Psalms 41:4-13

4 As for me, I said, "O LORD, 1be gracious to me; 2heal me,[a] for I have sinned against you!"
5 My enemies say of me in malice, "When will he die, and his name perish?"
6 And when one comes to see me, 3he utters empty words, while his heart gathers iniquity; when he goes out, he tells it abroad.
7 All who hate me whisper together about me; they imagine the worst for me.[b]
8 They say, "A deadly thing is poured out[c] on him; he will not rise again from where he lies."
9 Even my 4close friend in whom I trusted, who 5ate my bread, has lifted his heel against me.
10 But you, O LORD, be gracious to me, and raise me up, that I may repay them!
11 By this I know that 6you delight in me: my enemy will not shout in triumph over me.
12 But 7you have upheld me because of 8my integrity, and 9set me in your presence 10forever.
13 11Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting! Amen and Amen.

Psalms 41:4-13 Meaning and Commentary

To the chief Musician, a Psalm of David. In this psalm is a prophecy concerning Christ, and concerning Judas Iscariot, as runs part of the title in the Syriac version; and in the Arabic version it is called a prophecy concerning the incarnation, and the salutation of Judas; and certain it is that Psalm 41:9 is to be understood of him, and of his betraying Christ into the hands of his enemies, since it is cited and applied to him by our Lord himself, John 13:18; so that having such a sure rule of interpretation, we may safely venture to explain the whole psalm of Christ, which treats both of his humiliation and exaltation; for it neither agrees with David wholly, nor with Hezekiah, to whom some ascribe it, as Theodoret remarks.

Cross References 11

  • 1. Psalms 4:1
  • 2. Psalms 6:2; Psalms 147:3; 2 Chronicles 30:20
  • 3. Psalms 12:2; Psalms 144:8
  • 4. Ps. 55:12, 13, 20; Job 19:13, 14, 19; Jeremiah 9:4; Jeremiah 20:10; Micah 7:5; [2 Samuel 15:12]
  • 5. Cited John 13:18
  • 6. [2 Samuel 15:25, 26]
  • 7. Psalms 63:8
  • 8. Psalms 26:1
  • 9. Job 36:7
  • 10. Psalms 23:6
  • 11. Luke 1:68; [Psalms 72:18, 19; Psalms 89:52; Psalms 106:48; Psalms 150:6]

Footnotes 3

The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.