Psalm 41

1 Blessed is the man who thinks, on the poor and needy: the Lord shall deliver him in an evil day.

2 May the Lord preserve him and keep him alive, and bless him on the earth, and not deliver him into the hands of his enemy.

3 May the Lord help him upon the bed of his pain; thou hast made all his bed in his sickness.

4 I said, O Lord, have mercy upon me; heal my soul; for I have sinned against thee.

5 Mine enemies have spoken evil against me, saying, When shall he die, and his name perish?

6 And if he came to see me, his heart spoke vainly; he gathered iniquity to himself; he went forth and spoke in like manner.

7 All my enemies whispered against me; against me they devised my hurt.

8 They denounced a wicked word against me, saying, Now that he lies, shall he not rise up again?

9 For even the man of my peace, in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, lifted up his heel against me.

10 But thou, O Lord, have compassion upon me, and raise me up, and I shall requite them.

11 By this I know that thou hast delighted in me, because mine enemy shall not rejoice over me.

12 But thou didst help me because of mine innocence, and hast established me before thee for ever.

13 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting, and to everlasting. So be it, so be it.

Psalm 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.