TRV
Study This Verse
Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Psalms 41:5–13. His three-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
David often complains of the insolent conduct of his enemies towards him when he was sick, which, as it was very barbarous in them, so it could not but be very grievous to him. They had not indeed arrived at that modern pitch of wickedness of poisoning his meat and drink, or giving him something to make him sick; but, when he was sick, they insulted over him (Psa 41:5): My enemies speak evil of me, designing thereby to grieve his spirit, to ruin his reputation, and so to sink his interest. Let us enquire,
I.What was the conduct of his enemies towards him.
1.They longed for his death: When shall he die, and his name perish with him? He had but an uncomfortable life, and yet they grudged him that. But it was a useful life; he was, upon all accounts, the greatest ornament and blessing of his country; and yet, it seems, there were some who were sick of him, as the Jews were of Paul, crying out, Away with such a fellow from the earth. We ought not to desire the death of any; but to desire the death of useful men, for their usefulness, has much in it of the venom of the old serpent. They envied him his name, and the honour he had won, and doubted not but, if he were dead, that would be laid in the dust with him; yet see how they were mistaken: when he had served his generation he did die (Act 13:36), but did his name perish? No; it lives and flourishes to this day in the sacred writings, and will to the end of time; for the memory of the just is, and shall be, blessed.
2.They picked up every thing they could to reproach him with (Psa 41:6): "If he come to see me" (as it has always been reckoned a piece of neighbourly kindness to visit the sick) "he speaks vanity; that is, he pretends friendship, and that his errand is to mourn with me and to comfort me; he tells me he is very sorry to see me so much indisposed, and wishes me my health; but it is all flattery and falsehood." We complain, and justly, of the want of sincerity in our days, and that there is scarcely any true friendship to be found among men; but it seems, by this, that the former days were no better than these. David's friends were all compliment, and had nothing of that affection for him in their hearts which they made profession of. Nor was that the worst of it; it was upon a mischievous design that they came to see him, that they might make invidious remarks upon every thing he said or did, and might represent it as they pleased to others, with their own comments upon it, so as to render him odious or ridiculous: His heart gathereth iniquity to itself, puts ill constructions upon every thing; and the, when he goes among his companions, he tells it to them, that they may tell it to others. Report, say they, and we will report it, Jer 20:10. If he complained much of his illness, they would reproach him for his pusillanimity; if he scarcely complained at all, they would reproach him for his stupidity. If he prayed, or gave them good counsel, they would banter it, and call it canting; if he kept silence from good, when the wicked were before him, they would say that he had forgotten his religion now that he was sick. There is no fence against those whose malice thus gathers iniquity.
3.They promised themselves that he would never recover from this sickness, nor ever wipe off the odium with which they had loaded him. They whispered together against him (Psa 41:7), speaking that secretly in one another's ears which they could not for shame speak out, and which, if they did, they knew would be confuted. Whisperers and backbiters are put together among the worst of sinners, Rom 1:29, Rom 1:30. They whispered, that their plot against him might not be discovered and so defeated; there is seldom whispering (we say) but there is lying, or some mischief on foot. Those whisperers devised evil to David. Concluding he would die quickly, they contrived how to break all the measures he had concerted for the public good, to prevent the prosecution of them, and to undo all that he had hitherto been doing. This he calls devising hurt against him; and they doubted not but to gain their point: An evil disease (a thing of Belial), say they, cleaves fast to him. The reproach with which they had loaded his name, they hoped, would cleave so fast to it that it would perish with him, and then they should gain their point. They went by a modern maxim, Fortiter calumniari, aliquid adhaerebit - Fling an abundance of calumny, and some will be sure to stick. "The disease he is now under will certainly make an end of him; for it is the punishment of some great enormous crime, which he will not be brought to repent of, and proves him, however he has appeared, a son of Belial." Or, "It is inflicted by Satan, who is called Belial," the wicked one, Co2 6:15. "It is" (according to a loose way of speaking some have) "a devilish disease, and therefore it will cleave fast to him; and now that he lieth, now that his distemper prevails so far as to oblige him to keep his bed, he shall rise up no more; we shall get rid of him, and divide the spoil of his preferments." We are not to think it strange if, when good men are sick, there be those that fear it, which makes the world not worthy of them, Rev 11:10.
