Salmi 41

1 Per il Capo de’ musici. Salmo di Davide. Beato colui che si dà pensiero del povero! nel giorno della sventura l’Eterno lo libererà.

2 L’Eterno lo guarderà e lo manterrà in vita; egli sarà reso felice sulla terra, e tu non lo darai in balìa de’ suoi nemici.

3 L’Eterno lo sosterrà quando sarà nel letto della infermità; tu trasformerai interamente il suo letto di malattia.

4 Io ho detto: O Eterno, abbi pietà di me; sana l’anima mia, perché ho peccato contro a te.

5 I miei nemici mi augurano del male, dicendo: Quando morrà? e quando perirà il suo nome?

6 E se un di loro viene a vedermi, parla con menzogna: il suo cuore intanto ammassa iniquità dentro di sé; appena uscito, egli parla.

7 Tutti quelli che m’odiano bisbiglian fra loro contro a me; contro a me macchinano del male.

8 Un male incurabile, essi dicono, gli s’è attaccato addosso; ed ora che giace, non si rileverà mai più.

9 Perfino l’uomo col quale vivevo in pace, nel quale confidavo, che mangiava il mio pane, ha alzato il calcagno contro a me.

10 Ma tu, o Eterno, abbi pietà di me e rialzami, ed io renderò loro quel che si meritano.

11 Da questo io riconoscerò che tu mi gradisci, se il mio nemico non trionferà di me.

12 Quanto a me, tu mi sostieni nella mia integrità e mi stabilisci nel tuo cospetto in perpetuo.

13 Sia benedetto l’Eterno, l’Iddio d’Israele, di secolo in secolo. Amen! Amen!

Salmi 41 Commentary

Chapter 41

God's care for his people. (1-4) The treachery of David's enemies. (5-13)

Verses 1-4 The people of God are not free from poverty, sickness, or outward affliction, but the Lord will consider their case, and send due supplies. From his Lord's example the believer learns to consider his poor and afflicted brethren. This branch of godliness is usually recompensed with temporal blessings. But nothing is so distressing to the contrite believer, as a fear or sense of the Divine displeasure, or of sin in his heart. Sin is the sickness of the soul; pardoning mercy heals it, renewing grace heals it, and for this spiritual healing we should be more earnest than for bodily health.

Verses 5-13 We complain, and justly, of the want of sincerity, and that there is scarcely any true friendship to be found among men; but the former days were no better. One particularly, in whom David had reposed great confidence, took part with his enemies. And let us not think it strange, if we receive evil from those we suppose to be friends. Have not we ourselves thus broken our words toward God? We eat of his bread daily, yet lift up the heel against him. But though we may not take pleasure in the fall of our enemies, we may take pleasure in the making vain their designs. When we can discern the Lord's favour in any mercy, personal or public, that doubles it. If the grace of God did not take constant care of us, we should not be upheld. But let us, while on earth, give heartfelt assent to those praises which the redeemed on earth and in heaven render to their God and Saviour.

Chapter Summary

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.