Psalms 41:4-13

4 As for me, I said, "O LORD, be gracious to me; 1Heal my soul, for 2I have sinned against You."
5 My enemies 3speak evil against me, "When will he die, and his name perish?"
6 And when he comes to see me, he 4speaks falsehood; His heart gathers wickedness to itself; When he goes outside, he tells it.
7 All who hate me whisper together against me; Against me they 5devise my hurt, saying,
8 "A wicked thing is poured out upon him, That when he lies down, he will 6not rise up again."
9 Even my 7close friend * in whom I trusted, Who ate my bread, Has lifted up his heel against me.
10 But You, O LORD, be gracious to me and 8raise me up, That I may repay them.
11 By this I know that 9You are pleased with me, Because 10my enemy does not shout in triumph over me.
12 As for me, 11You uphold me in my integrity, And You set me 12in Your presence forever.
13 13Blessed 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 13

  • 1. Psalms 6:2; Psalms 103:3; Psalms 147:3
  • 2. Psalms 51:4
  • 3. Psalms 38:12
  • 4. Psalms 12:2; Psalms 62:4; Proverbs 26:24-26
  • 5. Psalms 56:5
  • 6. Psalms 71:10, 11
  • 7. 2 Samuel 15:12; Job 19:13, 19; Ps 55:12, 13, 20; Jeremiah 20:10; Micah 7:5; Matthew 26:23; Luke 22:21; John 13:18
  • 8. Psalms 3:3
  • 9. Psalms 37:23; Psalms 147:11
  • 10. Psalms 25:2
  • 11. Psalms 18:32; Psalms 37:17; Psalms 63:8
  • 12. Job 36:7; Psalms 21:6
  • 13. Psalms 72:18, 19; Psalms 89:52; Psalms 106:48; Psalms 150:6

Footnotes 3

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