4.There was one particularly, in whom he had reposed a great deal of confidence, that took part with his enemies and was as abusive to him as any of them (Psa 41:9): My own familiar friend; probably he means Ahithophel, who had been his bosom-friend and prime-minister of state, in whom he trusted as one inviolably firm to him, whose advice he relied much upon in dealing with his enemies, and who did eat of his bread, that is, with whom he had been very intimate and whom he had taken to sit at the table with hi, nay, whom he had maintained and given a livelihood to, and so obliged, both in gratitude and interest, to adhere to him. Those that had their maintenance from the king's palace did not think it meet for them to see the king's dishonour (Ezr 4:14), much less to do him dishonour. Yet this base and treacherous confidant of David's forgot all the eaten bread, and lifted up his heel against him that had lifted up his head; not only deserted him, but insulted him, kicked at him, endeavoured to supplant him. Those are wicked indeed whom no courtesy done them, nor confidence reposed in them, will oblige; and let us not think it strange if we receive abuses from such: David did, and the Son of David; for of Judas the traitor David here, in the Spirit, spoke; our Saviour himself so expounds this, and therefore gave Judas the sop, that the scripture might be fulfilled, He that eats bread with me has lifted up his heel against me, Joh 13:18, Joh 13:16. Nay, have not we ourselves behaved thus perfidiously and disingenuously towards God? We eat of his bread daily, and yet lift up the heel against him, as Jeshurun, that waxed fat and kicked, Deu 32:15.
II.How did David bear this insolent ill-natured conduct of his enemies towards him?
1.He prayed to God that they might be disappointed. He said nothing to them, but turned himself to God: O Lord! be thou merciful to me, for they are unmerciful, Psa 41:10. He had prayed in reference to the insults of his enemies, Lord, be merciful to me, for this is a prayer which will suit every case. God's mercy has in it a redress for every grievance, "They endeavour to run me down, but, Lord, do thou raise me up from this bed of languishing, from which they think I shall never arise. Raise me up that I may requite them, that I may render them good for evil" (so some), for that was David's practice, Psa 7:4; Psa 35:13. A good man will even wish for an opportunity of making it to appear that he bears no malice to those that have been injurious to him, but, on the contrary, that he is ready to do them any good office. Or, "That, as a king, I may put them under the marks of my just displeasure, banish them the court, and forbid them my table for the future," which would be a necessary piece of justice, for warning to others. Perhaps in this prayer is couched a prophecy of the exaltation of Christ, whom God raised up, that he might be a just avenger of all the wrongs done to him and to his people, particularly by the Jews, whose utter destruction followed not long after.
2.He assured himself that they would be disappointed (Psa 41:11): "By this I know that thou favourest me and my interest, because my enemy doth not triumph over me." They hoped for his death, but he found himself, through mercy, recovering, and this would add to the comfort of his recovery,
(1.)That it would be a disappointment to his adversaries; they would be crest-fallen and wretchedly ashamed, and there would be no occasion to upbraid them with their disappointment; they would fret at it themselves. Note. Though we may not take a pleasure in the fall of our enemies, we may take a pleasure in the frustrating of their designs against us.
(2.)That is would be a token of God's favour to him, and a certain evidence that he did favour him, and would continue to do so. Note, When we can discern the favour of God to us in any mercy, personal or public, that doubles it and sweetens it.
3.He depended upon God, who had thus delivered him from many an evil work, to preserve him to his heavenly kingdom, as blessed Paul, Ti2 4:18. "As for me, forasmuch as thou favourest me, as a fruit of that favour, and to qualify me for the continuance of it, thou upholdest me in my integrity, and, in order to that, settest me before thy face, hast thy eye always upon me for good;" or, "Because thou dost, by thy grace, uphold me in my integrity, I know that thou wilt, in thy glory, set me for ever before thy face." Note,
(1.)When at any time we suffer in our reputation our chief concern should be about our integrity, and then we may cheerfully leave it to God to secure our reputation. David knows that, if he can but persevere in his integrity, he needs not fear his enemies' triumphs over him.
(2.)The best man in the world holds his integrity no longer then God upholds him in it; for by his grace we are what we are; if we be left to ourselves, we shall not only fall, but fall away.
(3.)It is a great comfort to us that, however weak we are, God is able to uphold us in our integrity, and will do it if we commit the keeping of it to him.
(4.)If the grace of God did not take a constant care of us, we should not be upheld in our integrity; his eye is always upon us, else we should soon start aside from him.
