Bible Commentaries
Psalms 41

Verses 1-13

To the chief musician, a psalm of David, composed probably during the time of persecution by Absalom and, if not Messianic throughout, is at least in part typical of the Messiah's suffering, John 13:18; Acts 1:16.

v. 1. Blessed is he that considereth the poor, being properly attentive to the afflicted ones, observing the needy with loving sympathy; the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble, literally, "in the day of adversity," rewarding him in mercy for his deed of mercy.

v. 2. The Lord will preserve him and keep him alive; and he shall be blessed upon the earth, be given true prosperity; and Thou wilt not deliver him unto the will of his enemies, giving him up to destruction.

v. 3. The Lord will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing, support him upon his sick-bed, not let him sink down in death; Thou wilt make all his bed in his sickness, turning it into a couch of recovery and health.

v. 4. I said, Lord, be merciful unto me, this always being the greatest concern of David, just as it stands out in the work of the great Son of David. Heal my soul; for I have sinned against Thee, that being the inward cause of his sufferings.

v. 5. Mine enemies speak evil of me, wishing him evil and destruction, When shall he die and his name perish?

v. 6. And if he, one of the adversaries whose enmity stood out above that of the rest, come to see me, he speaketh vanity, emptiness, hypocrisy; his heart gathereth iniquity to itself, all forms of mischief; when he goeth abroad, he telleth it, he makes known what he found out by his hypocritical behavior, by feigning a sympathetic interest.

v. 7. All that hate me whisper together against me, in making use of the news brought by their spying confederate; against me do they devise my hurt, with deceitful plotting, in an evil conspiracy, such as that made by the leaders of the Jews after receiving from Judas the assurance of his readiness to betray Christ.

v. 8. An evil disease, say they, cleaveth fast unto him, literally, "is welded to him," making it impossible for him to shake it off; and now that he lieth, he shall rise up no more, for the enemies blasphemously considered him marked and judged of God and therefore rejoiced that he was eliminated.

v. 9. Yea, mine own familiar friend, literally, "the man of my peace," of his closest friendship and companionship, enjoying the sacred hospitality of his house, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me, not merely in a spurning gesture, but with the avowed purpose of kicking him aside. It is this verse which Jesus expressly applies to His betrayer, Judas Iscariot, John 13:18.

v. 10. But Thou, O Lord, be merciful unto me, David's usual plea for mercy, and raise me up, causing him to arise from his bed of sickness, from his depth of misery, that I may requite them, in executing judgment upon the wicked.

v. 11. By this I know that Thou favorest me, that Jehovah has pleasure in him, because mine enemy doth not triumph over me, with shouts of victory, finding himself, rather, disappointed.

v. 12. And as for me, thou upholdest me in mine integrity, the fact of his being innocent of deliberate wrongdoing, and settest me before Thy face forever, under God's watch and care, as an object of His trust and love throughout eternity. To the psalm has been added the doxology of the entire First Book of Psalms:

v. 13. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, the only true God, from everlasting and to everlasting, through all eternity. Amen, and Amen; yea, yea, this is most certainly true, and the firm confession of all believers.