Psalms 41:3-13

3 The LORD will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing; thou wilt soften all his bed in his sickness.

4 I said, LORD, be merciful unto me; heal my soul; for I have sinned against thee.

5 My enemies speak evil of me, When shall he die and his name perish?

6 And if he came to see me, he spoke lies: his heart gathered iniquity to itself, and when he goes out, he tells it.

7 All that hate me congregate together and murmur against me; against me do they devise my hurt.

8 A disease of Belial, they say, cleaves fast unto him, and now that he lies he shall rise up no more.

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

10 But thou, O LORD, be merciful unto me and raise me up that I may requite them.

11 In this I shall know that I have pleased thee, that my enemy does not triumph over me.

12 And as for me, thou sustained me in my integrity and hast seated me before thy face for ever.

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

Psalms 41:3-13 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.