Psalm 41:9

9 Even my ¹close friend * in whom I trusted, Who ate my bread, Has lifted up his heel against me.

Psalm 41:9 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 41:9

Yea, mine own familiar friend
Or, "the man of my peace" {z}; who did live peaceably with him, and ought always to have done so; whom he treated as his friend, as the rest of the apostles; calling him to that high office, and ordaining him to it, and qualifying him for it; and whom he called by the name of friend, when he came to betray him; Judas is meant;

in whom I trusted;
with the bag and the money in it, both for the sustenance of his own family, the apostles, and for the relief of the poor, ( John 12:6 ) ( 13:29 ) ;

which did eat of my bread;
of his bread in common with the rest of the apostles; and who was eating with him when he gave the sign who should betray him; and who seems to have eaten of the bread in the Lord's supper: even this same person

hath lifted up his heel against me;
by supplanting him, dealing hypocritically with him, and betraying him into the hands of his enemies: the metaphor is either taken from an unruly horse throwing his rider, and then ungenerously spurning at him, and trampling on him; or from wrestlers, who seek to supplant and trip up each other's heels; which shows the ingratitude, baseness, and treachery of Judas; see ( John 13:18 ) .

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FOOTNOTES:

F26 (ymwlv vya) "vir pacis meae", Pagninus, Montanus, Vatablus, Cocceius, Gejerus, Michaelis.

Psalm 41:9 In-Context

7 All who hate me whisper together against me; Against me they devise my hurt, saying,

8 "A wicked thing is poured out upon him, That when he lies down, he will not rise up again."

9 Even my close friend in whom I trusted, Who ate my bread, Has lifted up his heel against me.

10 But You, O LORD , be gracious to me and raise me up, That I may repay them.

11 By this I know that You are pleased with me, Because my enemy does not shout in triumph over me.

Cross References

• 1. 2 Samuel 15:12; Job 19:13, 19; Ps 55:12, 13, 20; Jeremiah 20:10; Micah 7:5; Matthew 26:23; Luke 22:21; John 13:18