PSALM 41 THE ARGUMENT The occasion of this Psalm was manifestly some sore disease or affliction which God had inflicted upon David, and which gave his enemies opportunity to discover their hatred and malice against him. David showeth God's care of the poor, PSALMS 41:1. He confesseth his sins, and c... [ Continue Reading ]
KEEP HIM ALIVE, Heb. _quicken him_, i.e. revive and restore him. Either he will preserve him from trouble; or if God see trouble necessary or fit for him, and therefore suffer him to fall into it, he will raise him out of it. UNTO THE WILL OF HIS ENEMIES, i.e. to destruction, which they earnestly de... [ Continue Reading ]
Either, 1. Change or overturn his bed of sickness; which is done when a man is restored to health. Or rather, 2. Give him ease and comfort, which sick men receive by the help of those who turn and stir their whole bed, to make it soft and easy for them; for the words foregoing and following these... [ Continue Reading ]
MY SOUL, i.e. either, 1. Myself, to wit, my body. So it is a double synecdoche. And _the soul_ is so taken PSALMS 16:10. Or, 2. My soul properly so called; which is said to be _healed_, when it is pardoned and purged, as 2 CHRONICLES 30:20 ISAIAH 53:5, compared with 1 PETER 2:24 MATTHEW 13:15, comp... [ Continue Reading ]
SPEAK EVIL OF ME; vent their ill wishes against me, in the following words.... [ Continue Reading ]
TO SEE ME; to visit me in my sickness, according to the custom. HE SPEAKETH VANITY, or _falsehood_; pretending sympathy with me, and friendship to me, whilst they plot mischief in their hearts against me. HIS HEART GATHERETH INIQUITY TO ITSELF; even when he is with me, and pretends hearty affection... [ Continue Reading ]
WHISPER TOGETHER AGAINST ME, i.e. secretly defame me, and closely plot against me.... [ Continue Reading ]
AN EVIL DISEASE, Heb. _a word or thing of Belial_, i.e. either, 1. Some wicked calumny which they had raised, and which stuck close to him. Or, 2. His great wickedness, whereof this is a sign. Or rather, 3. This sore disease or mischief; either sent upon him in way of vengeance for his horrid cri... [ Continue Reading ]
MINE OWN FAMILIAR FRIEND; he means either Ahithophel, or some other perfidious counsellor or courtier, who was a type of Judas, to whom therefore it is applied, 1 THESSALONIANS 13:18, as David was a type of Christ in being thus betrayed. So these words were literally fulfilled in David, and yet the... [ Continue Reading ]
BE MERCIFUL UNTO ME: they censure me grievously, and conclude my case to be desperate; but, Lord, do thou vindicate me, and confute them. THAT I MAY REQUITE THEM; or, _and I will requite them_, i.e. punish them for their malicious, and perfidious, and wicked practices; which, being now a magistrate,... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU FAVOUREST ME; bearest a good will to me, and art resolved to make good thy promises to me, and wilt plead my righteous cause against them. BECAUSE MINE ENEMY DOTH NOT TRIUMPH OVER ME; because hitherto thou hast helped and supported me, and prolonged my days to the disappointment of their hopes... [ Continue Reading ]
IN MINE INTEGRITY; as I have kept my integrity, so thou hast kept me in and with it. Or, _for mine integrity_; because thou hast seen my innocency, notwithstanding all the calumnies of mine enemies; and thou hast promised and usest to afford thy protection to the innocent and upright. SETTEST ME BEF... [ Continue Reading ]
FROM EVERLASTING, AND TO EVERLASTING; or, _from age to age_, as long as the world lasts, and to all eternity. _Amen_ signifies a hearty assent and approbation, and withal an earnest desire and confidence, of the thing to which it is annexed. And as the Psalms are divided into five books, so each of... [ Continue Reading ]