1 To the chief musician; a psalm of David.
2 Blessed [is] he that payeth attention to the poor; in the day of evil Jehovah will deliver him.
3 Jehovah will preserve him and keep him alive: he shall be prospered in the land; and do not thou give him up to the will of his enemies.
4 Jehovah will hold him up on the bed of languishing: all his bed thou hast turned in his sickness.
5 I said, O Jehovah, be merciful to me, heal my soul, for I have sinned against thee.
6 Mine enemies speak evil as to me, When shall he die and his name perish?
7 And if he come to see [me] he speaketh falsehood; his heart gathereth iniquity to itself; he goeth out, he speaketh outside.
8 All that hate me whisper together against me; against me they meditate evil to me.
9 A word of Belial is poured into him; and he that hath lain down shall rise no more.
10 Even the man of my peace in whom I confided, eating my bread, hath lifted the heel against me.
11 But thou, O Jehovah, be merciful to me, and raise me up, and I will requite them.
12 By this I know that thou hast delighted in me, because mine enemy shall not exult over me.
13 And as for me, thou hast upheld me in mine integrity and thou settest me before thy face for ever.
14 Blessed [be] Jehovah the God of Israel from everlasting and to everlasting. Amen, and amen.
Notes on Psalm 41
This too is “To the chief musician: a psalm of David.” Thus it also shows us an individual, yea a remnant “poor and needy” in their measure, and “Blessed is he that considereth the poor.” Jehovah will deliver, preserve, strengthen, and be merciful to him, whatever evil enemies may say. And the end will show the Jehovah God of Israel blessed from and to everlasting.
That this psalm embraces Christ as betrayed by Judas is beyond dispute. He indeed was the One Who being rich made Himself poor for His own. But if verse 9 be truly applied to Him, verse 4 proves that the godly Jew is really in view, and not the Lord throughout. Sin is confessed but the heart goes thoroughly out to Jehovah. Such will be the righteous in the consummation of the age.