Notes on the Book of Psalms, Psalm 41
The xli. PSALM.
Though this Psalm by the proprietie of its language, is applicable in time of sickness, yet the Scripture no where in the historical part of it, mentioning any such bodily distemperature as the Psalmist here insists on, it is conceived by interpretors (and yet Psalms the sixth and thirtie eight import otherwayes) rather to be spoken allegoricallie by David than reallie, in allusion to his condition under Absaloms rebellion, whereby being brought low and in a desperate state, he was sorelie censured by his enemies, and shamefully deserted by reason of his affliction, which he here reproves, commending the contrarie virtue of charitie and pittie, which he knows is in God though it fail in men, and accordinglie makes his prayer to find it from him, his enemies and false friends so deceiving, and traducinglie judgeing him, which he prayes he may live to punish, and hopes he shall, upon probable signs of favour from God, for which he blesseth him, and for the assured confidence he hath that God will be as good as his word to his Israel, and to him in Israels behalf.Psalm xl. To the chief musician, A Psalm of David.
To him that is the first and principal of all the Quire, do I David that made this Psalm recommend it, for the care and ordering of it to be sung.
1BLessed is he that considereth the poor; the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble.1 HOw rash are most mens judgements of men in affliction, and thereupon how apt are they to abandon them. But blessed is and shall be the man that judgeth with righteous judgement, and not according to appearance, knowing that God is both gracious and faithful, and though he do cast down, yet he can and will raise up again the afflicted that repent towards him, and trust in him.
2 Yea,2The Lord will preserve him, and keep him alive, and he shall be blessed upon the earth; and thou wilt not deliver him into the will of his enemies. for all his dangers, the Lord will and can preserve and keep him safe, and according to his faithfulness will again restore him to a happy condition, be he at present never so miserable, and will not expose him into the hands of his wicked and malicious enemies, though he seem very near it.
3 When he is at weakest God will put strength into him,3The Lord will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing: thou wilt make all his bed in his sickness. yea, thou, O Lord, what ever men think, and though upon misprisions they forsake the poor distressed, as if he had some plague-sore or infectious disease, yet wilt thou be mindful of him, and charitable and helpful to him, in his helpless condition, and be an all in all to him, when all forsake him.
4 This I verily believed,4I said, Lord, be merciful unto me, heal my soul, for I have sinned against thee. and therefore I prayed accordingly to God to be merciful to me, and reconciled with me, and to ease and relieve me of my misery, which by my sin I had brought upon my self, and justly deserved from the Lord.
5 Mine enemies and they that are hollow-hearted toward me,5Mine enemies speak evil of me: when shall he die and his name perish. give out hard speeches against me, and revile and curse me because of mine affliction, conceiving me rejected and reprobated of God, wishing and prophesying the utter destruction of me, and mine honour.
6 And if under dissembled friendship they come to visit me,6And if he come to see me, he speaketh vanity: his heart gathereth iniquity to it self, when he goeth abroad, he telleth it. they lie to me, studying how to deceive me with false pretences, and then boasts themselves to their treacherous brotherhood, of their base behaviour.
7All that hate me whisper together against me: against me do they devise my hurt.7 All that bear me ill, will plot and conspire my undoing, how they may compass it.
8An evil disease, say they cleaveth fast unto him: and now that he lieth, he shall rise up no more.8 For they count me a cast-away, and by reason of my present affliction they condemn me, as rejected of God, and plagued by him, as with some pestilential mortal disease, never to recover, or find mercy.
9Yea, mine own familiar friend in whō I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lift up his heel against me.9 Yea, I am deserted by those that in my prosperity were near and dear unto me, to whom I imparted my counsels, and on whom I conferred many favours, and made them my companions, even they have reproachfully and malignantly turned against me, and endeavoured my downfal, as Judas shall do Christs in like manner, treacherously betraying him, though dipping with him in the dish.
10But thou, O Lord, be merciful unto me, and raise me up, that I may requite them.10 But these are but men, though friends in pretence, and shew themselves accordingly subject to change. But thou art an unchangeable God, and maiest be trusted, and therefore the more I am forsaken of man, the more I repair to thee to be merciful to me, and befriend me, with deliverance from them, and success against them, that being restored to my former State and Authority, which they hope never to see, I may be inabled to punish their disloyaltie and ingratitude.
11By this I know that thou favourest me: because mine enemy doth not triumph over me.11 And truly I have good hopes thou wilt restore me, and that for all my sin and thy severity, thou bearest good will towards me, because in all this while notwithstanding the great advantage mine enemies have against me, he hath not been able to crush me, but hath been hitherto disappointed and put besides his aim.
12 And as for me,12And as for me, thou upholdest me in mine integrity: and settest me before thy face for ever. how ever thou punishest my sin, yet thou hast consideration of mine unjust suffering at the hands of mine enemies, and favourest mine innocent cause, and gratiously remembrest thy promise of grace and favour to me, and mine, to fulfil it, by establishing the throne of Israel upon me to many generations, and upon Christ (who shall be the seed of David) to all eternity.
13 In the faith whereof I dare and do praise thee,13Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, from everlasting, and to everlasting. Amen and Amen. thy power, goodness, and truth in Israels behalf and mine, and pronounce thee infallible. and unchangeable to thy faithful people, how ever the state of things seem now to contradict it, what thou hast said thou wilt make good from first to last, therefore in confidence of thy faithfulness we bless and praise thee for it, in full assurance it shall be fulfilled to thy glory and our happiness.