Psalm 41

Psalm 41

By Henry Law


The happy state of the compassionate is depicted. The vindictive malevolence of the ungodly is also shown. Prayer to God and profession of faith follow with warm ascription of praise.

1, 2, 3. "Blessed is he who considers the poor; the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble. The Lord will preserve him and keep him alive; and he shall be blessed upon the earth; and You will not deliver him to the will of His enemies. The Lord will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing; You will make all his bed in his sickness."

Tender compassion for the poor and suffering is the fruit of the Spirit in the minds of believers. It is a sweet feature in the family of faith. The Lord regards such with especial love. But they are not exempt from trouble. Their heavenward march is through much tribulation; sickness often assails their frames, languor depresses them, and weakness detains them to a bed of suffering. But they are not deserted--no, they now are compassed with peculiar mercies. When heart and flesh appear to fail, the inner man is renewed with especial strength. Welcome all sickness which brings Jesus to the bedside!

4. "I said, Lord, be merciful unto me; heal my soul; for I have sinned against You."

The suffering saint draws nearer to his God. He does not hide his sin; he sees in it the cause of soul-disease, and he supplicates for mercy to bring relief.

5, 6, 7, 8. "My enemies speak evil of me; when shall he die, and his name perish? And if he comes to see me, he speaks vanity; his heart gathers iniquity to itself; when he goes abroad, he tells it. All that hate me whisper together against me; against me do they devise my hurt. An evil disease, say they, cleaves fast to him and now that he lies, he shall rise up no more."

Sad is this picture of the treachery and deep malice of false friends. It is a grief to those who the godly live. They long for the day when the grave shall cover them, and their fame no more be heard. This is the very treatment which assailed the holy Jesus. Grievous sins were laid to His charge. Watchful spies marked His words and steps; and base accusations were continually propagated, and when the grave received Him, vigilance guarded the tomb lest His predicted reappearance should be verified.

9. "Yes, my own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted up his heel against me."

Doubtless, in the first instance, Absalom is here portrayed. But in his heartless and unnatural rebellion he is the type of the vile traitor, whose wickedness can find no parallel in the history of crime. We see in him to what a depth of sin the graceless heart can sink. He walked the familiar friend of Jesus, he was constantly by His side, he witnessed His heavenly walk, and with all knowledge of His truth, he took a paltry bribe to sell Him to His foes. We learn from this foreshadowing of the treason, that our blessed Lord approached redemption's work with full knowledge of the anguish and the sufferings before Him. O blessed Jesus! we adore You that, foreknowing all, You endured all to raise us from sin and sin's punishments to the heights of heavenly glory!

10, 11. "O Lord, be merciful to me, and raise me up, that I may requite them. By this I know that You favor me, because my enemy does not triumph over me."

Predictions still speak. From the dead Jesus was raised. All power in heaven and earth was surrendered to Him. All the enemies who fought against Him were crushed beneath the wheels of His chariot of triumph. Happy are those who meekly bow before Him, and accept His blessed sway!

12, 13. "And as for me, You uphold me in my integrity, and set me before Your face forever. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting, and to everlasting. Amen, and Amen."

Jesus was upheld until He returned in triumph to the heaven of heavens, and took His seat as King of Glory on the right hand of the Majesty on High. So each believer may plead with confidence the promise, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." Constant smiles will gild the passage to the realms of everlasting light. Let, then, the shout begin on earth, which shall continue through eternity's bright day, "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, from everlasting and to everlasting. Amen, and Amen!"

See Also:
   Psalm 1
   Psalm 2
   Psalm 3
   Psalm 4
   Psalm 5
   Psalm 6
   Psalm 7
   Psalm 8
   Psalm 9
   Psalm 10
   Psalm 11
   Psalm 12
   Psalm 13
   Psalm 14
   Psalm 15
   Psalm 16
   Psalm 17
   Psalm 18
   Psalm 19
   Psalm 20
   Psalm 21
   Psalm 22
   Psalm 23
   Psalm 24
   Psalm 25
   Psalm 26
   Psalm 27
   Psalm 28
   Psalm 29
   Psalm 30
   Psalm 31
   Psalm 32
   Psalm 33
   Psalm 34
   Psalm 35
   Psalm 36
   Psalm 37
   Psalm 38
   Psalm 39
   Psalm 40
   Psalm 41
   Psalm 42
   Psalm 43
   Psalm 44
   Psalm 45
   Psalm 46
   Psalm 47
   Psalm 48
   Psalm 49
   Psalm 50
   Psalm 51
   Psalm 52
   Psalm 53
   Psalm 54
   Psalm 55
   Psalm 56
   Psalm 57
   Psalm 58
   Psalm 59
   Psalm 60
   Psalm 61
   Psalm 62
   Psalm 63
   Psalm 64
   Psalm 65
   Psalm 66
   Psalm 67
   Psalm 68
   Psalm 69
   Psalm 70
   Psalm 71
   Psalm 72
   Psalm 72
   Psalm 74
   Psalm 75
   Psalm 76
   Psalm 77
   Psalm 78
   Psalm 79
   Psalm 80
   Psalm 81
   Psalm 82
   Psalm 83
   Psalm 84
   Psalm 85
   Psalm 86
   Psalm 87
   Psalm 88
   Psalm 89
   Psalm 90
   Psalm 91
   Psalm 92
   Psalm 93
   Psalm 94
   Psalm 95
   Psalm 96
   Psalm 97
   Psalm 98
   Psalm 99
   Psalm 100
   Psalm 101
   Psalm 102
   Psalm 103
   Psalm 104
   Psalm 105
   Psalm 106
   Psalm 107
   Psalm 108
   Psalm 109
   Psalm 110
   Psalm 111
   Psalm 112
   Psalm 113
   Psalm 114
   Psalm 115
   Psalm 116
   Psalm 117
   Psalm 118
   Psalm 119
   Psalm 120
   Psalm 121
   Psalm 122
   Psalm 123
   Psalm 124
   Psalm 125
   Psalm 126
   Psalm 127
   Psalm 128
   Psalm 129
   Psalm 130
   Psalm 131
   Psalm 132
   Psalm 133
   Psalm 134
   Psalm 135
   Psalm 136
   Psalm 137
   Psalm 138
   Psalm 139
   Psalm 140
   Psalm 141
   Psalm 142
   Psalm 143
   Psalm 144
   Psalm 145
   Psalm 146
   Psalm 147
   Psalm 148
   Psalm 149
   Psalm 150