Psalms 41:1-6

1 Blessed is he that understands regarding the poor; the LORD will deliver him in the day of evil.

2 The LORD will preserve him and keep him alive, and he shall be blessed upon the earth, and thou wilt not deliver him unto the will of his enemies.

3 The LORD will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing; thou wilt soften all his bed in his sickness.

4 I said, LORD, be merciful unto me; heal my soul; for I have sinned against thee.

5 My enemies speak evil of me, When shall he die and his name perish?

6 And if he came to see me, he spoke lies: his heart gathered iniquity to itself, and when he goes out, he tells it.

Psalms 41:1-6 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.