Psalms 41:6

6 When one of them comes to see me, he speaks falsely, while his heart gathers slander; then he goes out and spreads it around.

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Psalms 41:6 in Other Translations

KJV

6 And if he come to see me, he speaketh vanity: his heart gathereth iniquity to itself; when he goeth abroad, he telleth it.

ESV

6 And when one comes to see me, he utters empty words, while his heart gathers iniquity; when he goes out, he tells it abroad.

NLT

6 They visit me as if they were my friends, but all the while they gather gossip, and when they leave, they spread it everywhere.

MSG

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

CSB

6 When one [of them] comes to visit, he speaks deceitfully; he stores up evil in his heart; he goes out and talks.

Psalms 41:6 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 41:6

And if he come to see [me]
Meaning anyone of his enemies, when they came, as pretended, to pay him a friendly visit. A late learned writer ^F24 interprets this of Absalom, who visited his father when he had the smallpox, which he thinks, after mentioned, of which his enemies expected he would die, when Absalom pretended great concern for his life; though he, with others, were plotting against him, should he live, to destroy him;

he speaketh vanity;
lies and falsehoods, in an hypocritical manner, with a double heart; his mouth and his heart not agreeing together; see ( Matthew 22:16 ) ;

his heart gathereth iniquity to itself;
amasses to itself greater treasures of wickedness still, thought that itself is desperately wicked, and very wickedness: this is to be understood of the enemies of Christ observing his words and actions, and laying them up, with a wicked intention, against a proper time;

[when] he goeth abroad, he telleth [it];
as in the instances concerning giving tribute to Caesar, destroying the temple, and saying he was the son of God, ( Matthew 22:17 Matthew 22:18 ) ; compared with ( Luke 23:2 ) ( John 2:19 John 2:21 ) ; compared with ( Matthew 26:60 Matthew 26:61 ) ( John 5:17 John 5:18 ) , compared with ( John 19:5 ) .