Blessed is he who considers the poor. Yahweh will deliver him in the day of evil.
Yahweh will preserve him, and keep him alive. He shall be blessed on the earth, and he will not surrender him to the will of his enemies.
Yahweh will sustain him on his sickbed, and restore him from his bed of illness.
I said, “Yahweh, have mercy on me! Heal me, for I have sinned against you.”
My enemies speak evil against me: “When will he die, and his name perish?”
If he comes to see me, he speaks falsehood. His heart gathers iniquity to itself. When he goes abroad, he tells it.
All who hate me whisper together against me. They imagine the worst for me.
“An evil disease”, they say, “has afflicted him. Now that he lies he shall rise up no more.”
Yes, my own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, who ate bread with me, has lifted up his heel against me.
But you, Yahweh, have mercy on me, and raise me up, that I may repay them.
By this I know that you delight in me, because my enemy doesn’t triumph over me.
As for me, you uphold me in my integrity, and set me in your presence forever.
Blessed be Yahweh, the God of Israel, from everlasting and to everlasting! Amen and amen.
John Calvin 1540 · Public Domain On vv1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 1. Blessed is he that judgeth wisely of the…
1. Blessed is he that judgeth wisely of the poor. Interpreters are generally of opinion that the exercise of kindness and compassion manifested in taking care of the miserable, and helping them, is here commended. Those, however, who maintain that the Psalmist here commends the considerate candour of those who judge wisely and charitably of men in adversity, form a better judgment of his meaning. Indeed, the participle משכיל, maskil, cannot be explained in any other way. At the same time, it ought to be observed on what account it is that David declares those to be blessed who form a wise and prudent judgment concerning the afflictions by which God chastises his servants. We have said that he had to contend in his own heart against the perverse judgments of foolish and wicked men, because, when affliction was pressing heavily upon him, many considered that he had fallen into a desperate condition, and was altogether beyond the hope of recovery. Doubtless, it happened to him as it did to the holy patriarch Job, whom his friends reckoned to be one of the most wicked of men, when they saw God treating him with great severity. And certainly it is an error which is by far too common among men, to look upon those who are oppressed with afflictions as condemned and reprobate. As, on the one hand, the most of men, judging of the favor of God from an uncertain and transitory state of prosperity, applaud the rich, and those upon whom, as they say, fortune smiles; so, on the other hand, they act contemptuously towards the wretched and miserable, and foolishly imagine that God hates them, because he does not exercise so much forbearance towards them as he does towards the reprobate. The error of which we speak, namely, that of judging wrongfully and wickedly, is one which has prevailed in all ages of the world. The Scriptures in many places plainly and distinctly declare, that God, for various reasons, tries the faithful by adversities, at one time to train them to patience, at another to subdue the sinful affections of the flesh, at another to cleanse, and, as it were, purify them from the remaining desires of the flesh, which still dwell within them; sometimes to humble them, sometimes to make them an example to others, and at other times to stir them up to the contemplation of the divine life. For the most part, indeed, we often speak rashly and indiscriminately concerning others, and, so to speak, plunge even into the lowest abyss those who labor under affliction. To restrain such a rash and unbridled spirit, David says that they are blessed who do not suffer themselves, by speaking at random, to judge harshly of their neighbors; but, discerning aright the afflictions by which they are visited, mitigate, by the wisdom of the Spirit, the severe and unjust judgments to which we are naturally so prone. I have just adduced as an example the case of Job, whom his friends, when they saw him involved in extreme misery, hesitated not to account an outcast, and one whose case was altogether hopeless. If any one endued with candour, and possessed of a humane disposition, should meet with such a case, he would regard it in the exercise of the same discretion which David here commends. As to ourselves, being admonished by this testimony of the Holy Spirit, let us learn to guard against a too precipitate judgment. We must therefore judge prudently of our brethren who are in affliction; that is to say, we must hope well of their salvation, lest, if we condemn them unmercifully before the time, this unjust severity in the end fall upon our own heads. It ought, however, especially to be observed, what indeed I have already noticed, that the object which David had in view, when he saw himself, as it were, overwhelmed by the malicious and cruel judgments which were expressed concerning him, was to fortify himself by this as a ground of consolation, lest he should sink under the temptation. If, therefore, at any time Satan should endeavor to destroy the foundation of our faith, by the rash and presumptuous judgments of men, let us also learn to have recourse to this device of wisdom, lest unawares we fall into despair. This is the proper use of the doctrine contained in this passage.
The Lord will deliver him in the day of evil. Some connect these words, in the day of evil, with the preceding clause; and the reading thus suggested might indeed be admitted; but the distinction which I have followed is better adapted to the sense, and is also supported by the Hebrew accent. Thus at least the doctrine deducible from these words is susceptible of a fuller meaning, namely, that the Lord will deliver the poor in the day of his adversity. Some think that David here prays for a blessing in behalf of the upright and compassionate; as if he had said, May the Lord himself recompense them again for their kindness, if at any time it happen that they are grievously afflicted! Others suppose that David here records the language of such men from which we may come to the knowledge of their wisdom and uprightness. In my opinion, however, both are equally in error in reading this clause in the form of a desire or prayer. Whether, indeed, David speaks in his own name, or in the name of others, he briefly recommends and enjoins the kindness which we ought to exercise towards the afflicted; for although God may for a time manifest his displeasure against them, yet he will, nevertheless, be gracious to them, so that the issue will at length be happier and more joyful than the judgment we might be led to form from the present aspect of things. We now see that the sense in which I have explained this verse is much more copious and fuller of meaning, namely, that we ought to hope for salvation and deliverance from the hand of the Lord, even in the day of adversity; for otherwise, no man who had once fallen into a state of sorrow and sadness would ever be able to rise again. And this I say, because the design of the Holy Spirit in this passage is not only to exhort the faithful to be ready in showing kindness towards their brethren when they see them in affliction, but also to point out the remedy which has been provided for the mitigation of our sorrow, whenever our faith is shaken by adversity.
John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.
Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain On vv1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 12, 13 Not condemning him as accursed whom God doth visit,…
Not condemning him as accursed whom God doth visit, knowing that there are divers causes why God layeth his hand upon us, yea and afterward he restoreth us.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On vv1–13 Psa 41:1 « To the chief Musician, A Psalm…
Psa 41:1 « To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. » Blessed [is] he that considereth the poor: the LORD will deliver him in time of trouble.
A Psalm of David] Of the same sense with the four former psalms, saith Kimchi.
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Ver. 1. Blessed is he that considereth the poor] Heb. that wisely considereth concerning the poor; the poor weakling, whose health is impaired, whose wealth is wasted. Austin rendereth it, Qui praeoccupat vocem petituri, He that preventeth the request of the poor beggar; wisely considering his case, and not staying till he crave; which possibly out of modesty he may be loth to do. The most interpret it of a charitable judgment passed upon the poor afflicted, not holding him therefore hated of God because heavily afflicted, as Job’s friends did. At vobis bene sit qui de me quantumvis calamitoso rectius iudicatis, so Beza here paraphraseth; Well may you fare, my friends, who censure better of me, though full of misery; and deal more kindly with me. The word Maschil signifieth both a prudent judgment and a desire to do all good offices, saith one. It signifieth to give comfort and instruction to the weak, saith another, wisely weighing his case, and ready to draw out, not his sheaf only, but his "soul to the hungry," Isa 58:10. This is a blessed man, presupposing him to be a believer, and so to do it from a right principle, viz. "Charity out of a pure heart, of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned," 1Ti 1:5.
The Lord will deliver him] i.e. The poor weakling; and the other also that dealeth so mercifully with him; both shall be delivered; according to that of our Saviour, Mat 10:41. Delivered, I say, he shall be in due time; supported in the mean while; a good use and a good issue he shall be sure of. Some make it David’s prayer, The Lord deliver him, &c. Others, the merciful man’s prayer for the poor afflicted (Kimchi).
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain On vv1–13 That considereth; or, that carries himself wisely and prudently…
That considereth; or, that carries himself wisely and prudently with or towards him, not rashly and foolishly censures and condemns him, as my pretended friends dealt with me, Psa 41:8; 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 Psa 41:3, where the mercy which he is supposed to have afforded to him is returned upon himself, and with Psa 41:8.
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The Lord will deliver him; either,
1. The poor afflicted man. Though his enemies conclude his case to bc desperate, Psa 41:8, God will confute them, and deliver him. Or,
2. The considerer of the poor, of whom also this same pronoun him is confessedly meant, Psa 41:2,3. And so it is a promise of recompence, the wise and merciful man shall find mercy.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Matthew Henry 1710 · Public Domain On vv1, 5 In these verses we have,
In these verses we have,
I. God's promises of succour and comfort to those that consider the poor; and,
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1. We may suppose that David makes mention of these with application either, (1.) To his friends, who were kind to him, and very considerate of his case, now that he was in affliction: Blessed is he that considers poor David. Here and there he met with one that sympathized with him, and was concerned for him, and kept up his good opinion of him and respect for him, notwithstanding his afflictions, while his enemies were so insolent and abusive to him; on these he pronounced this blessing, not doubting but that God would recompense to them all the kindness they had done him, particularly when they also came to be in affliction. The provocations which his enemies gave him did but endear his friends so much the more to him. Or, (2.) To himself. He had the testimony of his conscience for him that he had considered the poor, that when he was in honour and power at court he had taken cognizance of the wants and miseries of the poor and had provided for their relief, and therefore was sure God would, according to his promise, strengthen and comfort him in his sickness.
