Psalm 40.  Beatus qui intelligit

During illness

Bodily illness may sometimes be a punishment from God, but more often it is a trial, a temptation for the soul.  Especially during sickness our enemy (Satan) doubles his evil snares in order to lead us into impatience, faint-heartedness and despair.  In Psalm 40, which is the prayer of a sick person against hypocritical enemies, we beg both for ourselves and for our fellow men the grace we need to overcome such temptations.

Blessed are the merciful

Beátus qui intélligit super egénum, et páuperem: * in die mala liberábit eum Dóminus.
2  Dóminus consérvet eum, et vivíficet eum, et beátum fáciat eum in terra: * et non tradat eum in ánimam inimicórum ejus.
3  Dóminus opem ferat illi super lectum dolóris ejus: * univérsum stratum ejus versásti in infirmitáte ejus.

Blessed is he that considereth the poor and needy; * the Lord shall deliver him in the time of trouble.
2  The Lord preserve him, and give him life, and make him blessed upon earth; * and deliver him not up into the will of his enemies.
3  The Lord comfort him upon his bed of sorrows; * thou hast turned all his couch in his sickness.

Heartlessness of others

4  Ego dixi : Dómine, miserére mei: * sana ánimam meam, quia peccávi tibi.
5  Inimíci mei dixérunt mala mihi: * Quando moriétur, et períbit nomen ejus?
6  Et si ingrediebátur ut vidéret, vane loquebátur: * cor ejus congregávit iniquitátem sibi.
7  Egrediebátur foras, * et loquebátur in idípsum.

4  I said, Lord, be merciful unto me; * heal my soul, for I have sinned against thee.
5  Mine enemies hath spoken evil of me, * When shall he die, and his name perish?
6  And if he came to see me, he spake vanity, * and his heart conceived falsehood within itself.
7  He went forth, * and spake in the selfsame.

Deceits of the enemy

8  Advérsum me susurrábant omnes inimíci mei: * advérsum me cogitábant mala mihi.
9  Verbum iníquum constituérunt advérsum me: * Numquid qui dormit non adjíciet ut resúrgat?
10  Etenim homo pacis meæ, in quo sperávi: * qui edébat panes meos, magnificávit super me supplantatiónem.

8  All mine enemies whispered together against me; * against me did they imagine evils.
9  They established an evil word against me : * Shall he that sleepeth rise again no more?
10  Yea, even the man of my peace, in whom I trusted, * who did also eat of my bread, hath laid great wait for me.

Prayer for recovery

11  Tu autem, Dómine, miserére mei, et resúscita me: * et retríbuam eis.
12  In hoc cognóvi quóniam voluísti me: * quóniam non gaudébit inimícus meus super me.
13  Me autem propter innocéntiam suscepísti: * et confirmásti me in conspéctu tuo in ætérnum.

11  But be thou merciful unto me, O Lord, and raise thou me up again, * and I shall reward them.
12  By this I know thou hast favoured me, * for mine enemy shall not triumph against me.
13  And because of my innocency thou upholdest me, * and shalt set me before thy face for ever.

Finale (End of Book I of Psalms)

14  Benedíctus Dóminus, Deus Israël, a sæculo et usque in sæculum: * fiat, fiat.

14  Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for ever and ever, and world without end: * Amen, Amen.