the promise to those who consider the poor. But what does it mean to consider the poor? When a person considers, they think carefully about someone or something; they regard someone. Consideration is used before making a decision or taking action.
So you are blessed when you regard the poor; when you think carefully about them, from the standpoint of their humanness. The promise can be summed up as follows: When a person considers the poor in their time of need and troubles, God considers that person in his time of need and troubles.