Psalms 41:7-13

7 All mine enemies backbited privily against me; against me they thought evils to me. (All my enemies secretly backbite me; they think up evil things to do to me.)

8 They ordained an evil word against me; Whether he that sleepeth, shall not lie to, that he rise again? (They ordained an evil word against me; and they said, He who sleepeth, now that he lieth down, shall not rise up again.)

9 For why the man of my peace, in whom I hoped, he that ate my loaves; made great deceit on me. (For my friend, in whom I trusted, he who ate my bread; brought forth great deceptions, or lies, against me.)

10 But thou, Lord, have mercy on me, and raise me (up) again; and I shall yield to them (and I shall repay them).

11 In this thing I knew, that thou wouldest me; for mine enemy shall not have joy on me. (And by this I shall know that thou delightest in me; and that my enemy shall not have any joy over me.)

12 Forsooth thou hast taken me up for (mine) innocence; and hast confirmed me in thy sight [into] without end. (For thou hast upheld me because of my innocence; and will keep me before thee forever.)

13 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, from the world, and into the world (Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, forever and ever); be it done, be it done.

Psalms 41:7-13 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.