2. We must regard them more generally with application to ourselves. Here is a comment upon that promise, Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. Observe, (1.) What the mercy is which is required of us. It is to consider the poor or afflicted, whether in mind, body, or estate. These we are to consider with prudence and tenderness; we must take notice of their affliction and enquire into their state, must sympathize with them and judge charitably concerning them. We must wisely consider the poor; that is, we must ourselves be instructed by the poverty and affliction of others; it must be Maschil to us, that is the word here used. (2.) What the mercy is that is promised to us if we thus show mercy. He that considers the poor (if he cannot relieve them, yet he considers them, and has a compassionate concern for them, and in relieving them acts considerately and with discretion) shall be considered by his God: he shall not only be recompensed in the resurrection of the just, but he shall be blessed upon the earth This branch of godliness, as much as any, has the promise of the life that now is and is usually recompensed with temporal blessings. Liberality to the poor is the surest and safest way of thriving; such as practise it may be sure of seasonable and effectual relief from God, [1.] In all troubles: He will deliver them in the day of evil, so that when the times are at the worst it shall go well with them, and they shall not fall into the calamities in which others are involved; if any be hidden in the day of the Lord's anger, they shall. Those who thus distinguish themselves from those that have hard hearts God will distinguish from those that have hard usage. Are they in danger? he will preserve and keep them alive; and those who have a thousand times forfeited their lives, as the best have, must acknowledge it as a great favour if they have their lives given them for a prey. He does not say, "They shall be preferred," but, "They shall be preserved and kept alive, when the arrows of death fly thickly round about them." Do their enemies threaten them? God will not deliver them into the will of their enemies; and the most potent enemy we have can have no power against us but what is given him from above. The good-will of a God that loves us is sufficient to secure us from the ill-will of all that hate us, men and devils; and that good-will we may promise ourselves an interest in if we have considered the poor and helped to relieve and rescue them. [2.] Particularly in sickness (Psa 41:3): The Lord will strengthen him, both in body and mind, upon the bed of languishing, on which he had long lain sick, and he will make all his bed - a very condescending expression, alluding to the care of those that nurse and tend sick people, especially of mothers for their children when they are sick, which is to make their beds easy for them; and that bed must needs be well made which God himself has the making of. He will make all his bed from head to foot, so that no part shall be uneasy; he will turn his bed (so the word is), to shake it up and make it very easy; or he will turn it into a bed of health. Note, God has promised his people that he will strengthen them, and make them easy, under their bodily pains and sicknesses. He has not promised that they shall never be sick, nor that they shall not lie long languishing, nor that their sickness shall not be unto death; but he has promised to enable them to bear their affliction with patience, and cheerfully to wait the issue. The soul shall by his grace be made to dwell at ease when the body lies in pain.
II. David's prayer, directed and encouraged by these promises (Psa 41:4): I said, Heal my soul. It is good for us to keep some account of our prayers, that we may not unsay, in our practices, any thing that we said in our prayers. Here is, 1. His humble petition: Lord be merciful to me. He appeals to mercy, as one that knew he could not stand the test of strict justice. The best saints, even those that have been merciful to the poor, have not made God their debtor, but must throw themselves on his mercy. When we are under the rod we must thus recommend ourselves to the tender mercy of our God: Lord, heal my soul. Sin is the sickness of the soul; pardoning mercy heals it; renewing grace heals it; and this spiritual healing we should be more earnest for than for bodily health. 2. His penitent confession: "I have sinned against thee, and therefore my soul needs healing. I am a sinner, a miserable sinner; therefore, God be merciful to me," Luk 18:13. It does not appear that this has reference to any particular gross act of sin, but, in general, to his many sins of infirmity, which his sickness set in order before him, and the dread of the consequences of which made him pray, Heal my soul.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible (1708–1710) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain On vv1–13 Blessed is he that considereth the poor,.... Not the…
Blessed is he that considereth the poor,.... Not the poor of the world in common, nor poor saints in particular, but some single poor man; for the word is in the singular number, and designs our Lord Jesus Christ, who, in Psa 40:17, is said to be "poor and needy": and so read the Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, and Ethiopic versions here; who became poor for our sakes, that we might be enriched by his poverty; being born of poor parents, educated in a mean manner, and in public life was ministered to by others: the word (q) here used signifies one that is attenuated, weak, and exhausted either of his substance or strength, or both; as Christ was in his state of humiliation, when he was emptied of his riches, and, though Lord of all, had not where to lay his head; and whose strength was dried up like a potsherd, when he suffered on the cross; and indeed at best he was encompassed with weaknesses and infirmities: and in this his low estate he is to be wisely considered, or attended to with wisdom and understanding; and he may be said wisely to consider him, who considers how great a person he is, that came into such a low estate for us; not a mere man, but above angels and men, that has all the perfections of deity in him, is the eternal Son of God, truly and properly God, and the Creator of all things, and Governor of the universe; which consideration will engage to and encourage faith and hope in him, lead to adore his wonderful grace, and to admire his condescension and humility in becoming poor and weak; as also who considers that the poverty of Christ was for our sakes, and that we might be made rich with the riches of grace and glory; and considers it so as not to be offended with it; see Mat 11:6; and which may serve to support us under all meanness and infirmity, and in whatsoever estate saints may come into; and likewise who considers him in his offices which he exercised in that his estate as the apostle and high priest of our profession; and him in his exalted state in heaven; see Heb 12:3; in a word, he wisely considers him, who believes in him as his Saviour, prizes him as the pearl of great price, cleaves close unto him, and follows him wherever he goes; who desires to know more of him, is concerned for his honour, interest, kingdom and glory, and pities his poor members, and freely and bountifully communicates to them; and so the Targum,
"blessed is the man that wisely considers the afflictions of the poor, that he may have mercy on him;''
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and such an one is an happy man, and the following things said of him prove him to be so;
the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble: or "in the evil day" (r); out of all his trouble, temporal and spiritual, of body and soul; in every time of affliction, private and personal; or in a time of public calamity; perhaps reference may be had to the time of Jerusalem's destruction, which was a time of great tribulation, Mat 24:21; when those who did not consider Christ in his poor and low estate, but despised and rejected him, were destroyed; and such as did were saved from that calamity: and it may also include the day of judgment, which is the evil day, unto which the wicked are reserved, and when they will be punished with everlasting destruction; but then those that consider Christ, and believe in him, will be saved from wrath. Some (s) take these words, with what follows in the two next verses, as a prayer, and as delivered by him that visits the sick, for his comfort; and so Joseph Kimchi interprets it of an honourable man visiting a sick man, and instructing and comforting him with such words as these, that "the Lord will deliver him", &c.
(q) "tenuem", Montanus, Cocceius; "attenuatum", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator; "the poor weakling", Ainsworth. (r) "in die mala", V. L. Pagninus, Montanus, Musculus. (s) Vid. R. David Kimchium in loc.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain On vv1, 3, 4, 6, 9, 10, 11, 12 David on a sick bed lays hold on God's…
David on a sick bed lays hold on God's promise and prays for mercy, ver. 1-4. Complains of the pride and malice of his enemies, ver. 5-9. Flees to God for succor, and praises him, ver. 10, 13. To the chief musician, A psalm of David.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On vv1–13 The blessedness of the man who is merciful to…
PSALM XLI
The blessedness of the man who is merciful to the poor, 1-3.
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The psalmist complains of his enemies, and prays for support,
4-10;
and blesses God for having heard his prayer, and preserved him
from his adversaries, 11, 12.
A fine doxology closes the Psalm, 13.
NOTES ON PSALM XLI
The title as before. The Syriac says it was "A Psalm of David, when he appointed overseers to take care of the poor." The Arabic says, "It is a prophecy concerning the incarnation; and also of the salutation of Judas." It appears to me to have been written on the same occasion as the three former, and to relate to David's malady and cure, and the evil treatment he had from his enemies during his affliction. Our Lord, by accommodation, applies the ninth verse to the treachery of Judas, Joh 13:18; but as to any other direct reference to Christ, or his history, I believe the Psalm has none.
Verse 1. Blessed is he that considereth] God is merciful; he will have man to resemble him: as far as he is merciful, feels a compassionate heart, and uses a benevolent hand, he resembles his Maker; and the mercy he shows to others God will show to him. But it is not a sudden impression at the sight of a person in distress, which obliges a man to give something for the relief of the sufferer, that constitutes the merciful character. It is he who considers the poor; who endeavours to find them out; who looks into their circumstances; who is in the habit of doing so; and actually, according to his power and means, goes about to do good; that is the merciful man, of whom God speaks with such high approbation, and to whom he promises a rich reward.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain On vv1, 2, 4, 5, 8, 10, 11, 13 Psa 41:1. Blessed is he that considereth the poor…
Psa 41:1. Blessed is he that considereth the poor — Or, poor man; that conducts himself wisely and prudently toward him; as משׂכיל, maschil, properly signifies, that does not rashly and foolishly censure and condemn him, much less insult over him, but considers his case with prudence and tenderness, remembering it may be his own, and therefore pities and helps him; and thus takes the likeliest way to obtain similar pity for himself when in trouble. But the word דלdal, here rendered the poor, means the weak, sick, or languishing person, as appears by comparing this with Psa 41:3, where the mercy which he is supposed to have afforded to him is returned to himself, and with Psa 41:8. To conduct ourselves wisely toward such, is to take cognizance of their wants and miseries; to sympathize with them, and judge charitably concerning them; to pity and relieve them according to our power, or to take measures to provide for their relief. The Lord will deliver him — The poor afflicted man. Though his enemies conclude his case to be desperate, Psa 41:8, God will confute them and deliver him. Or, rather, the considerer of the poor, the person that visits and relieves him. And so it is a promise of recompense. The wise and merciful man shall find mercy.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain On vv1–13 Blessed is he - See the notes at Psa…
Blessed is he - See the notes at Psa 1:1. Literally, “Oh the blessings of him that considers the poor.” The object is to describe the advantages of doing what is here said; or the excellence of the spirit which would be manifested in such a case, and the effect which this would have on his own happiness. These happy effects are described in the remainder of this verse, and in the two following verses.
