Psalms 41

1 Happy are those who consider the poor; the Lord delivers them in the day of trouble.

2 The Lord protects them and keeps them alive; they are called happy in the land. You do not give them up to the will of their enemies.

3 The Lord sustains them on their sickbed; in their illness you heal all their infirmities.

4 As for me, I said, "O Lord, be gracious to me; heal me, for I have sinned against you."

5 My enemies wonder in malice when I will die, and my name perish.

6 And when they come to see me, they utter empty words, while their hearts gather mischief; when they go out, they tell it abroad.

7 All who hate me whisper together about me; they imagine the worst for me.

8 They think that a deadly thing has fastened on me, that I will not rise again from where I lie.

9 Even my bosom friend in whom I trusted, who ate of my bread, has lifted the 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 has not triumphed over me.

12 But you have upheld me because of my integrity, and set me in your presence forever.

13 Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Amen and 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.

Footnotes

• [a]. Or [weak]
• [b]. Heb [you change all his bed]

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.