(5.)Those whom God now upholds in their integrity he will set before his face for ever, and make happy in the vision and fruition of himself. He that endures to the end shall be saved.
4.The psalm concludes with a solemn doxology, or adoration of God as the Lord God of Israel, Psa 41:13. It is not certain whether this verse pertains to this particular psalm (if so, it teaches us this, That a believing hope of our preservation through grace to glory is enough to fill our hearts with joy and our mouths with everlasting praise, even in our greatest straits) or whether it was added as the conclusion of the first book of Psalms, which is reckoned to end here (the like being subjoined to Ps. 72, 89, 106), and then it teaches us to make God the Omega who is the Alpha, to make him the end who is the beginning of every good work. We are taught,
(1.)To give glory to God as the Lord God of Israel, a God in covenant with his people, who has done great and kind things for them and has more and better in reserve.
(2.)To give him glory as an eternal God, that has both his being and his blessedness from everlasting and to everlasting.
(3.)To do this with great affection and fervour of spirit, intimated in the double seal set to it - Amen, and Amen. Be it so now, be it so to all eternity. We say Amen to it, and let all others say Amen too.
Historical interpretation
Historical Reception
3 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
Select a marker to jump to its quote. Markers stagger vertically where authors wrote within a few decades of each other.
Judas went out, and he spoke. He went out from the faith, he went out from the council and number of the apostles. He went out from Christ’s banquet to the villainy of Satan; he went out from the grace that sanctifies to the noose that strangles. He went to speak vain things to infidels. He went outside, leaving behind the mysteries of life that lay within. He went out, for he had never known the mysteries that are contained in Scripture.
"And entered in to see" [Psalm 41:6]. What Christ suffered, that suffers also the Church; what the Head suffered, that suffer also the Members. "For the disciple is not above his Master, nor the servant above his Lord." [Matthew 10:24] ...
If to Christ's Members you belong, come within, cling to the Head. Endure the tares if you are wheat, endure the chaff if you are grain. [Matthew 13:30] Endure the bad fish within the net if you are a good fish. Wherefore before the time of winnowing do you fly away? Wherefore before the time of harvest, do you root up the grain also with yourself? Wherefore before you have come to the shore, have you broken the nets? "They go abroad, and tell it."
Now, the outcome of events testifies to these things: furtively they conversed together and looked for the way to implement the plot. Then they made a charge of overthrow, saying to Pilate, “He makes himself king and forbids us paying tribute to Caesar,” which is what the prophecy says: “They set up a lawless plan against me.” That is, they leveled a charge of lawlessness against me.
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Summary
Psalms 41:6 profoundly exposes the duplicitous nature of those who visit the psalmist during his time of severe suffering, revealing their insincere words and malevolent intentions. While feigning concern, their hearts are actively accumulating wickedness, which they then eagerly disseminate as malicious gossip and slander upon leaving, highlighting a profound betrayal of trust and the deep pain inflicted by insincere relationships and public defamation.
Context
Literary Context
Psalm 41 concludes Book 1 of the Psalter, serving as a deeply personal lament, traditionally attributed to King David. It expresses profound distress over a severe illness and the agonizing experience of betrayal, particularly by close acquaintances. The psalm opens with a blessing for those who show compassion to the weak (Psalms 41:1-3), creating a stark thematic contrast with the behavior of the psalmist's enemies described in the subsequent verses. Verse 6 specifically details the deceitful conduct of individuals who visit the psalmist in his vulnerable state, setting the stage for the climactic and prophetic betrayal highlighted in Psalms 41:9, a verse famously quoted in the New Testament regarding Judas Iscariot's betrayal of Jesus. Thus, Psalms 41:6 functions as a critical narrative bridge, illustrating the immediate, personal treachery that foreshadows a greater, messianic fulfillment.
Historical & Cultural Context
In ancient Israel, illness was frequently perceived as a sign of divine displeasure or as an opportune moment for enemies to gloat over one's misfortune. Visiting the sick was a deeply ingrained social custom, an act of compassion and communal solidarity. Therefore, the behavior described in Psalms 41:6 represents a particularly egregious violation of both social norms and basic human decency. The psalmist, likely King David, was a prominent public figure, and his illness would have been widely known, attracting both genuine sympathy and opportunistic malice. The act of "going abroad" and "telling it" speaks to the pervasive nature of gossip and slander in a close-knit society where reputation was paramount. Words carried immense weight, capable of inflicting significant further harm on an already vulnerable individual, underscoring the severity of this betrayal.