That considereth - The word used here - from שׂכל śâkal - means properly to look at, to behold; then, to be prudent or circumspect; then, to attend to; and then in general to act prudently, wisely, intelligently, in any case. Here it means to attend to; to show an interest in; to care for. The idea is that of not neglecting; not passing by; not being indifferent to; not being hard-hearted and uncharitable toward.
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The poor - Margin, “the weak,” or “the sick.” The word used in the Hebrew - דל dal - means properly something hanging or swinging, as of pendulous boughs or branches; and then, that which is weak, feeble, powerless. Thus it comes to denote those who are feeble and helpless either by poverty or by disease, and is used with a general reference to those who are in slow or humble condition, and who need the aid of others. The statement here is of a general nature - that he is blessed who shows proper sympathy for all of that class: for those who need the sympathy of others from any cause - poverty, sickness, a low condition, or trouble. The particular thing here referred to was a case of sickness; where one was borne down by disease, perhaps brought on by mental sorrow, and when he particularly needed the sympathy of his friends. See Psa 41:5-8.
The Lord will deliver him in time of trouble - Margin, as in Hebrew: “in the day of evil.” This is the first happy effect or result of showing proper sympathy with others in their troubles. It is a statement of the general principle that the Lord will deal with us as we do with others. See this principle stated and illustrated in Psa 18:24-26.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures 1864 · Public Domain On v1 Psalms 41
Psalms 41
To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David
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1 Blessed is he that considereth the poor:
The Lord will deliver him in time of trouble.
2 The Lord will preserve him, and keep him alive;
And he shall be blessed upon the earth:
And thou wilt not deliver him unto the will of his enemies.
3 The Lord will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing:
Thou wilt make all his bed in his sickness.
4 I said, Lord, be merciful unto me:
Heal my soul; for I have sinned against thee,
5 Mine enemies speak evil of me,
When shall he die, and his name perish?
6 And if he come to see me, he speaketh vanity:
His heart gathereth iniquity to itself;
When he goeth abroad, he telleth it.
7 All that hate me whisper together against me:
Against me do they devise my hurt.
8 An evil disease, say they, cleaveth fast unto him:
And now that he lieth he shall rise up no more.
9 Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted,
Which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.
10 But thou, O Lord, be merciful unto me, and raise me up,
That I may requite them.
11 By this I know that thou favourest me,
Because mine enemy doth not triumph over me.
12 And as for me, thou upholdest me in mine integrity,
And settest me before thy face for ever.
13 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel
From everlasting, and to everlasting.
Amen, and Amen.
EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL
Its Contents and Composition.—The last verse does not belong to this Psalm, but forms the doxology which concludes the entire first book, comp. Introduct. Twelve verses remain, three of which form the introduction, three the conclusion, and between them the substance of the Psalm is contained in twice as many verses. The substance of this Psalm consists of a description how the Psalmist prayed for Divine grace and help in his sufferings, which he regarded as a punishment for his sins (Psa_41:4), whilst his enemies reckoned upon his death (Psa_41:5), and false friends, in visiting him, abused the opportunity in gathering and spreading wicked, false and exaggerated accounts of his hopeless and languishing condition (Psa_41:6-8). One among them is conspicuous, who, as a previous friend and table-companion (Psa_41:9), deceived the trust bestowed upon him in the grossest manner. From this description a new and double petition arises (Psa_41:10) for grace and for help, because the Psalmist recognizes in the fact that his enemies do not triumph, the favor (Psa_41:11) with which God holds fast to his person in the integrity of his heart, so that his person will remain a continual mark for the eyes of His providence (Psa_41:12). Whence the Psalmist has derived this confidence of faith, which is finally expressed in prophetical perfects, is disclosed in the opening strophe, in which the man is pronounced blessed, who conducts himself properly towards the unfortunate (Psa_41:1), because God will act in the same way towards him, as a recompense in his time of trouble (Psa_41:2-3). Since there is expressly named here, protection against the rage of enemies, and assistance upon the bed of sickness; and the form of the prayer (Psa_41:2 c) is already broken through by the statement of the prosperity of such a man, the particular groups unite closely with one another, and serve mutually to explain one another. Only we must not suppose that it is a didactic Psalm, in which there is first expressed a general clause of experience, and then an application of it to particular relations (Olsh.), or in which David speaks from the ideal person of the righteous and their sufferings under the figure of a sickness (Hengst.); or that it is a Psalm of lamentation, which speaks likewise figuratively of the sufferings of the better part of the people under the wickedness of domestic enemies (De Wette); or that it is properly a Psalm of thanksgiving (Ewald), in which all is to be referred to a deliverance from a dangerous sickness (Maurer, Hitzig) which has already transpired, and in which there is a report respecting what then took place in a narrative and commendatory form; but that it is a song of faith, in which a man lying upon a painful and dangerous bed of sickness, with open enemies lurking about him, and vexed by false and treacherous friends, prays and confesses himself a guilty sinner before God; but, since he stands in an internal relation of sincere piety to God, he feels that he is therein supported by God, and with so much the greater confidence of being heard, implores the grace and help of God, as his own behaviour towards the suffering gives him a claim for recompense on the part of God, since, on the one side, men, his friends as well as enemies, treat him badly, and, on the other side, his relation to God and the good pleasure of God in him could not be made known, should the hopes of his adversaries be fulfilled. These are the pure and genuine features of the heart, faith, and life of David, yet not merely in the time of the rebellion of Absalom and the treachery practiced by Ahithophel (Hofm. Weiss. und Erf. II. 122; Delitzsch). It is more in accordance with the advanced age of David, 1Ki_1:1-4, the insurrection of Adonijah and the behaviour of Joab (Böhl). Since now David’s history has a typical meaning, we can thus understand the explanation of Jesus, Joh_13:18, that the action of Judas Iscariot was in fulfilment of Scripture, under which circumstances Psa_41:9 of this Psalm is cited (yet not after the Sept., and even with an essential abbreviation of the Hebrew text), as then, Joh_17:12; Act_1:16, likewise presuppose in general that the act and fate of the traitor were prophesied in the Old Testament Scriptures. It is well, however, to limit the typical meaning to this verse, or, at most, to the description of this relation stated here (according to the scantiness of the citation in John), and not extend it to the whole Psalm (Calvin, Stier), or, indeed, regard it as directly Messianic (most of the older interpreters, particularly Luther, more recently Böhl). But this is inconsistent with the confession of personal sin (Psa_41:4) and with the reference to the fulfilment of the recompense (Psa_41:10). For the reference is not to the desire of revenge (Hupf.), but yet not to the recompense with good and in love, as Christ suffers and prays on account of the sins of others (Cocc.), or in the sense in which Joseph acted towards his brethren (Burk, v. Meyer, Stier), but to that recompense to which David was obligated as the lawful king. This is more in accordance with 1Ki_2:5 sq. (Böhl), than with his overcoming the rebellion of Absalom (Delitzsch). We cannot refer to the recompensing of Christ as the Judge of the world, because with the Messianic interpretation all else is referred only to the suffering Messiah in the state of humiliation, which, when extended farther, must explain likewise the sickness, the bed, and the rising of the recovered, with reference to the death, the grave, and the resurrection, as indeed some do with a false application of Typology. Psa_41:4 is most decisive, as even Reinke admits. For it is exegetically entirely inadmissible to put the last words in the mouth of the Messiah as the representative of sinful humanity, as many do, particularly after Theodoret, who explains the historical reference to king David or Hezekiah as rash and fool-hardy. This Psalm is related in contents with Psalms 28, and as a Jehovah-psalm belongs closely together with the Elohim-Psalms 55. in like manner as Psalms 39. with Psalms 62. The style is lively and expressive.
Str. I. Psa_41:1. Attentive to an afflicted one.—This is either observing the needy with attention, in the sense of loving sympathy (Sept., Aquila, Theod., the Rabbins, Cocc., J. H. Mich., De Wette, et al.), as Neh_8:13 with אֵל as here, with עלPro_16:20, with לְPro_21:11-12, with בְPsa_101:2; Dan_9:13; or as a wise man considering that which is appropriate (Symm., Luther, Calvin, Ruding., Venema, Hengst.); perhaps the two may be combined (Geier, Stier). In connection with the Messianic interpretation of דַּל (tenuis; hence in a physical sense, lean, thin, in a civil sense, insignificant; as a general designation of the poor, Exo_30:15, of the sick and weak Gen_41:19; 2Sa_3:1, of sick in mind, 2Sa_13:4), reference is made to the believing consideration of his suffering, especially of his life in the state of humiliation, sometimes with the view of the summons to follow Him.—Since יוֹם is masculine, בְיּוֹם רָעָה can only mean; in the day of adversity, (Symmach.), not in the evil day (Sept.).
