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Psalms 41

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The Blessings of Compassion for the Afflicted 1–3

1
To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. Blessed is he that considereth the poor: the LORD will deliver him in time of trouble. ​
2
The LORD will preserve him, and keep him alive; and he shall be blessed upon the earth: and thou wilt not deliver him unto the will of his enemies.
3
The LORD will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing: thou wilt make all his bed in his sickness. ​

David's Personal Lament and Prayer 4–9

4
I said, LORD, be merciful unto me: heal my soul; for I have sinned against thee. ​
5
Mine enemies speak evil of me, When shall he die, and his name perish?
6
And if he come to see me, he speaketh vanity: his heart gathereth iniquity to itself; when he goeth abroad, he telleth it. ​
7
All that hate me whisper together against me: against me do they devise my hurt.
8
An evil disease, say they, cleaveth fast unto him: and now that he lieth he shall rise up no more.
9
Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me. ​

Confident Petition for Divine Deliverance 10–13

10
But thou, O LORD, be merciful unto me, and raise me up, that I may requite them. ​
11
By this I know that thou favourest me, because mine enemy doth not triumph over me.
12
And as for me, thou upholdest me in mine integrity, and settest me before thy face for ever. ​
13
Blessed be the LORD God of Israel from everlasting, and to everlasting. Amen, and Amen. ​

Bible text: King James Version (1769 Blayney text) · Public domain

Study Notes for Psalms 41

Verse 1

he that considereth the poor — Sakal is to act with insight, the verb behind 'Maschil' and 'I will instruct thee' in Ps 32:1, 8: he looks wisely at the weak. 'Poor' is dal, one who hangs thin and weak. Prov 19:17 says the LORD takes it as his own debt, 'He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD'.

Verse 3

the bed of languishing — Devay is sickness, a languishing. 'Strengthen' (sa'ad) is to prop up, to hold up. 'Thou wilt make all his bed' is literally 'turn' (haphak): the LORD changes the whole bed of his sickness. The promise answers v.8, where the enemies say of the sick man, 'he shall rise up no more'.

Verse 4

heal my soul; for I have sinned against thee — The prayer joins healing to forgiveness, as Ps 103:3 does, 'Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases'. 'Be merciful' (chanan) is to show favour, and 'heal' (rapha) is the verb of 2 Chr 30:20, 'the LORD hearkened to Hezekiah, and healed the people'. Compare Ps 51:4.

Verse 6

he speaketh vanity — The visitor 'come to see me' brings shav, falsehood, the word of Ps 12:2, 'They speak vanity every one with his neighbour'. His heart 'gathereth iniquity' (aven) and tells it outside. Prov 26:24 describes him, 'He that hateth dissembleth with his lips, and layeth up deceit within him'.

Verse 9

mine own familiar friend — Literally 'the man of my peace' (ish shelomi), the one 'in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread'. Christ says at the table, 'that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me' (John 13:18). 'Heel' is aqeb, the word of Gen 3:15, 'thou shalt bruise his heel'.

Verse 10

raise me up, that I may requite them — 'Raise me up' is qum, the verb of v.8, where they say he 'shall rise up no more'. 'Requite' is shalam, to repay or make whole, the root of shalom, peace, and of the 'familiar' friend of v.9, the man of his peace. The request is made of the LORD: 'be merciful unto me'.

Verse 12

thou upholdest me in mine integrity — Tom, completeness or blamelessness. 'Upholdest' (tamak) is to grasp and hold, and 'settest' (natsab) is to station, the root of 'at his best state' in Ps 39:5: man standing is only vanity, but the one the LORD stations stands 'before thy face for ever'.

Verse 13

Amen, and Amen — The doxology that closes the first book of the Psalms, as Ps 72:18–19, 89:52 and 106:48 close the later books. The psalm began 'Blessed is he' (ashre) and ends 'Blessed be the LORD God of Israel from everlasting, and to everlasting' (barak). 'Amen' (amen) is 'so be it', a word of firmness.