Psalm 41
It is very sad to have a friend who is not true. Here are Words which tell of such a one:
“Yea mine own familiar friend in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.” Ps. 41:9.
To “lift up the heel against” means to do harm to. In the New Testament we read that the night the Lord Jesus gave Himself up to the soldiers, one of the men who had been much with Him, had seen His good deeds, and eaten bread with Him, or He called, “Friend”, was the one to show the soldiers where to go to take Him a prisoner. So the words of this psalm proved very true hundreds years after they were written.
David also had friends who were not true, but the words about this friend were repeated by the Lord Jesus in the evening before the man Judas betrayed Him (Read Matthew 26:47-5047And while he yet spake, lo, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and elders of the people. 48Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he: hold him fast. 49And forthwith he came to Jesus, and said, Hail, master; and kissed him. 50And Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore art thou come? Then came they, and laid hands on Jesus, and took him. (Matthew 26:47‑50); John 13:1818I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me. (John 13:18)).
In the Hebrew language the Psalms are divided in five books, of different lengths, and each book was a special instruction for the people of Israel. The first book ended with this psalm, the 41St. Notice the words at the close; they art sort of a double ending and you will find much the same ending’s at the close of the other books. Perhaps you would like to mark these divisions in your Bibles sometime you may learn more about them.
Psalms 1-41 is the 1St Book. Psalms 42-72 is the 2nd Book. Psalms 73-89 is the 3rd Book. Psalms 90-106 is the 4th Book. Psalms 107-150 is the 5th Book. “The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the Word of our God shall stand forever.” Isaiah 40:88The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever. (Isaiah 40:8).
ML 09/01/1940