Psalms 41:2-12

2 The Lord will protect him and spare his life and will bless him in the land. He will not let his enemies take him.

3 The Lord will give him strength when he is sick, and he will make him well again.

4 I said, "Lord, have mercy on me. Heal me, because I have sinned against you."

5 My enemies are saying evil things about me. They say, "When will he die and be forgotten?"

6 Some people come to see me, but they lie. They just come to get bad news. Then they go and gossip.

7 All my enemies whisper about me and think the worst about me.

8 They say, "He has a terrible disease. He will never get out of bed again."

9 My best and truest friend, who ate at my table, has even turned against me.

10 Lord, have mercy on me. Give me strength so I can pay them back.

11 Because my enemies do not defeat me, I know you are pleased with me.

12 Because I am innocent, you support me and will let me be with you forever.

Psalms 41:2-12 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.