Psa_41:2. He shall be blessed.—יְאֻשַּׁר is to be taken as an echo of אַשְׁרֵי Psa_41:1, as Pro_3:18; not declarative as Isa_9:15; at any rate not after another derivation Pro_9:6,=be conducted in the right, straight way, that is, in the way of salvation (J. H. Mich.).—[And do not give him up.—A sudden transition from the future to the optative (Hupfeld) in an appeal to God in prayer. This is to be explained from the personal interest of the poet in the person of the משׂכיל (Riehm).—C. A. B.]
Psa_41:3. Support him on the sick bed.—This is not the supporting of the head,Song Son_2:6, in accordance with which Psa_41:3 b. is understood of changing the bed of the couch (Mendels.), but designates the contrast to the sinking down in death and the turning of a couch of sickness into one of health by virtue of his recovery.
[Str. II. Psa_41:4. I said—Perowne: “The pronoun is emphatic and marks both the transition from the previous eulogy of the compassionate man to the poet’s personal feelings and desires, and also the opposition to the ‘enemies’ in the next verse.”—For I have sinned,etc.—David constantly refers to sin as the inward cause of his sufferings. Vid.Psa_31:10; Psa_32:5; Psa_38:3-4; Psa_38:18; Psa_40:12.—These words prevent an application of the whole Psalm to Christ.
Psa_41:5. Speak evil for me—Hupfeld: לִי with אמר elsewhere=to me, as Psa_3:2; Psa_11:1, might here—since we are not to suppose an address to him and a consequent change to the third person as Psa_3:2,—simply mean about me, of me (as Gen_20:13), as all interpreters admit: but it is perhaps to be connected rather with רַע: evil for me (dat incommodi), or with ‘speak = devise, wish me,’ as Psa_41:7.
Psa_41:6. And if he come to see me.—This is not impersonal, but the Psalmist has a certain individual in mind, probably Joab, who visited him in his sickness, comp. 2Sa_13:5 sq.; 2Ki_8:29, gathered all the evil of his condition and prospects, and went forth abroad and published it to the conspirators.
Psa_41:7. Whisper together.—Comp. Ps. 12:19. It refers here to deceitful plotting, conspiracy as Psa_2:2, and is parallel with devise evil.—C. A. B.]
Psa_41:8. Some frightful thing is poured out upon him.—דְּבַר־בְּלִיַעַל is properly a word or thing of worthlessness either in the moral sense as Psa_101:3, comp. Deu_15:9, (the ancient versions and most ancient interpreters), or in the physical sense (Aben Ezra, Kimchi and most recent interpreters) as Psa_18:4, of ruinous fate, frightful evil, at times as the curse of crime. The following expression is difficult. The literal translation “is poured upon him.” Eze_24:3, seems to point to a kind of Divine, irresistible influence. This would force us to give up the reference to worthless disposition and act; for that such a worthless nature is poured upon him from on high, or that the devil has inspired him to evil as the Spirit of God elsewhere to good (comp. Isa_44:3), is itself in the mouth of enemies a charge which could be accepted only from convincing reasons. The context is likewise against this explanation, since the enemies can only have to do with the consequences, the curse of transgression and not with the source of it (Hupfeld). It is possible to explain it thus: ruin is poured out over him, namely, by the wrath of God (De Wette, Köster, Olsh.); but the usage of the language does not accord with it, still less does it accord with the explanation that he is poured full of it=entirely filled and pervaded by it (Rosenm., Gesenius). It is best to think of something which was poured upon him like metals on a mould holding him fast so that he cannot escape (Job_41:15). This is not to be understood of a hateful designation of the resolution of David to prefer the young Solomon for his successor instead of the older Adonijah (Böhl), nor the villany with which his enemies designed to give the final blow to the languishing man (Luther, Hengst.), but the miserable condition itself, which they regard as an evidence that he has been marked and judged by God. The prayer, Psa_41:11, is the contrast to this.
Psa_41:9. Even the man of my friendship,etc.—We are here to notice the sacredness of the rights of hospitality, the meaning of companionship at the table and the friendship of the guest among the ancients, especially in the Orient. It was a particular honor to eat at the king’s table (2Sa_9:10 sq.; 1Ki_18:19; 2Ki_25:29). There is no occasion to give up the very natural historical references and explain the expression typically of intimate intercourse (De Wette) or indeed of maintenance (Hupf.) and benefits in general. The conjecture of Böttcher (Neue exeget. krit Æhrenlese Nr. 1102) is more appropriate: that עקב (=heel) is here a general, already exclusively figurative עֹקֶב = deceit, as the masculine of עָקְבָה2Ki_10:19.
[Str. III. Psa_41:10. But Thou Jehovah—cause me to arise.—The pronoun is emphatic distinguishing Jehovah from the enemies and false friends previously mentioned. He desires that Jehovah will enable him to rise up from his bed of sickness, and disappoint them of their hopes.—And I will requite them.—Wordsworth: “David as king of Israel, and God’s vicegerent, was bound to execute judgment on the wicked. This is the reason of his directions to Solomon concerning Shimei and Joab.”
Psa_41:11. That mine enemy doth not shout over me.—Barnes: “He felt assured now that all the machinations of his foes would be defeated; that all the hopes which they cherished that he was soon to die would be disappointed; that he himself would be recovered from his sickness, contrary to their malicious anticipations and desires. This he regarded as an evidence that God was his friend.”
Psa_41:12. And hast placed me before Thy face forever.—Alexander: “This seems here to mean making one the object of attention, keeping constantly in view. The reciprocal act of man towards God is spoken of in Psa_16:8. As man sets God before him as an object of trust, so God sets man before Him as an object of protection.”—C. A. B.].
DOCTRINAL AND ETHICAL
1. Sympathetic, compassionate regard for the situation, feelings and afflictions of a suffering and troubled man, which at the same time observes the leadings of God, does not secure us from personal injury, or protect us from rough and unjust treatment on the part of hostile and violent men, but it is well pleasing to God and will not remain unrewarded on the part of God. In this there is no more reference to external reward than the merit of good works, but to the blessed consequences corresponding with their relationship to the Divine way of thinking and acting. Accordingly the heart which has tender feelings and is observant will be the quickest to obtain the comfort of the nearness of God and the helping strength of communion with God. But those who do not renounce the image of God experience an especial gracious turning of God towards them. We may here recall the two promises Mat_5:1 Blessed are the merciful, for they will obtain mercy, and Mat_25:40 What you have done unto one among the least of these my brethren ye have done it unto me.
2. The experience of the gracious turning of God’s face towards us is accompanied even in the most miserable situation with the assurance of a change of fortune. Thus the severest cross is rendered lighter and the most bitter pain sweetened. The sick man begins to hope for recovery and the vexed man is filled with fresh courage. The arrows of hate and wicked slander lose their deadly bite, envy its poison, persecution its purpose. God changes the cross and heals in body and soul those, who are regarded by the world as lost and feel themselves stricken even unto death. But the necessary condition of such a gracious change of a severe lot in life into blessing and health is the turning of the heart to the living God in penitence and desire for salvation.
3. Even a sincerely pious man has to confess himself guilty of many sins before God, and to endure his sufferings, often very severe, as punishments which are well deserved. But this gives his enemies no right to suspect his piety, or doubt his gracious state, or calumniate his name. It only discloses their own wickedness and badness of heart when they treat the man, whom God’s hand has stricken, as a wicked villain, appointed to ruin, when they increase the sufferings of the afflicted by scorn, reproach and mortifications of all kinds, and think to trample entirely in the dust the man whom God has prostrated. And when those who in prosperity acted as friends and sat down with him at a well spread table, basely turn away from him when fallen, and instead of the expected comfort, advice and assistance bring new and shameful weapons of attack, then the sufferings of the afflicted are greatly increased in the experience of such treachery, but the sufferings likewise thereby approach their end, and from their greatest intensity there is afforded a prospect of a prosperous future of victorious recovery, just recompense and abiding health before God’s face and through God’s grace. For although perfection is not reached here below, and therefore the heart of the pious man in times of suffering is pervaded with a feeling of ill desert, yet the upright man feels in the purity of his piety that even in the time of trouble he is taken hold of and supported by God, and is delivered from total ruin by an indestructible bond of communion with God, and is secure from entire destruction by being placed and established before God’s face.
4. There is a desire and hope of requital which has nothing in common with a spirit of revenge, but is an evidence that one knows himself to be so closely united in person, cause and honor with the revelation of the righteous government of God, that every unrepented and unreconciled mortification, violation, oppression of the former would be likewise a clouding and restricting the latter. There are, therefore, not only official relations, but likewise positions in life, with respect to which the personal inclination to pardon must yield to the duty of judicial decision and action, yes, in the desire for personal relief may be changed into the execution of Divine judgments. This likewise belongs to the history of the life of the servant of God, and is not opposed to Psa_7:4; Pro_20:22. But every one, who traces the inclination to such a desire in his heart should take care that he has the good pleasure of God, and not merely desire to assert his position in the world, but to strengthen his position before the face of God. Such a position cannot be shaken by anything that originates from the world, but forms a bridge between time and eternity.
