1 Blessed is he who considers the¹ poor;
The Lord will deliver him in time of trouble. ‡

2 The Lord will preserve him and keep him alive,
And he will be blessed on the earth;
^aYou will not deliver him to the will of his enemies. ‡

3 The Lord will strengthen him on his bed of illness;
You will¹ sustain him on his sickbed. ‡

4 I said, “Lord, be merciful to me;
^aHeal my soul, for I have sinned against You.” ‡

5 My enemies speak evil of me:
“When will he die, and his name perish?”

6 And if he comes to see me, he speaks¹ lies;
His heart gathers iniquity to itself;
When he goes out, he tells it. ‡

7 All who hate me whisper together against me;
Against me they¹ devise my hurt. ‡

8 “An¹ evil disease,” they say, “clings to him.
And now that he lies down, he will rise up no more.” ‡

9 ^aEven my own familiar friend in whom I trusted,
^bWho ate my bread,
Has¹ lifted up his heel against me. ‡