Key Themes
This verse powerfully contributes to several foundational themes within the psalm and the broader biblical narrative. Firstly, it starkly highlights hypocrisy and deceit, contrasting the visitors' feigned concern ("he speaketh vanity") with their true, malevolent intentions ("his heart gathereth iniquity to itself"). This exposes the profound danger of those who appear sympathetic but are inwardly corrupt, echoing warnings found throughout wisdom literature, such as in Proverbs 26:23-26. Secondly, it underscores the destructive power of malicious gossip and slander. Not content with internal wickedness, these individuals actively spread harmful reports and rumors upon leaving, demonstrating how words can inflict further pain and damage a person's reputation, a theme consistently warned against in the wisdom literature (e.g., Proverbs 18:8). Finally, the verse contributes to the overarching theme of the suffering of the righteous, as David, despite his devotion to God, endures profound physical and emotional distress, compounded by the treachery of those around him. This resonates with the experiences of believers who face adversity and betrayal, often without apparent cause, as seen in the book of Job.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
The Hebrew term שָׁוְא (shâvᵉʼ) denotes emptiness, falsehood, worthlessness, or deceit. When applied to speech, as here, it signifies words that are not merely idle or meaningless, but actively deceptive, insincere, and devoid of genuine compassion or truth. The visitor's words are a hollow pretense, a mask for their true, malicious intent, aiming to mislead or to conceal their true intentions.
This phrase combines the verb קָבַץ (qâbats), meaning "to collect" or "to gather," with the noun אָוֶן (ʼâven), which signifies wickedness, trouble, or sorrow. The imagery suggests a deliberate, active process of accumulating or storing evil intent within the heart. It implies premeditated malice, a conscious cultivation of harmful thoughts and plans, rather than a fleeting or accidental negative emotion. This is a heart that is not merely tempted by evil but actively embraces and hoards it, preparing for its eventual release.
The Hebrew verb דָּבַר (dâbar) means "to speak" or "to tell," but its root often implies arranging or ordering words. In this context, it highlights the deliberate and organized nature of the visitor's harmful communication. It is not an accidental slip of the tongue but a purposeful dissemination of information, likely slanderous or damaging, that has been carefully "gathered" in their heart. This emphasizes the intentionality behind the act of spreading malicious reports.
Verse Breakdown
"And if he come to see [me], he speaketh vanity:"
This clause sets the scene, describing the superficial act of a visitor coming to the psalmist, ostensibly to offer comfort or sympathy during his illness. However, their words are immediately exposed as "vanity"—empty, false, and insincere. There is a stark contrast between the outward appearance of concern and the inward reality of deceit. The very act of visiting, which should be an act of kindness, is corrupted by their ulterior motives, turning a gesture of care into an act of disingenuousness.
"his heart gathereth iniquity to itself;"
This is the core of the visitor's treachery and the source of their duplicity. While their lips utter empty words, their heart is engaged in a sinister activity: it is actively collecting and accumulating wickedness. This suggests a deliberate, internal process of nurturing malicious thoughts, evil intentions, or plans for harm. It's not a passive reception of evil but an active, willful embrace and storage of it, indicating a deep-seated corruption that belies their outward facade of sympathy.
"[when] he goeth abroad, he telleth [it]."
The final clause reveals the culmination and external manifestation of their internal malice. Once the visitor leaves the psalmist's presence ("when he goeth abroad"), the iniquity gathered in their heart is unleashed through their words. "Telleth it" implies spreading rumors, gossip, or malicious reports about the psalmist's condition or character. This completes the cycle of deceit: feigned sympathy, internal malice, and external slander, demonstrating the destructive power of a corrupt heart expressed through a deceitful tongue that seeks to harm the vulnerable.
