Psalms 41

The Occasion of this Psalm was manifesty, 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.

BLessed is he that considereth Or, That carries himself wisely and prudently, with or towards him, not rashly and foolishly, Censures and Condemnhim, as my pretended Friends dealt with me, v. 8. nor insulteth over him, which is a foolish, as well as wicked thing, but considereth that it may be his own Case, and therefore pitieth and helpeth him; which is the likeliest way to obtain the like Pity, for himself in his Trouble. the poor Or rather, The Weak, or Sick, or languishing Person, as may be gathered by Comparing this with v. 3. where the Mercy which he is supposed to have afforded to him, is returned upon himself, and with v. 8,, the LORD will deliver him Either, 1. The poor afflicted man. Though his Enemies conclude his Case to be desperate. v. 8. God will Consute them, and deliver him. Or, 2. The Considerer of the Poor, of whom also this same Pronoun, Him, is Confessedly meant, v. 2, 3. And so it is a Promise of Recompence, the wise and merciful Man shall find Mercy., in time of trouble.

The LORD will preserve, and 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., and he shall be blessed upon the earth; and thou wilt not deliver him into the will of his enemies (i. e.) To Destruction, which they earnestly desire and indeavour to procure..

The LORD will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing: thou wilt make all his bed 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 easie for him. For the Words foregoing and following these suppose him to be and continue in a State of sickness. Thus the Lord elsewhere Compares himself to a Servant, waiting upon his People at Table, Luk. 12. 37. as here, to one that makes their Bed. Metaphors implying strange Condescension. in his sickness.

I said LORD, be merciful unto me; heal my soul (i. e.) Either, 1. My self, to wit, my Body. So it is a double Synecdoche. And the soul is so taken. Psal. 16. 10. Or, 2. My Soul properly so called; which is said to be healed, when it is pardoned and purged, as 2 Chron. 30. 20. Isa. 53. 5. Comp. with 1 Pet. 2. 24. Mat. 13. 15. Comp. with Mark 4. 12. Iam. 5. 16. So he strikes at the Root of his Misery, and prays for the Removal of the sin of his Soul, as the Cause of the Disease of his Body., for I have sinned against thee This may be added Either, 1. As a Reason or Motive to God, grant this Request, for I have sinned, and therefore thy Grace in healing me, will be more glorious and admirable; Or, for I acknowledge that I have sinned: for the Act is oft put for the Declaration of it, as Exod. 33. 13. Psal. 51. 5. Or, 2. As a Reason moving him thus to pray, I said, Lord be merciful unto me, heal my Soul; and great Reason I had to say so, for I have sinned against thee..

Mine enemies speak evil of me Vent their ill Wishes against me, in the following Words.: When shall he die, and his name perish?

And if he come to see me To visit me in my sickness according to the Custome., he speaketh vanity Or, falshood, pretending Sympathy with me, and friendship to me, whilst they Plot mischief in their Hearts against me.: his heart gathereth iniquity to it self Even when he is with me, and pretends hearty affection to me, his Heart cannot forbear its Customary Practice, of meditating and devi... ing Mischief against me; for which he watcheth and seeketh for all Occasions from my Speeches, or Carriage, or the Circumstance of my Condition, which he observes., when he goeth abroad he telleth it Partly, to delight his Companions and Pa... tly, to encourage them, to and direct them in their malicious Designs against me..

All that hate me whisper together against me (i. e.) Secretly defame me, and closely Plot against me.: against me do they devise my hurt.

An evil disease Heb. A word or thing of B... lial, (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 Crimes; Or, such as God useth to inflict upon the Sons of B... lial, to show that he is in Truth such an one, whatsoever he pretends to the contrary., say they, cleaveth fast unto him: and now that he lieth, he shall rise up no more Seeing God has begun to punish him, he will make an end of him..

Yea, mine own familiar friend He means either A... hitophel, or some other perfidio... s Counsellor or Courtier, who was a Type of Iodas, to whom therefore it is applied, Ioh. 13. 18. as David was a Type of Christ, in being thus betrayed. So these Words were literally fulfilled in David, and yet the Holy Ghost which dictated them, looked further in them, even to Christ and Iodas, in whom they received a further and fuller Accomplishment.... A Phrase implying, Injury joyned with Insolency and Contempt, taken from an un... uly Horse, which Kicks at him, that owns and feeds him. in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, has lift up his heel He means either A... hitophel, or some other perfidio... s Counsellor or Courtier, who was a Type of Iodas, to whom therefore it is applied, Ioh. 13. 18. as David was a Type of Christ, in being thus betrayed. So these Words were literally fulfilled in David, and yet the Holy Ghost which dictated them, looked further in them, even to Christ and Iodas, in whom they received a further and fuller Accomplishment.... A Phrase implying, Injury joyned with Insolency and Contempt, taken from an un... uly Horse, which Kicks at him, that owns and feeds him. against me.

But thou, O LORD, be merciful unto me They Censure me grievously, and conclude my Case to be desperate, but, Lord, do thou vindicate me, and Confute them., and raise me up that I may requite them Or, and I will requite them, (i. e.) Punish them for their malicious and perfidious and wicked Practises: which, being now a Magistrate, he was obliged to Revenge, Rom. 13. 4. although when he was a private Person, he was so far from revenging Evil, that he rendred good for it, as we see, Psal. 35. 12, 13. and elsewhere..

By this I know that thou favourest me Bearest a good Will to me, and art resolved to make good thy Promises to me, and wilst plead m... righteous Cause against them.: because mine enemy does not triumph over me Because hitherto thou hast helped and supported me, and prolonged my days to the disappointment of their Hopes, and designed Triumphs. This Merey I thankfully receive as a Token of further Mercy. Compare, 1 Sam. 17. 37. 2 Cor. 1. 9, 10..

And as for me, thou upholdest me 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 Calum... ies of mine Enemies; and thou hast promised and usest to afford thy Protection to the innocent and upright.: and settesteme before thy face for ever Or, hast Confirmed, or Established me in thy Presence (i. e. Either, under thine Eye and special Care: Or, to Minister unto thee, not only in thy Temple, but as a King over thy People, or in that Land, where thou art peculiarly present) for ever, Either, 1. Properly: And so this was done to David, Either in his own Person, Partly here, and Partly, in the next Life: Or, in regard of his Posterity, in whom the Kingdom was Established for ever. Or, 2. For my whole Life, or for a long time, as that Phrase is commonly used..

Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, from everlasting, and to everlasting Or, from Age to Age, as long as the World lasts, and to all Eternity. Amen and amen Amen signifies an 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 them is closed with this Word, the first here; The second, Psal. 72. the third, Psal. 89. the fourth, Psal. 106. the last in the end of Psal. 150. the doubling of the... word shows the Fervency of his Spirit, in this Work of praising God..