Singing Psalm 41 to rise above attacks against soul and body
- Karen Wallace
- Nov 10, 2023
- 9 min read
Updated: Jan 7
Singing Psalm 41 to rise above deceptive attacks
Is there ever a more fitting time to rise above than when you find out that someone you trusted wasn’t upfront with you but two-faced? Loyal to your face. A gossip behind your back?
“And when he comes to visit me
His words are all deceit;
He gathers evil in his heart,
And tells it in the street.” ~ Psalm 41:6
You might say that the Keilahites were these kind of fairweather friends to David. When he saved them from the attacks of the Philistines, he received a warm welcome from them. Upon inquiring of the Lord, David learned that they would turn on him and surrender him to Saul who had quickly summoned all the people to go to war against Keilah as he was frantically determined to kill David.
You think you trust the words you hear. Next thing you know, someone calls to verify false information that someone else has been spreading about you either to protect themselves as in the case of the Keilahites, or to make themselves look better than you as in the case of Saul.
When the opinions of others threaten to pull your affection away from God and onto them, it is time to assess what you desire and love most. The Lord will guide, guard, and rescue you back to him when you least deserve it.
Peter asked Jesus why he couldn’t follow him to where he was going as he thought that he would lay down his life for Jesus. Peter must have been shocked and confused to hear Jesus say that he would deny him three times that very evening. When it came to pass that what a servant girl thought of him outweighed his love for Jesus, Peter wept bitterly as his self-perception of being a loyal friend to Jesus was shattered before his eyes. Peter could hardly bear it, but Jesus knew all along that he would forgive Peter and restore him. This was not the case of a planned deception. Rather, it was fear that exposed a lack of depth in his love for Jesus at that point in time. His love undoubtedly grew to the point where Peter would rise above deceptive attacks daily and increasingly such that he would ultimately lay down his life for Jesus.
This is why to know him is to love him: Jesus said, “In my Father‘s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?” (John 14:2)
If Jesus said it, it’s as good as done. You rise above every attack when you truly know from the inside out that he is the Lord.
If Jesus laid down his life only to take it up again, it stands to reason that his followers will, with the help, guidance, and counsel of the Holy Spirit, rise above and do the same. “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.” ~ Colossians 3:1-2
Figuring out who you are going to trust is the crux of life on earth that, once settled, determines life evermore.
Thank you, Lord, for helping your people to rise above our self-perceptions, to think more of you and less of ourselves.
“Now, as for me, I said, “O LORD,
Have mercy on my soul.
Because against You I have sinned,
Restore and make me whole.“ ~ Psalm 41:4
Singing Psalm 41 to rise above cellular attacks
“The LORD sustains him on his bed
Of sickness and of pain.” ~ Psalm 41:3a
How can you rise above pain — unwelcome with an acute illness and especially so with a chronic condition?
The grace and presence of God with you in the moment is sufficient for you to bear up under physical or mental pain that has bodily components that contribute as hormones and neurotransmitters factor in on the cellular level to disturb and discourage you profoundly. Jesus has power to make you rise above when your body screams “NO MORE” or when your relationships shrivel like winter leaves on the ground. He will enable you to be faithful to him through every trial, perfecting his strength as he upholds you in your weakness. “…we shall all be changed…in the twinkling of an eye…” ~ 1 Corinthians 15:51-52
O Lord, would you give your people supernatural vision to see our pain as light and momentary, achieving for us an eternal weight of glory that makes the suffering here of no comparison?
And from his bed You make him rise;
He will his health regain.” ~ Psalm 41:3b
Singing Psalm 41 to rise above relational attacks
In the latter part of John 10, John records how Jesus was attacked for being God. The religious leaders played right into the enemy’s hands when they hardened their hearts not believing even Jesus’ works which confirmed that he and the Father are one.
Singing Psalm 41 prompts you to think how the Lord will be gracious and merciful to make you strong. How will he move you to repay your enemy, the devil, who prompts and triggers doubt, insensitivity, and self-consumption whenever they arise within?
What gets your enemy’s goat most of all is when God’s people remain faithful to him and love him and one another even when they are going through suffering and trials.
“My foes do not against me lift
A cry of victory;
Because of this I am assured
That you are pleased with me.” ~ Psalm 41:11
Lord, would you help your people to come to Jesus and remain faithful to you and to one another no matter what the enemy throws at us? Would you please help us to rise above and repay our enemy for his wrongs that continually threaten to undo our affection and dull our consciences toward you and toward our neighbor?
