Psalms 41:11

By this I know. Compare Ps. 20:6. In the same way that the psalmist misunderstood the true philosophy of suffering (see on v. 4; see also on Ps. 38:3), he falsely held that prosperity and health were special tokens of the favor of heaven. It is true that God bestows these blessings upon men (see James 1:17), but they are bestowed upon both the righteous and the wicked (Matt. 5:45) so that heaven’s gifts cannot necessarily be taken as evidence of divine approval upon the recipient. A misapprehension of this fact explains certain statements made by the psalmist in Ps. 73.

We must never accept freedom from trial as evidence that all is right between us and God. Our only safe guide is the standard of the Word of God and the corroborating testimony of the Spirit (Rom. 8:16; Heb. 4:12).