Psalms 41 - Printer Friendly

The collection of Psalms is sometimes divided into five "books," with the first including everything from Psalm 1 through Psalm 41. This passage was probably inspired by the attempted rebellion of David's son, Absalom (2 Samuel 15—18). Themes of slander, plotting, danger, and betrayal are compared to confidence in God's healing, protective ability.

David begins by stating that God will provide protection for those who care for the disadvantaged. The Hebrew term translated as "poor" here includes more than just those lacking resources. David sees himself as one of these righteous people (2 Samuel 9:3–13). He connects this to God's ability to heal, then confesses his sin and asks for God's "healing." This leads into the following passage, where the early verses establish David's reasons to trust that the Lord will be with him in a demanding situation (Psalm 41:1–4).

In David's case, enemies were plotting and scheming for his death. In fact, they wanted to take his throne, kill him, and erase his legacy. One of the conspirators was his own trusted advisor, Ahithophel (2 Samuel 16:23), who strongly sought to see David killed (2 Samuel 17:1–3, 14). During the Last Supper, Jesus refers to David's comment about a betraying friend, applying the idea to Judas (John 13:18). Yet David still expresses confidence in God's protection (Psalm 41:5–10).

The psalm ends with David's clear expectation: that the Lord will give him victory over his enemies, rather than letting him die. He praises God for having a "forever" relationship, ending the psalm with a blessing of praise to God (Psalm 41:11–13).

Psalm 41:1–4 extols the virtue of those diligent to care for the disadvantaged. In this case, David suggests that God provides such persons with special protection from trouble and hardship. This includes their reputation. This is not a blanket promise, but rather one of the lessons David took from his experiences. The following verses speak about betrayal and plotting; likely this was the rebellion of Absalom and Ahithophel (2 Samuel 15—18). That David endured that situation, brought about by his own sin, reflected on his overall obedience to God's will.

Psalm 41:5–10 continues David's assertion that the Lord is gracious. He prays again for the healing which he earlier tied to spiritual concerns. His enemies want to see him die. They lie to his face and plot behind his back. Even his close friend has betrayed him. Most commentators believe this describes David's experience during the rebellion of his son, Absalom, and close advisor, Ahithophel (2 Samuel 15—18).

Psalm 41:11–13 expresses David's confidence that the Lord will defeat his enemies. He is certain God has upheld him and has given him an eternal dwelling in His presence. His last words form a doxology to Israel's God as everlasting. These verses conclude not only Psalm 41 but also the segment commonly referred to as "Book One" of the Psalms.

David observes that blessing comes to the person who shows kindness to the poor. As someone who did just that, David perceives that God is working to protect him from the schemes of his enemies. He admits he has sinned and declares that his enemies want to see him die. These hypocrites scheme and plot while telling lies. Even a close friend has turned into an enemy. David is certain the Lord will vindicate him and not allow his enemy to be victorious over him. He believes the Lord has upheld him and given him assurance of everlasting life in His presence. He concludes Psalm 41 by ascribing praise to the Lord, Israel's God, who is eternal.

This is the last entry in what is often considered the first "book," or major division, of the Psalms. Echoing themes of Psalms 38 and 39, David cries out to the Lord about sin and sickness. This passage refers specifically to betrayal and pressure from enemies. That makes the likely historical context the rebellion led by David's son, Absalom. During that series of events, David's close counselor, Ahithophel, betrayed him (2 Samuel 15—18).

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.