HOMILETICAL AND PRACTICAL
We should not be vexed with human misery or he provoked with human vileness, but should learn from both, and overcome the one as well as the other by the grace of God.—Many learn only on the bed of sickness who their enemies are and who are their friends, but they likewise learn only then truly to know themselves and God.—There is a severe struggle, when torment of body and necessity of soul are associated with the reproach of enemies and the treachery of friends; but the severer the trial, the more brilliant the victory.—Many have been left in the lurch by their own strength and human faithfulness, but never yet has the Lord forsaken those who trust in him with sincerity of heart.—God does not leave good unrewarded or evil unpunished; but he uses for both purposes human instruments.—To be raised from our prostrations is an evidence of the good pleasure of God.—He who is not separated from God by the cross, but driven to God, needs not to doubt of his recovery, however severe the prostration may be.—We may have a bad situation in the world and yet a good place before God’s face.—There are many changes on earth, in good as well as in evil, but only one sure place, namely before God’s face through the hand of God; and this reaches from time into eternity.—We can fulfil the purpose of our life only when we in good as well as in evil times hold on to God.—It is well for him who not only ends his day’s work and crowns every labor with the praise of God, but likewise glorifies his time of suffering and finishes his course in life in this way.—He who would remain before God’s face eternally, must in time diligently place himself before God’s face, and be strengthened in this place by the hand and grace of God.
Starke: Since believers have good will towards all men, God causes them to experience His gracious and good will towards them as a reward, and prevents the will of their enemies.—The sick bed usually makes all refreshments and cordials bitter; well for those whose longing hearts can find comfort and strength in Jesus.—Our hurts are not incurable when we turn to the true physician and pray: Lord, heal me!—The race of Judas has not yet perished, his kiss is daily renewed. Well then! we must become accustomed to do good and receive evil for it.—The wickedness of men should not weaken our trust in Divine grace, but rather awaken it the more.—God gives with the cross sure tokens of His grace and good pleasure, He lets none perish therein.
Selnekker: God preserves His children and brings their enemies to shame.—Dauderstadt: God is the best physician in all sicknesses.—Pious men discern in all their sufferings a punishment of sin and seek therefore above all their forgiveness.—Renschel: God does not promise that we shall be entirely without the cross and trouble, but he promises, that he will redeem us from them.—Frisch: If your fellow-man fall into sin and misfortune, do not rejoice on account of this, do not press him closer to the earth; rather help him up again.—The poverty of Christ regard as thy noblest riches, His shame as thy highest honor, His cross and His death as pure glory.—Arndt: Seek and hunt for mercy and thou wilt find it; if thou sowest unmercifulness thou wilt surely reap it.—Tholuck.: Since God’s judgment of us is milder the stronger our judgment of ourselves, the suffering singer introduces his prayer with a confession of his guilt.—Guenther: Lord, Lord, we suffer, teach us Thy patience; we are hated, pour Thy love into our heart; we trust in Thee; let us not be put to shame.—Taube: Communion with the Lord does not exclude but includes the constant confession of sin.—First the prayer for grace then for help.—Thym: The disciple of the Lord on his sick-bed. 1) He knows that God sends the sufferings for his good; 2) therefore he feels refreshed under his woe, 3) and waits patiently for his everlasting deliverance.
[Matth. Henry: The good will of a God that loves us is sufficient to secure us from the ill will of all that hate us, men or devils.—The soul shall by His grace be made to dwell at ease, when the body lies in pain.—Sin is the sickness of the soul; pardoning mercy heals it, renewing grace heals it; and this spiritual healing we should be more earnest for than for bodily health. When we can discern the favor of God to us in any mercy personal or public, that doubles it and sweetens it.—Spurgeon: Much blessedness they miss who stint their alms. The joy of doing good, the sweet reaction of another’s happiness, the approving smile of heaven upon the heart, if not upon the estate; all these the niggardly soul knows nothing of.—Oh, it is blessed fainting when one falls upon the Lord’s own bosom, and is upborne thereby!—No physician like the Lord, no tonic like His promise, no wine like His love.—Out of the sweetest flowers chemists can distil poison, and from the purest words and deeds malice can gather groundwork for calumnious report.—To stand before an earthly monarch is considered to be a singular honor, but what must it be to be a perpetual courtier in the palace of the King Eternal, Immortal, Invisible?—C. A. B.]
Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures (Critical, Doctrinal, and Homiletical), ed. John Peter Lange, English translation edited by Philip Schaff (1864–1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain On vv2–13 shall be blessed--literally, "led aright," or "safely," prospered (Psa…
shall be blessed--literally, "led aright," or "safely," prospered (Psa 23:3).
upon the earth--or land of promise (Psa 25:13; Psa 27:3-9, &c.).
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain On vv1–13 1. Considereth the poor—A duty of the first rank…
1. Considereth the poor—A duty of the first rank in Christian morality. It is a discreet and appreciative care, flowing from a true sympathy in the welfare both of soul and body. See Mat_25:36.
Poor—The word means, sick, weak, or helpless, from whatever cause. David had practiced this sympathy for the sick and afflicted, (Psa_35:13-14,) and while he comforts himself with the promise that God will remember him now and reward him good, his words also are an implied rebuke of the conduct of his enemies. See Psa_41:6-7, and Psa_35:15
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On vv1–13 1. Blessed] Or, happy, as in Psa_41:2, and in…
1. Blessed] Or, happy, as in Psa_41:2, and in Psa_1:1. The word is to be distinguished from blessed in the doxology of Psa_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 considerately and intelligently towards those in affliction, shewing kindness and sympathy, and not judging them harshly. Cp. for illustration Psa_35:13-14; Jas_1:27. The word rendered poor is different from that in Psa_40:17. It means weak, and includes the sick as well as the poor. The sequel shews that it is the sick that the Psalmist has chiefly in mind. The P.B.V. the poor and needy follows the LXX, which may have been influenced by Psa_40:17.
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in time of trouble] R.V. in the day of evil, though in the day of trouble is given in Psa_27:5 for the same phrase.
1–3. The blessings in store for the compassionate man.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain On vv1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13 (1) Blessed is he.—This general statement of the great…
(1) Blessed is he.—This general statement of the great law of sympathy and benevolence—fine and noble however we take it—may be explained in different ways, according as we take the Hebrew word dal as poor, with the LXX. and Vulg. (comp. Exo_30:15), or with the margin, as sick, weak in body (comp. Gen_41:19), or give it an ethical sense, sick at heart. (Comp. 2Sa_13:4.) The context favours one of the two latter, and the choice between them depends on whether we take the author’s sickness to be real or figurative. Psa_41:3 strongly favours the view that the sickness is physical.
Considereth.—The Hebrew word implies wise as well as kindly consideration. So LXX. and Vulg., “he that understands.”
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain On vv1–13 THE forty-first psalm completes the first book of the…
THE forty-first psalm completes the first book of the Psalter. All the psalms contained in it are assigned to David by the titles, except Ps 1 Ps 2 Ps 10, and Ps 33. The present psalm is closely connected with the other psalms of the concluding group (Psalm 38-41), which seem to have been all composed a little before, during, or just after the revolt of Absalom. It consists of an introduction (vers. 1-3), respecting the blessedness of those who "consider the poor;" a bitter complaint against his enemies generally, and one enemy in particular (vers. 4-9); and a conclusion, in which prayer and an expression of confident hope are united (vers. 10-12). The concluding paragraph (ver. 13) is no part of the psalm, but a mark of division between book 1 and book it. (compare the terminations of Ps 72 Ps 89, and Ps 106) Metrically, the psalm is remarkably regular, since it consists of four stanzas, each of three verses.
Blessed is he that considereth the poor. David had concluded the preceding psalm by calling himself "poor and needy." He commences the present one by pronouncing a blessing on all those who "consider," or tenderly regard, and, so far as they can, assist the peer and afflicted. It is not so much actual poverty, as humiliation and weakness, of which he is speaking. The Lord will deliver him in time of trouble; literally, in the day of evil. As he has pity on his fellow-men, so God will have pity upon him. (comp. Mat_6:14, 15 10:42 18:33 Pro_19:17 Ecc_11:1, etc.)
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Considerate sympathy.
"Blessed is he that considereth the poor." A double blessing waits for those who are worthy of it, in these words a blessing of heaven above, and a blessing of the deep that lieth under. As Holy Writ, they utter a Divine promise; as the voice of human experience, they breathe heart-felt gratitude. They are "the blessing of him that was ready to perish." This word "poor" is not to be restricted to what we specially call "poverty." It sometimes has that sense, (e.g. Exo_23:3) but also means "weak, miserable, downcast." The psalm expressly refers to bodily sickness and weakness, aggravated by the heartless cruelty of false friends. Consider
(1) the reasons, and
(2) the nature, of this blessing.
I THE REASON OF THE BLESSING.
