Psalms 41

1 To the Overseer. -- A Psalm of David. O the happiness of him Who is acting wisely unto the poor, In a day of evil doth Jehovah deliver him.

2 Jehovah doth preserve him and revive him, He is happy in the land, And Thou givest him not into the will of his enemies.

3 Jehovah supporteth on a couch of sickness, All his bed Thou hast turned in his weakness.

4 I -- I said, `O Jehovah, favour me, Heal my soul, for I did sin against Thee,'

5 Mine enemies say evil of me: When he dieth -- his name hath perished!

6 And if he came to see -- vanity he speaketh, His heart gathereth iniquity to itself, He goeth out -- at the street he speaketh.

7 All hating me whisper together against me, Against me they devise evil to me:

8 A thing of Belial is poured out on him, And because he lay down he riseth not again.

9 Even mine ally, in whom I trusted, One eating my bread, made great the heel against me,

10 And Thou, Jehovah, favour me, And cause me to rise, And I give recompence to them.

11 By this I have known, That Thou hast delighted in me, Because my enemy shouteth not over me.

12 As to me, in mine integrity, Thou hast taken hold upon me, And causest me to stand before Thee to the age.

13 Blessed [is] Jehovah, God of Israel, From the age -- and unto the age. 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.

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.