Salmi 41

1 Salmo di Davide, dato al capo de’ Musici BEATO colui che si porta saviamente inverso il povero e misero; Il Signore lo libererà nel giorno dell’avversità.

2 Il Signore lo guarderà, e lo manterrà in vita; Egli sarà reso beato in terra; E tu non lo darai, o Dio, alla voglia de’ suoi nemici.

3 Il Signore lo sosterrà, quando sarà nel letto d’infermità; Quando sarà in malattia, tu gli rivolterai tutto il suo letto.

4 Io ho detto: Signore, abbi pietà di me; Sana l’anima mia; perciocchè io ho peccato contro a te.

5 I miei nemici tengono malvagi ragionamenti di me, dicendo: Quando morrà egli mai? e quando sarà perito il suo nome?

6 E se alcun di loro viene a vedermi, parla con menzogna; Il suo cuore accoglie iniquità; E quando egli è uscito fuori, ne ragiona.

7 Tutti quelli che mi odiano bisbigliano insieme contro a me; Pensano del male di me;

8 Dicendo: Alcun maligno male gli è attaccato addosso; Egli non si rileverà giammai del male onde egli giace.

9 Eziandio l’uomo col quale io viveva in buona pace, Sul quale io mi confidava, che mangiava il mio pane, Ha alzato il calcagno contro a me.

10 Ma tu, Signore, abbi pietà di me, e rilevami; Ed io farò loro la lor retribuzione.

11 Da questo conosco che tu mi gradisci, Che il mio nemico non trionfa di me.

12 Anzi tu mi hai sostenuto nella mia integrità, E mi hai stabilito nel tuo cospetto in perpetuo.

13 Benedetto sia il Signore, l’Iddio d’Israele, Da un secolo infino all’altro 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.