1. Considerate sympathy, helpful compassion for the needy, weak, or suffering, is "blessed," because it is a feature of likeness to God. it is "the mind which was in Christ Jesus." See the Divine example and the practical inference. (1Jn_3:16, 1Jn_3:17) When our Lord rebuked the hypocrisy" of Judas ("not that he cared for the poor), he took care to add, "The poor always ye have with you". (Joh_12:8) St. James keenly satirizes the mock charity in which words are not coupled with deeds. (Jam_3:15, Jam_3:16) Compassion for the poor runs through the Bible. Care for the poor, for widows, etc., was one of the earliest and most sacred cares of the primitive Church. Our innumerable hospitals and asylums of all kinds receive munificent support from many who lay no claim to Christian faith; yet they rove their deep and sure root in Christian sympathy. They arc among those blessings which "Religion scatters on her march to immortality" (Robert Hall). Two of the main forms of human suffering are specially set before us in these wordspoverty and sickness. Poverty begins where plenty ends. A man is not to be counted "poor" because he dwells in a cottage, lives simply, dresses plainly, earns his children"s bread by the sweat of his brow, as long as his work is healthy, his food plentiful and wholesome, and he can keep out of debt, and have a little to give to God"s work and to a needy neighbour. But when strength is overtasked, when toil and thrift cannot keep the wolf from the door, and work fails or health breaks down, and the question has to be faced how long the home can be kept together, then, indeed, poverty is felt to be one of the bitterest forms of the curse which sin has brought into human life. For though this cruel form of suffering often falls on those who have not themselves to blame for it, somebody is to blame, or society is to blame. Trace it to its deepest root, and you shall find sin. And then it is that the pitiful eye of the All-giver rests on that darkened home, and his voice says, "Blessed is he that considereth the poor." Sickness often comes as the direct fruit of poverty. Often they terribly aggravate one another"s burden. It would be a heart-rending sight to see all the sick-beds in a nation, or even in a single city; but a blessed and heavenly sight if we could see all the tender sympathy, self-sacrificing love, sleepless, patient labour, self-devoted skill, which sickness is hourly calling forth. None tread closer than the nurse and the physician in the earthly footsteps of him who "went about doing good." What a hard, selfish world, one imagines, this would become, were there no self-denying ministry to the helpless and suffering! So God brings good out of evil, and "blesses him that considereth the poor." Note the tender promise, ver. 3, Authorized Version, which, I doubt not, is the true sense.
2. There is justice as well as mercy in this claim, enforced not only by Christ"s example, but by his Law. (Gal_6:2) True, both poverty and disease are largely the direct result of sloth, intemperance, dishonesty, neglect, or other vices and follies sin"s wages. Yet even in these cases the heavy end of the burden very often falls on innocent shoulders. And in multitudes of cases these calamities come on those who have done their best. They fought bravely, but the battle of life went against them. The causes may lie far back in the past in bad laws, misgovernment, wars, wasteful expenditure; or in trade disputes; or in far-off lands, by the failure of a crop or the origin of a pestilence. Then, since the poor and the sick are so largely the victims of the mistakes, follies, or crimes of society, nations, mankind; nay, even suffer often from the very causes by which others grow rich, is it not simple justice that those for whom the great wheel of life is spinning a smooth and golden thread should step in to lift their burden, "as good stewards of the manifold grace of God"?
II THE NATURE OF THE BLESSING HERE PRONOUNCED.
1. One of the greatest of all blessings is to be like God. (Mat_5:45)
2. It is blessed to be God"s alone. (Mat_10:8)
3. The sweetest happiness is to make others happy.
4. it is blessed to have a place in the prayers of God"s afflicted children. Perhaps, if the balance could be struck, it would not be always where the giver expects; he may be more a debtor to their prayers than a creditor by his gifts.
5. After all this, it seems an over-measure of repayment to speak of any future recompense; yet our Saviour does. (Luk_14:14 1Ti_6:17-19 Mat_10:42)
HOMILIES BY C. CLEMANCE Vers. 1-3. The poor man"s charter; or, a blessing pronounced on the benevolent.
Though there is no sufficient reason to question the accuracy of the title of this psalm, yet the blessing here pronounced on benevolent souls is entirely independent of its human penman. The two key-words in the first verse and "the poor are words of very wide significance. The first would mean "he who takes a kindly, continuous, intelligent interest in, and who cherishes a tender sympathy for, them; and the word "poor" would include the weak, sick, insignificant, impoverished, wretched, and unfortunate even the debtor and the slave. Now, we are so accustomed to such kindly thoughts for the helpless, that we often come to regard care for the poor as one of the "ordinary virtues of humanity;" yet such is very, very far from being the case. Where the light of Divine revelation has not shone, it is no social sin, in the estimation of men, to trample on the poor.Thus the merciful consideration for "the poor, the fatherless, and the widow," shown in the Law of Moses, marked an immense uplifting in legislation; while the continuation of this same philanthropy, on religious grounds, was made of so much account by the prophets, that if it was neglected, men"s external worship was an offence in the sight of God. (Isa_50:1-7 Isa_10:1, 2 3:14 58:5-11 Jer_22:3 Amo_2:6) The Lord Jesus Christ confirmed all this by his precepts, illustrated it by his life, and actually deems it of so much importance that, looking onward to the time when he shall be the Judge of all the nations, he declares that, according as men have attended to his poor or not, will be the stupendous distance between a "Come, ye blessed!" and a "Depart, ye cursed!", . (Mat_25:31-46) Hence the theme before us now is one that is vitally bound up with the essentials of true religion and of acceptable worship to God, so that we have the warrant of the entire Scriptures for dealing with this blessing, which is here pronounced on the benevolent, as being not only the words of David, but a continuous utterance of Divine revelation from beginning to end. Hence it would wonderfully enlarge and strengthen the basis of such an appeal as this verse suggests, to combine with it the two benedictions in Mat_5:7 and Mat_25:34, "Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy;" "Come, ye blessed of my Father!
I THE REVEALED WILL OF GOD SHOWS US HOW TRULY MAN IS THE OBJECT OF A. DIVINE REGARD. No one can study intelligently the book of God and compare it with the pagan estimate of human nature, without being struck with the amazing contrast between heathenism and Christianity, and, indeed, between heathenism and Hebraism. Often, indeed, both Moses and Christ are accused of indifference to the lot of the slave, because neither of them overthrew slavery with a single thrust; but they did a better and a nobler thing they dropped those seeds of thought concerning man"s dignity, concerning men"s relation to God and to each other, that, in springing up and bearing fruit, would cause slavery to fall most utterly, never to rise again. And, even now, the kindly thoughts of and for us which pervade the book, given in germ in the Law of Moses, and in ripest form in the Epistles of St. John, are such that when they take effect in human hearts and lives, they turn selfishness to love; and if such, effect were to be universal, we should have a Paradise below! A common Fatherhood is over all; hence a common brotherhood should bind all in one. "There is no respect of persons with God." To despise the poor, to turn aside the right of a man before the face of the Most High, the Lord approveth not. And this pure leaven of the kingdom is gradually diffusing itself through the race, and will, till the care of God for us all comes to be mirrored in our care for each other.
II WHEN AND WHERE GOD"S CARE FOR MAN AS MAN IS UNDERSTOOD AND COPIED, THERE WILL SPRING UP PRACTICAL BENEVOLENCE; and this will take effect in every form in which such kindness can be shown. The special feature noted here is that of "considering the poor," which would involve a looking out for cases in which we can render aid of any kind whatever; and when such cases are before us, making them the objects of our deep interest and practical concern. Briefly we may set these under four heads. We should be ready and ever
(1) anxious to be helps everywhere;
(2) anxious to help men for Christ"s sake;
(3) anxiously caring for men as men, either because Christ died for them, or because Christ lives in them; and
(4) anxiously seeking out the cases of special sorrow and distress, that we may cheer the suffering and the sad. ()
III ON THOSE WHO LIVE A LIFE OF SUCH PRACTICAL BENEVOLENCE FOR CHRIST"S SAKE, THERE IS A BLESSING PRONOUNCED. It will be the blessing of both the Father and of the Son, yea, and of the Spirit too. The Spirit; for he pronounces it in the inbreathing of these sacred words. The Son; for he proclaims it now, as our Teacher, in the Sermon on the Mount, and will pronounce it, as Judge, at last. The Father; for the very words of the blessing which the Son pronounces are, "Ye blessed of my Father. " In this love he blesses specially all whose love is the reflex of his own. And the people"s blessing will attend him who lives to bless the people; in such a case, in a high and holy sense, vex populi, vox Dei.
IV THE BLESSING OF HEAVEN ON THOSE WHO LIVE TO BLESS OTHERS IS DIVINELY RICH AND FULL. What does it involve?
1. Divine approval; for God"s heart of love has diffused its own glow of sympathy within.
2. The heart of the Lord Jesus is touched; for he feels kindness done to others for his sake as done to him. Wonderful, indeed, is his "Inasmuch.
3. Those who love like Jesus will find their home with him. How inspiring are the words, "Come, ye blessed of my Father"!
4. There will be the recompense of a kingdom prepared. " Oh, how infinitely do the recompenses of abounding grace outweigh any little acts of kindness the saints may have shown to the poor of Christ! Only "grace" can account for a reward so large.
V OF SUCH IMPORTANCE IS THIS LIFE OF SERVICE FOR OTHERS THAT, APART FROM IT, ALL RELIGIOUS FORM IS EMPTY AND VAIN. (Mat_7:12, 21-23 25:41 Mar_10:21 Luk_16:19-31 1Jn_3:17 Jam_2:6, 13 5:1-4) To call Christ "Lord, Lord," and then to disregard his injunctions, will be of no use. Note: Here are three lessons urgently calling for enforcement.
