The Psalmist is suffering from an illness which threatens to be fatal. Treacherous enemies, and among them one who had been a trusted friend, eagerly anticipate his death. But his confidence in Jehovah remains unshaken. It is much disputed whether the Psalmist is to be thought of as still lying on... [ Continue Reading ]
_Blessed_ Or, _happy_, as in Psalms 41:2, and in Psalms 1:1. The word is to be distinguished from _blessed_in the doxology of Psalms 41:13, the tribute of human reverence to divine majesty. The last Psalm in Book I begins like the first with a beatitude. _that considereth the poor_ Behaves considera... [ Continue Reading ]
The blessings in store for the compassionate man.... [ Continue Reading ]
It is possible to render as in P.B.V. and R.V. marg., _The Lord perserve him … the Lord support him:_but it is more natural to regard these clauses as descriptive of the blessings which await the compassionate man, rather than as a prayer on his behalf. _he shall be blessed upon the earth_ He shall... [ Continue Reading ]
The Lord will support him upon the couch of languishing (R.V.), uphold him (Psalms 18:35) and preserve him from sinking into the grave. _thou wilt make all his bed_ Lit. thou hast turned (or, changed) his lying down: changed his sickness into health. Cp. Psalms 30:11. Instead of a general truth a p... [ Continue Reading ]
_I said_ Or, I, even I, have said. This has been and is my prayer. Psalms 41:10 seems to imply that the sickness is not yet a thing of the past. _be merciful_ Be gracious (Psalms 4:1; &c.). _heal my soul_ The soul is the man's whole -self;" the living personality which results from the union of sp... [ Continue Reading ]
The foregoing sketch of the blessedness of the compassionate man serves to introduce the Psalmist's description of his own case, partly as a foil and contrast to the heartless treatment he is experiencing, partly because he feels that he can himself plead for a share in the mercy promised to the mer... [ Continue Reading ]
_speak evil of me_ R.V. against me. Psalms 41:5 takes up Psalms 41:2, as Psalms 41:4 answers to Psalms 41:3. _When_&c. The words of the enemies, expressing their impatient eagerness for his death, and even for the extinction of his posterity. Cp. Psa 109:13; 2 Samuel 18:18; Psalms 9:6.... [ Continue Reading ]
And if one _of them_comes to see _me_, he speaketh falsehood. If one of these enemies comes to visit him, as was usual in sickness (2 Kings 8:29), he speaks vanity or falsehood (Psalms 12:2), makes hypocritical professions of sympathy; though all the time _his heart it gathering iniquity_or _mischie... [ Continue Reading ]
The scene outside the house is graphically depicted. We see the associates waiting, eager for news. With a transparent pretence of secrecy they whisper together, and divert themselves with anticipating the worst. _do they devise my hurt_ Or, _imagine evil for me_, indulging in uncharitable speculat... [ Continue Reading ]
Render: A deadly mischief is poured out upon him. The phrase _a thing ofbelial_is variously explained to mean _an incurable disease_or _a matter of wickedness_(cp. note on Psalms 18:4). The use of it in Psalms 101:3 (_base thing_), and Deuteronomy 15:9 (_base thought_) points to the latter as the p... [ Continue Reading ]
_mine own familiar friend_ Lit. _the man of my peace_. Cp. Psalms 7:4; Jeremiah 20:10; Jeremiah 38:22; Obadiah 1:7; and the similar complaints of ingratitude in Psalms 35:12 ff., Psalms 55:12 ff. (where the Heb. for _familiar friend_is quite different). _which did eat_of _my bread_ Bound to me by th... [ Continue Reading ]
_But thou, O Jehovah_, in contrast to their malignity, _be thou gracious unto me:_though they say -he shall rise up no more," _raise me up._ that I may requite them The words have a vindictive ring, which is startling, and seems inconsistent with Psalms 7:4; Proverbs 20:22. Yet if the speaker was D... [ Continue Reading ]
After describing his urgent need, the Psalmist resumes his prayer from Psalms 41:4, and affirms his confident assurance of God's favour.... [ Continue Reading ]
By this I know that thou delightest in me. In the confidence of faith he can use the present: _I know_. Cp. Psalms 20:6. For _delightest in me_, cp. Psalms 18:19; Psalms 22:8; Psa 35:27; 2 Samuel 15:26. _doth not triumph_ Lit. _raise a shout of victory_. Cp. Psalms 25:2 (a different Heb. word); Psa... [ Continue Reading ]
Cp. Psalms 26:11; Psalms 63:8. _Thou upholdest_(lit. _hast upheld_) is either a reference to past mercies, or more probably a retrospect from the standpoint of deliverance granted. _In mine integrity_is no contradiction to Psalms 41:4. Integrity (Psalms 7:8; Psalms 15:2) is not synonymous with sinle... [ Continue Reading ]
This doxology is of course no part of the Psalm, but stands here to mark the close of Book i. Cp. Psalms 72:18-19; Psalms 89:52; Psalms 106:48. _Blessed_be _the Lord God of Israel_ Better as R.V., Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel. _Lord_answers to the Name Jehovah, and is not an attribute to _... [ Continue Reading ]