Psalms 41:3-13

3 Jehovah will sustain him upon the bed of languishing: thou turnest all his bed in his sickness.

4 As for me, I said, Jehovah, be gracious unto me: heal my soul; for I have sinned against thee.

5 Mine enemies wish me evil: When will he die, and his name perish?

6 And if one come to see [me], he speaketh falsehood; his heart gathereth wickedness to itself: he goeth abroad, he telleth [it].

7 All that hate me whisper together against me; against me do they devise my hurt.

8 A thing of Belial cleaveth fast unto him; and now that he is laid down, he will rise up no more.

9 Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I confided, who did eat of my bread, hath lifted up [his] heel against me.

10 But thou, Jehovah, be gracious unto me, and raise me up, that I may requite them.

11 By this I know that thou delightest in me, because mine enemy doth not triumph over me.

12 But as for me, thou upholdest me in mine integrity, and settest me before thy face for ever.

13 Blessed be Jehovah, the God of Israel, from eternity to eternity! Amen, and Amen.

Psalms 41:3-13 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.

Footnotes

• [a]. Or 'speak evil of me.'
• [b]. Or 'they impute evil to me.'
• [c]. Or 'is poured out upon.'
• [d]. Lit. 'the man (ish) of my peace.' See Ps. 55.13.