Sim Chen Xing

Psalms is a book packed with personal feelings and emotions from a psalmist. Most of them are tied to other biblical stories in other parts of the Old Testament, but the Psalms provide a unique insight into the psalmist’s heart. Reading the Psalms is like piercing into the heart of a coaching client who is pouring out his heart and soul to the Lord. With God as the ultimate coach, we get to pick up invaluable insights we would otherwise not be able to get from other parts of the biblical narrative.

I am starting with Psalm 41 because I’ve just been reading it with my wife for our personal Bible studies. At first glance, this psalm appears like any other psalm in the Bible. But upon deeper inspection—with a coaching perspective—we begin to see things others might miss. We begin to notice that the topic, the thought processes, the insight, the shift, and the actionable item, makes this psalm an excellent coaching case study.

Though the psalm begins with the psalmist speaking his mind about his knowledge of God, the problem at hand really begins in verse 4.

Psalm 41:4–9 (NIV)

I said, “Have mercy on me, LORD; heal me, for I have sinned against you.”

My enemies say of me in malice, “When will he die and his name perish?”

When one of them comes to see me, he speaks falsely, while his heart gathers slander; then he goes out and spreads it around.

All my enemies whisper together against me; they imagine the worst for me, saying,

“A vile disease has afflicted him; he will never get up from the place where he lies.”

Even my close friend, someone I trusted, one who shared my bread, has turned against me.

The psalmist is likely at one of the lowest points of his life. He pours out all his worries and concerns to the Lord. Even his close friend—someone he trusted and shared his bread with—has betrayed him. One can only imagine the extent of his struggles and emotional turmoil. But as a coach, we need to hold the space. We need to let the coaching session play out. And that’s exactly what happened here.

The psalmist went on to list all the things he knew about God. He knew that God blesses those who have regard for the weak. He knew that God will deliver him in times of trouble. He knew that God will protect and preserve him. He knew it all. But he still struggled.

Psalm 41:1–3 (NIV)

Blessed are those who have regard for the weak; the LORD delivers them in times of trouble.

The LORD protects and preserves them—they are counted among the blessed in the land—he does not give them over to the desire of their foes.

The LORD sustains them on their sickbed and restores them from their bed of illness.

Now, he recognizes that pouring it all out is not going to solve the problem. He acknowledges that head knowledge in itself is not sufficient. He takes the active step to ask God for mercy (v4, v10). And with God’s mercy, he begins to reassure himself — that God is pleased with him (v11). He reminds himself that God will uphold him and set him in God’s presence forever (v12). Will God really do all that? The psalm doesn’t say. It simply records the psalmist’s feelings and emotions as he goes through the entire process.

Psalm 41:10–12 (NIV)

But may you have mercy on me, LORD; raise me up, that I may repay them.

I know that you are pleased with me, for my enemy does not triumph over me.

Because of my integrity you uphold me and set me in your presence forever.

At this juncture, the psalmist could have ended it there. But instead, he allows us as readers into something even more amazing—his shift and his action. He wrote:

Psalm 41:13 (NIV)

Praise be to the LORD, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting.

Amen and Amen.

As Christians, we often say “Amen.” And that usually signifies a declaration of affirmation. In this context, the psalmist declared that God is worthy of praise from everlasting to everlasting. He also declared his affirmation for all his reassurances in verses 10 to 12. But the psalmist did not stop there. He said, “Amen and Amen.”

Twofold “Amens” are often used to emphasize the truth and the importance of what was said. It wasn’t just a declaration—it was a strong, resounding declaration.

So what happened between verse 12 and verse 13? We don’t know. Possibly, an aha moment came about somewhere in verse 12. We can only speculate if that was truly the case… but based on how the psalm is structured, it sounds highly likely. Especially when we consider verse 10 as a call for mercy, verse 11 as an affirmation of what he knew, and verse 12 as a recognition that God would uphold him and set him in His presence forever.

And that was it. That one recognition changed everything. Nothing else matters now—not mortal enemies, not betraying friends. They cannot tear him away from God’s presence, ever. That acknowledgement alone gave him the confidence that he requires.

And hence, with his newfound confidence, the psalmist concluded that the only appropriate response was to praise God. And that’s exactly what he did.

Final thoughts

Psalm 41 may seem simple on the surface. But for those of us in coaching, it provides a beautiful framework for how to journey with someone who is hurting. Sometimes, the client already knows all the answers. Sometimes, the problem is not about knowledge but about processing. And sometimes, what they need is not advice, but space. Space to speak, space to feel, space to be reminded of what truly matters.

In the end, the shift happens not because the psalmist’s situation changed. It happened because he changed.

And maybe that’s the deeper lesson here. Coaching doesn’t guarantee resolution. Clients don’t always leave the session with confidence or closure. Some walk away still in the tension, still wrestling. But when the space is safe—when the client is truly heard—they are more likely to connect with what they already know deep down. Whether it ends with a quiet sigh, a question, or a bold “Amen and Amen,” the process itself is sacred. And like Psalm 41, sometimes the act of walking through the struggle with someone is where the real transformation begins.