Psalms 41

1 For the leader. A psalm of David: How blessed are those who care for the poor! When calamity comes, ADONAI will save them.

2 ADONAI will preserve them, keep them alive, and make them happy in the land. You will not hand them over to the whims of their enemies.

3 ADONAI sustains them on their sickbed; when they lie ill, you make them recover.

4 I said, "ADONAI, have pity on me! Heal me, for I have sinned against you!" 830

5 My enemies say the worst about me: "When will he die and his name disappear?"

6 When they come to see me they speak insincerely, their hearts meanwhile gathering falsehoods; then they go out and spread bad reports.

7 All who hate me whisper together against me, imagining the worst about me.

8 "A fatal disease has attached itself to him; now that he lies ill, he will never get up."

9 Even my close friend, on whom I relied, who shared my table, has turned against me.

10 But you, ADONAI, have pity on me, put me on my feet, so I can pay them back.

11 I will know you are pleased with me if my enemy doesn't defeat me.

12 You uphold me because of my innocence you establish me in your presence forever.

13 Blessed be ADONAI the God of Isra'el from eternity past to eternity future. Amen. Amen.

Psalms 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.