Table of Contents
Psalm 41
Psalm 41
1 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.
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.
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.
Notes
Cross Reference
Concordance
Commentary
Rashi
Verse 2
<html><b>the poor</b> Heb. דל, the ill, to visit him, as the matter that is stated (in II Sam. 13:4): “Why are you so poor (דל)…?” mentioned in reference to Amnon. <b>on a day of calamity</b> This is Gehinnom (Ned. 40a). And in this world, what is his [the visitor’s] reward?…</html>
Verse 3
<html><b>The Lord will preserve him and keep him alive</b> i.e., the visitor and benefactor who visits him and benefits him.</html>
Verse 4
<html><b>on his sickbed</b> Heb. ערש, lit in French, as (in Deut. 3:11): “Behold his bed is an iron bed.” When he too takes ill, He will support him. What is the meaning of “on his sickbed”? This is the seventh day of the sickness, when he is very ill. In this manner, it is explained in Aggadath Tehillim (Mid. Ps. 41:5). <b>when You have transformed his entire restfulness in his illness</b> Even in the time that his illness has become more acute, when all his restfulness and tranquility have been transformed.</html>
Verse 5
<html><b>I said, “O Lord, be gracious to me”</b> As for me, I have none who visit for good, and when I cry out from my illness and say, “O Lord, be gracious to me, etc,” my enemies rejoice over me and say evil things about me: “When will he die, etc.”</html>
Verse 7
<html><b>he speaks falsely</b> He pretends to be troubled, and when he sits before me, his heart gathers thoughts of violence to himself, [of] what evil he will speak when he leaves, and when he goes outside, he speaks of it.</html>
Verse 8
<html><b>whisper about me</b> something that is harmful to me, and what is that thought?…</html>
Verse 9
<html><b>An evil thing shall be poured into him</b> All the wicked things that he did shall be poured and spilled into his body, and if he lay down, he shall not rise. This is how they curse me.</html>
Verse 10
<html><b>developed an ambush for me</b> Heb. עקב, an ambush, as (in Josh. 8:13): “and their ambush party (עקבו) on the west of the city.”</html>
Verse 12
<html><b>With this I shall know, etc.</b> When You are gracious to me and raise me up, I shall know that You have desired me; when my enemy will not shout with shouts of joy over me, and I will see that because of my innocence, You have supported me.</html>
Verse 14
<html><b>Blessed is the Lord</b> When I stand up from my illness, I will bless You in this manner.</html>