Literary Devices
The verse effectively employs several literary devices to convey its message of profound betrayal and hypocrisy. Irony is prominently featured, as the act of visiting the sick, typically a gesture of compassion and solidarity, is inverted into an opportunity for malice and exploitation. The visitors feign concern while harboring ill will, creating a stark and unsettling contrast between their outward appearance and their inward reality. Personification is subtly used when the psalmist states, "his heart gathereth iniquity to itself," attributing an active, volitional capacity to the heart to collect and store evil. This emphasizes the deliberate and internal nature of their wickedness, portraying the heart as an active agent in cultivating malice. Furthermore, the verse uses contrast to highlight the profound duplicity: the "vanity" of their spoken words stands in sharp opposition to the "iniquity" gathered in their hearts, and the private accumulation of malice is contrasted with its public dissemination upon their departure. This tripartite structure—appearance, internal reality, and external action—powerfully illustrates the insidious and destructive nature of the betrayal.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Psalms 41:6 offers a profound theological insight into the nature of human depravity and the pervasive reality of betrayal, even among those who appear sympathetic. It underscores the biblical emphasis on the heart as the wellspring of human action, revealing that true wickedness often begins internally before manifesting externally through deceitful words and slanderous actions. This verse serves as a sober warning against hypocrisy and the insidious damage caused by gossip and slander, urging believers to cultivate discernment and to guard their own hearts against similar corruption. It reminds us that God, unlike humans, sees beyond superficial appearances to the true intentions of the heart, a theme consistently affirmed throughout Scripture, providing comfort that ultimate justice rests with Him.
Reflection and Application
Psalms 41:6 serves as a timeless warning, urging us to cultivate spiritual discernment and to look beyond superficial pleasantries to discern true character. In our contemporary world, we may encounter individuals who offer hollow sympathy while secretly harboring ill will or spreading harmful rumors, whether in personal relationships, professional settings, or even within religious communities. This verse encourages us to be aware of such duplicity and to place our ultimate trust not in the fickle nature of human relationships, but in God, who looks at the heart and knows all things. It also challenges us to examine our own hearts, ensuring our words and actions align with genuine love, integrity, and truth, rather than deceit and malice. We are called to be people of integrity, whose outward expressions genuinely reflect inward purity, resisting the temptation to engage in gossip or to harbor ill will against others, especially those in vulnerable positions. Our compassion should be sincere, our words truthful, and our hearts free from the "gathering of iniquity."
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What does "he speaketh vanity" truly mean in this context?
"He speaketh vanity" means that the visitor's words are empty, false, and insincere. They are not merely idle chatter but are deceptive and devoid of genuine compassion or truth. While the visitor might offer polite condolences or feigned sympathy, their words lack substance and are a mere pretense, masking their true, malicious intentions. This highlights the hypocrisy of their visit, as their outward expression does not match their inward disposition. It's a deliberate act of verbal deceit, designed to conceal a corrupt heart.
How does "his heart gathereth iniquity to itself" relate to their actions?
This phrase describes a deliberate internal process where the visitor's heart actively accumulates and stores wickedness, evil thoughts, or malicious intentions. It's not a fleeting negative emotion but a conscious cultivation of ill will. This internal gathering of iniquity directly fuels their subsequent actions: the "vanity" they speak while present, and the malicious gossip they spread ("he telleth it") once they leave. The heart, as the biblical seat of will, emotion, and intellect, is shown here to be actively engaged in preparing for and executing harm, demonstrating a deep-seated corruption that precedes and drives their deceitful behavior. It reveals that their outward actions are merely the fruit of an inward, cultivated malice.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Psalms 41:6, with its poignant depiction of betrayal by a seemingly sympathetic visitor, finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in the life and passion of Jesus Christ. The psalmist's experience of suffering and the treachery of those who feigned concern foreshadows the perfect suffering of the Messiah. While many came to Jesus during His ministry, some, like the Pharisees and scribes, came with "vanity" on their lips, seeking to trap Him with questions, their hearts "gathering iniquity" against Him (Matthew 22:15 and Luke 11:53-54). Most strikingly, the betrayal described in Psalms 41:9—"Even my close friend, whom I trusted, he who shared my bread, has lifted up his heel against me"—is directly quoted by Jesus in John 13:18 concerning Judas Iscariot. Judas, one of the twelve disciples, shared intimate meals and ministry with Jesus, yet his heart was gathering iniquity, leading him to betray the Son of Man for thirty pieces of silver (Matthew 26:14-16). After his visit to Jesus in Gethsemane, Judas indeed "went abroad" and "told it," leading the authorities to arrest Him (John 18:2-3). Thus, the psalmist's personal lament becomes a prophetic voice, articulating the very depths of the betrayal that Christ would endure, demonstrating that even in the face of the most profound human treachery, God's redemptive plan for humanity would prevail through the ultimate sacrifice of the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.