“The ramifications of a seared conscience are not only vertical, you and God, but also horizontal, you and other image bearers of God. Even here, your tenderness for the love, concern and compassion for others around you begin to be misshapen. Your friendships no longer reflect authentic love that hopes to see others through the eyes of Christ’s love. Honest relationships are to include a receiving of embrace and rebuke. Instead, our relationship reflects a shallower self-serving quality. They become more felt needs-based. Does this make me happy? Am I getting what I want from this person? How do they affirm me and my decisions and desires? Relationships become more disposable than life-shaping.” ~ Brad Somers
You rise above when attacked in relationships when you can gratefully receive compassion as well as take a rebuke like a kiss on the lips. Is your gratitude evident such that the Lord takes notice and would ask you as he did the one leper who came back to return thanks, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” And he said to him, “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.” ~ Luke 17:17-19
Saying “thank you” — minding your manners — is one thing. Being grateful with integrity is something else entirely. Jesus was pleased to come for you so that you would know both in your mind and in your walk that the Lord is God. Gratitude is faith you express from the heart. Knowing that Jesus is Lord, you rise above the superficial and make meaning with God and neighbor.
“But as for me, You hold me up
In my integrity;
And in Your presence evermore
My dwelling place shall be.
The LORD, the God of Israel,
Be blessed and blessed again
From age to everlasting age.
Amen, and yes, Amen.” ~ Psalm 41:12-13
November 3 – 10, 2023
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Heart ♥️ reflection
November 27, 2024
“As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.” ~ Genesis 50:20
Question: What can finally put “waiting for the other shoe to drop” to rest?
Heart reflection: When the worst thing you can imagine happens, and your faith in God not only remains but grows, your soul was not abandoned to the grave. It lives. It thrives. It is a reflection of the worst thing that ever happened that led to the best thing that ever happened: Jesus died on a cross to forgive your sins so you could follow him into resurrection glory for all time.
“But as for me, You hold me up
In my integrity;
And in Your presence evermore
My dwelling place shall be.” ~ Psalm 41:12
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The Psalms—Q&A
“When will he die; when will his name
Completely pass away?” ~ Psalm 41:5b
How can singing Psalm 41 help me grow in my affection for God and in my connection with others?
“What gain has the worker from his toil? I have seen the business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with. He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. I perceived that there is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live; also that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil—this is God’s gift to man.” ~ Ecclesiastes 3:9-13
God has placed eternity in our hearts to break through and move us off our ungrateful, self-centered little islands onto his beautiful, perfect city of thankful joy marked by unceasing affection for God and peaceful connection with others. No self-care needed.
“Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” ~ 1 Peter 5:6-7
When you are learning from Jesus, you learn to love your enemies so that you don’t think of them as such but instead think of how you can bless them. Yet it is of great importance that you continually wrestle, never losing sight of the fact that you are in a war. When you sing Psalm 41, remember that it is not flesh and blood but the demons who seek to gain influence that are your enemies.
“You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!” ~ James 2:19
“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” ~ Ephesians 6:12
“I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do. But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him!” ~ Luke 12:4-5
Paul learned contentment and to look to the interests of others from Jesus.
“But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content.” ~ 1 Timothy 6:8
Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” But he said to him, “Man, who made me a judge or arbitrator over you?” And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” ~ Luke 12:13-15
Ought I be that concerned about what I get so I can live my dream? If there was to be any arguing between the brothers, it ought to have been over each wanting the other to have the greater portion of the inheritance.
“For when dreams increase and words grow many, there is vanity; but God is the one you must fear.” ~ Ecclesiastes 5:7
And the king said to him, “Why speak any more of your affairs? I have decided: you and Ziba shall divide the land.” And Mephibosheth said to the king, “Oh, let him take it all, since my lord the king has come safely home.” ~ 2 Samuel 19:29-30
Mephibosheth’s heart is obviously for David, making him richer by far than Ziba in Jesus’s economy. Ziba might have the land which has monetary value, but Mephibosheth values the person way ahead of what that person is able to give. This integrity is what marks a rightly ordered, joyful relationship.
Now as for me, I said, “O LORD,
Have mercy on my soul.
Because against You I have sinned,
Restore and make me whole.” ~ Psalm 41:4
Which is better? To have good things that are fleeting or to forever live with the everlasting best?
“But as for me, You hold me up
In my integrity;
And in Your presence evermore
My dwelling place shall be.” ~ Psalm 41:12
As our health coach, Christian Elliot*, has often said, “None of us will make it out of here alive” (unless Jesus returns before we would die). He follows that with the idea that God made our bodies to help us serve the purposes that he has for us here. “Without our health, we cannot serve God or others. With health, we can offer our bodies as living sacrifices. As Paul did, we can also train our bodies to help us run the race set before us, and be about God's work until he calls us home. There are principalities and powers (systems of this world) that organize to steal, kill, and destroy, not just our spiritual lives, but our physical health as well.” We therefore ought not abdicate our bodies to a system that subverts them from healing.
“The LORD sustains him on his bed
Of sickness and of pain.
And from his bed You make him rise;
He will his health regain.” ~ Psalm 41:3
*Christian can teach you much about health and healing...from a Christian perspective...pun intended: https://calendly.com/christian-39/15min
Engage and grow together!
“Iron sharpens iron,
and one man sharpens another.” ~ Proverbs 27:17
January 9, 2026
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