1. Let the agnostic and positivist, who are calling out for a religion that means "living for others," see if they have not here the religion for which they call, and which is only waiting for its professors to act up to it, to revolutionize the world.
2. Let but the spirit of the text inspire man universally, and all struggles and alienation between class and class would forthwith cease.
3. Let some who have given disproportionate attention to doctrine, and who have paid too little heed to life and love, aim at a readjustment. We want doctrine and life; not one without the other.
4. Let Christian Churches learn that if they would commend themselves to the age, they must live to serve the age, by holy thought, pure living, and manifested love.
5. Let us thank God with all our hearts for the ameliorating influence on the lot of man, of this Divine command to care for others; e.g. homes, refuges, hospitals, etc. C.
HOMILIES BY W. FORSYTH Vers. 1-13. God"s poor.
Here may be a good time coming, when the poor will cease out of the land; but it is not yet. The state of things in our day is much the same as in the past. (Deu_15:11 Mar_14:3) God has always shown his care for the poor. Under the Law of Moses, special provisions were made for their help. (cf. Deu_15:7-11) Besides this, there were manifold exhortations in the Psalms and prophets tending to foster a spirit of love and brotherhood. The duty of kindness to the poor is inculcated still more clearly and forcibly under the gospel. The Jews are remarkable for their charities, but they limit their care chiefly to their own poor. Christians are called to act in a more generous spirit. While we are bound to have special regard to the poor of our own blood and faith, we must not restrict our charity to them; but "do good to all" as we have opportunity, after the example and teaching of our blessed Lord. We may make use of this psalm to illustrate
I THE DUTY OF CARING FOR THE POOR. (Ver. 1) "Considereth." This implies thought, insight, and practical brotherly kindness. The very fact that there are so many "poor" should arrest our attention. Surely there must be great wrong somewhere, or there could not be such inequalities and miseries. The more closely we look into the matter, the more will it be impressed upon us that we are bound to take part in remedying the evil. Circumstances and needs vary. Indiscriminate charity is bad. We cannot relieve all. Our powers are limited. We need, therefore, to act circumspectly. But whatever we do should be done in the spirit of love. Consideration without sympathy is torture. (Jam_2:15, 16 1Jn_3:17 Rom_12:10)
II THE BLESSING PROMISED.
1. The blessing is first to the man himself. We cannot do good without being the better for it. Every act of true self-denial and love raises us in dignity and strength. We are "blessed in our deed". (Jam_1:25-27)
2. There is also the blessing of the poor. We have helped them in the time of need. They feel that they have not been forsaken. They have still brothers and sisters who care for them, and they are grateful. It is better to have the confidence of the poor than their contempt; their gratitude than their hate; their prayers than their curses. Remember Job. (Job_29:12)
3. Besides all this, there is the blessing of God. He is the God of the poor. He marks their state. He defends their rights. He provides for their relief. He counts what is done to them as if it were done to himself. The law and order of God in the world secure that a blessing will surely come to him who "considereth the poor.
III THE DIFFICULTIES AND ENCOURAGEMENTS. We have not only the abstract, but the concrete. The doctrine is translated into fact. It seems as if the psalmist had been bringing the word home. Let each of us put himself in his place. Then we may not only consider the poor, but consider ourselves with regard to the poor. What are we, what have we done, and what has been the result? In this case there will be:
1. Consciousness of great shortcomings in love and duty. We have not done what we could, and what we have done we have done weakly and imperfectly. Pride and vanity and other unlovely things have mixed themselves with our best endeavours. Men may praise us, but before God we are grievous sinners.
2. There will also be disappointments. We should "do good, hoping for nothing again;" but few of us are so disinterested. Besides, it is reasonable to consider results. Perhaps we have "enemies," who misrepresent what we do. Or, worse still, there may be people who come to us in the guise of friendship, and profess to inquire as to what we have done as to our plans and endeavours, and, finding out the secrets of our life, turn their knowledge to base uses. Instead of truth, they spread falsehoods. Instead of giving sympathy, they exaggerate our failures, and prate maliciously of our troubles. But there may be even a worse trial still. Our familiar friend, in whom we trusted, may turn against us (ver. 9). Amidst all such difficulties there is always encouragement. We turn to God, and find comfort. We know what he is, and what he would have us to be. We know that he will surely perform his word, and that if we are true, and honestly try to do our duty towards others, and especially the poor, we shall in no wise lose our reward.
Learn a lesson of humility, as we think of our own sins, and ill deserts; of gratitude, when we remember God"s goodness to ourselves; of charity, as we consider the evil ease of many of our brethren, and their claim upon us, if we are of the same mind with Christ, to help them as we can. "The holy supper is kept indeed, In whatso we share with another"s need; Not what we give, but what we share, For the gift without the giver is bare. Who gives himself with his alms feeds three Himself, his hungering brother, and me. (Lowell) W.F.
HOMILIES BY C. SHORT Vers. 1-13. The aggravation and consolation of bodily affliction.
Written by some mighty man, probably by David, on his recovery from an affliction during which conspiracy and slander had been active against him. It may refer to the time of Absalom; and the "familiar friend" may have been Ahithophel.
I THE AGGRAVATIONS OF BODILY AFFLICTION.
1. The consciousness of guilt. (Ver. 4) But he was penitent, and prayed for forgiveness and spiritual healing.
2. The malicious conduct of enemies and false friends. (Vers. 5-9) At a time when we are little able to contend against them.
II THE CONSOLATIONS OF AFFLICTION.
1. That he had himself sympathized with sufferers. (Ver. 1) He had not been like the enemies and false friends whom he describes, but had been a true friend to the weak and afflicted.
2. He is assured on this account of the Divine sympathy and Deliverance.(vers. 1-3) The merciful are blessed in receiving mercy.
3. He has already received tokens of the deliverance for which he is looking. (Vers. 11, 12) His enemy has not triumphed over him. God has upheld him in general right conduct or integrity. He does not forget his particular sins (ver. 4); but he is conscious also of living in the sight of the Divine countenance, and receiving Divine help. S.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Charles H. Spurgeon 1885 · Public Domain On vv1–13 Title. To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.…
Title. To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. This title has frequently occurred before, and serves to remind us of the value of the Psalm, seeing that it was committed to no mean songster; and also to inform us as to the author who has made his own experience the basis of a prophetic song, in which a far greater than David is set forth. How wide a range of experience David had! What power it gave him to edify future ages! And how full a type of our Lord did he become! What was bitterness to him has proved to be a fountain of unfailing sweetness to many generations of the faithful.
Jesus Christ betrayed by Judas Iscariot is evidently the great theme of this Psalm, but we think not exclusively. He is the antitype of David, and all his people are in their measure like him; hence words suitable to the Great Representative are most applicable to those who are in him. Such as receive a vile return for long kindness to others, may read this song with much comfort, for they will see that it is alas! too common for the best of men, to be rewarded for their holy charity with cruelty and scorn; and when they have been humbled by falling into sin, advantage has been taken of their low estate, their good deeds have been forgotten and the vilest spite has been vented upon them.
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Division. The psalmist in Ps 41:1-3, describes the mercies which are promised to such as consider the poor, and this he uses as a preface to his own personal plea for succour: from Ps 41:4-9 he states his own case, proceeds to prayer in Ps 41:10, and closes with thanksgiving, Ps 41:11-13.
Ver. 1. Blessed is he that considereth the poor. This is the third Psalm opening with a benediction, and there is a growth in it beyond the first two. To search the word of God comes first, pardoned sin is second, and now the forgiven sinner brings forth fruit unto God available for the good of others. The word used is as emphatic as in the former cases, and so is the blessing which follows it. The poor intended, are such as are poor in substance, weak in bodily strength, despised in repute, and desponding in spirit. These are mostly avoided and frequently scorned. The worldly proverb bequeaths the hindmost to one who has no mercy. The sick and the sorry are poor company, and the world deserts them as the Amalekite left his dying servant. Such as have been made partakers of divine grace receive a tenderer nature, and are not hardened against their own flesh and blood; they undertake the cause of the downtrodden, and turn their minds seriously to the promotion of their welfare. They do not toss them a penny and go on their way, but enquire into their sorrows, sift out their cause, study the best ways for their relief, and practically come to their rescue: such as these have the mark of the divine favour plainly upon them, and are as surely the sheep of the Lord's pasture as if they wore a brand upon their foreheads. They are not said to have considered the poor years ago, but they still do so. Stale benevolence, when boasted of, argues present churlishness. First and foremost, yea, far above all others put together in tender compassion for the needy is our Lord Jesus, who so remembered our low estate, that though he was rich, for our sakes he became poor. All his attributes were charged with the task of our uplifting. He weighed our case and came in the fulness of wisdom to execute the wonderful work of mercy by which we are redeemed from our destructions. Wretchedness excited his pity, misery moved his mercy, and thrice blessed is he both by his God and his saints for his attentive care and wise action towards us. He still considereth us; his mercy is always in the present tense, and so let our praises be.
