Psalms 41:1-11

1 Dignify those who are down on their luck; you'll feel good - that's what God does.

2 God looks after us all, makes us robust with life - Lucky to be in the land, we're free from enemy worries.

3 Whenever we're sick and in bed, God becomes our nurse, nurses us back to health.

4 I said, "God, be gracious! Put me together again - my sins have torn me to pieces."

5 My enemies are wishing the worst for me; they make bets on what day I will die.

6 If someone comes to see me, he mouths empty platitudes, All the while gathering gossip about me to entertain the street-corner crowd.

7 These "friends" who hate me whisper slanders all over town. They form committees to plan misery for me.

8 The rumor goes out, "He's got some dirty, deadly disease. The doctors have given up on him."

9 Even my best friend, the one I always told everything - he ate meals at my house all the time! - has bitten my hand.

10 God, give grace, get me up on my feet. I'll show them a thing or two.

11 Meanwhile, I'm sure you're on my side - no victory shouts yet from the enemy camp!

Psalms 41:1-11 Meaning and Commentary

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.