The Lord will deliver him in time of trouble. The compassionate lover of the poor thought of others, and therefore God will think of him. God measures to us with our own bushel. Days of trouble come even to the most generous, and they have made the wisest provision for rainy days who have lent shelter to others when times were better with them. The promise is not that the generous saint shall have no trouble, but that he shall be preserved in it, and in due time brought out of it. How true was this of our Lord! never trouble deeper nor triumph brighter than his, and glory be to his name, he secures the ultimate victory of all his blood bought ones. Would that they all were more like him in putting on bowels of compassion to the poor. Much blessedness they miss who stint their alms. The joy of doing good, the sweet reaction of another's happiness, the approving smile of heaven upon the heart, if not upon the estate; all these the niggardly soul knows nothing of. Selfishness bears in itself a curse, it is a cancer in the heart; while liberality is happiness, and maketh fat the bones. In dark days we cannot rest upon the supposed merit of alms giving, but still the music of memory brings with it no mean solace when it tells of widows and orphans whom we have succoured, and prisoners and sick folk to whom we have ministered.
Title. The Syriac says, "It was a Psalm of David, when he appointed overseers to take care of the poor." Adam Clarke.
Whole Psalm. A prophecy of Christ and the traitor Judas. Eusebius of Caesarea, quoted by J. M. Neale.
Ver. 1. Blessed is he that considereth the poor. Interpreters are generally of opinion that the exercise of kindness and compassion, manifested in taking care of the miserable, and helping them, is here commended. Those, however, who maintain that the psalmist here commends the considerate candour of those who judge wisely and charitably of men in adversity, form a better judgment of his meaning. Indeed, the participle, (lksm), maskil, cannot be explained in any other way. At the same time it ought to be observed on what account it is that David declares those to be blessed who form a wise and prudent judgment concerning the afflictions by which God chastises his servants...Doubtless it happened to him as it did to the holy patriarch Job, whom his friends reckoned to be one of most wicked of men, when they saw God treating him with great severity. And certainly it is an error which is by far too common among men, to look upon those who are oppressed with afflictions as condemned and reprobate...For the most part, indeed, we often speak rashly and indiscriminately concerning others, and, so to speak, plunge even into the lowest abyss those who labour under affliction. To restrain such a rash and unbridled spirit, David says, that they are blessed who do not suffer themselves, by speaking at random, to judge harshly of their neighbours; but discerning aright the afflictions by which they are visited, mitigate, by the wisdom of the spirit, the severe and unjust judgments to which we naturally are so prone. John Calvin.
Ver. 1. Blessed is he that considereth the poor. As Christ considered us in our state of poverty, so ought we most attentively to consider him in his; to consider what he suffered in his own person; to discern him suffering in his poor afflicted members; and to extend to them the mercy which he extended to us. He, who was "blessed" of Jehovah, and "delivered in the evil day" by a glorious resurrection, will "bless" and "deliver" in like manner, such as for his sake, love and relieve their brethren. George Horne.
Ver. 1. Blessed is he that considereth the poor. Not the poor of the world in common, nor poor saints in particular, but some single poor man; for the word is in the singular number, and designs our Lord Jesus Christ, who, in the last verse of the preceding Psalm, is said to be poor and needy. John Gill.
Ver. 1. Blessed is he that considereth the poor. I call your attention to the way in which the Bible enjoins us to take up the care of the poor. It does not say in the text before us, Commiserate the poor; for, if it said no more than this, it would leave their necessities to be provided for by the random ebullitions of an impetuous and unreflecting sympathy. It provided them with a better security than the mere feeling of compassiona feeling which, however useful to the purpose of excitement, must be controlled and regulated. Feeling is but a faint and fluctuating security. Fancy may mislead it. The sober realities of life may disgust it. Disappointment may extinguish it. Ingratitude may embitter it. Deceit, with its counterfeit representations, may allure it to the wrong object. At all events, Time is the little circle in which it in general expatiates. It needs the impression of sensible objects to sustain it; nor can it enter with zeal or with vivacity into the wants of the abstract and invisible soul. The Bible, then, instead of leaving the relief of the poor to the mere instinct of sympathy, makes it a subject for consideration "Blessed is he that considereth the poor, "a grave and prosaic exercise, I do allow, and which makes no figure in those high wrought descriptions, where the exquisite tale of benevolence is made up of all the sensibilities of tenderness on the one hand, and of all the ecstasies of gratitude on the other. The Bible rescues the cause from the mischief to which a heedless or unthinking sensibility would expose it. It brings it under the cognisance of a higher facultya faculty of sturdier operation than to be weary in well doing, and of sturdier endurance than to give it up in disgust. It calls you to consider the poor. It makes the virtue of relieving them a matter of computation, as well as of sentiment, and in so doing puts you beyond the reach of the various delusions, by which you are at one time led to prefer the indulgence of pity to the substantial interest of its object; at another, are led to retire chagrined and disappointed from the scene of duty, because you have not met with the gratitude or the honesty that you laid your account with; at another, are led to expend all your anxieties upon the accommodation of time, and to overlook eternity. It is the office of consideration to save you from all these fallacies. Under its tutorage attention to the wants of the poor ripens into principle...
It must be obvious to all of you, that it is not enough that you give money, and add your name to the contributions of charity. You must give it with judgment. You must give your time and your attention. You must descend to the trouble of examination. You must rise from the repose of contemplation, and make yourself acquainted with the object of your benevolent exercises...To give money is not to do all the work and labour of benevolence. You must go to the poor man's sick bed. You must lend your hand to the work of assistance. This is true and unsophisticated goodness. It may be recorded in no earthly documents; but, if done under the influence of Christian principle, in a word, if done unto Jesus, it is written in the book of heaven, and will give a new lustre to that crown to which his disciples look forward in time, and will wear through eternity. From a Sermon preached before the Society for Relief of the Destitute Sick, in St. Andrew's Church, Edinburgh, by Thomas Chalmers, D.D. and L.L.D. (1780-1847.)
Ver. 1. Blessed is he that considereth the poor. A Piedmontese nobleman into whose company I fell, at Turin, told me the following story: "I was weary of life, and after a day such as few have known, and none would wish to remember, was hurrying along the street to the river, when I felt a sudden check, I turned and beheld a little boy, who had caught the skirt of my cloak in his anxiety to solicit my notice. His look and manner were irresistible. No less so was the lesson he had learnt`There are six of us, and we are dying for want of food.' `Why should I not, 'said I, to myself, `relieve this wretched family? I have the means, and it will not delay me many minutes. But what if it does?' The scene of misery he conducted me to I cannot describe. I threw them my purse, and their burst of gratitude overcame me. It filled my eyes, it went as a cordial to my heart. `I will call again tomorrow, 'I cried. `Fool that I was to think of leaving a world where such pleasure was to be had, and so cheaply!'" Samuel Rogers (1763-1855) in "Italy."
Ver. 1. He that considereth the poor:
An ardent spirit dwells with Christian love,
The eagle's vigour in the pitying dove.
It is not enough that we with sorrow sigh,
That we the wants of pleading man supply,
That we in sympathy with sufferers feel,
Nor hear a grief without a wish to heal:
Not these sufficeto sickness, pain, and woe,
The Christian spirit loves with aid to go:
Will not be sought, waits not for want to plead,
But seeks the dutynay, prevents the need;
Her utmost aid to every ill applies,
And plants relief for coming miseries. George Crabbe, 1754-1832.
Ver. 1. How foolish are they that fear to lose their wealth by giving it, and fear not to lose themselves by keeping it! He that lays up his gold may be a good jailer, but he that lays it out is a good steward. Merchants traffic thither with a commodity where it is precious in regard of scarcity. We do not buy wines in England to carry them to France, spices in France to carry them to the Indies; so for labour and work, repentance and mortification, there is none of them in heaven, there is peace and glory, and the favour of God indeed. A merchant without his commodity hath but a sorry welcome. God will ask men that arrive at heaven's gates, ubi opera? Re 22:12. His reward shall be according to our works. Thou hast riches here, and here be objects that need thy richesthe poor; in heaven there are riches enough but no poor, therefore, by faith in Christ make over to them thy moneys in this world, that by bill of exchange thou mayest receive it in the world to come; that only you carry with you which you send before you. Do good while it is in your power; relieve the oppressed, succour the fatherless, while your estates are your own; when you are dead your riches belong to others. One light carried before a man is more serviceable than twenty carried after him. In your compassion to the distressed, or for pious uses, let your hands be your executors, and your eyes your overseers. Francis Raworth, Teacher to the Church at Shore-ditch, in a Funeral Sermon, 1656.
Ver. 1,3. It is a blessed thing to receive when a man hath need; but it is a more blessed thing to give than to receive. Blessed (saith the prophet David) is he that considereth the poor. What? to say, alas, poor man! the world is hard with him, I would there were a course taken to do him good? No, no; but to so consider him as to give; to give till the poor man be satisfied, to draw out one's sheaf, aye, one's very soul to the hungry. But what if troubles should come? were it not better to keep money by one? Money will not deliver one. It may be an occasion to endanger one, to bring one into, rather than help one out of trouble; but if a man be a merciful man, God will deliver him, either by himself, or by some other man or matter. Aye, but what if sickness come? Why, the Lord will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing; and, which is a great ease and kindness; God, as it were, himself will make all his bed in his sickness. Here poor people have the advantage: such must not say, Alas, I am a poor woman, what work of mercy can I do? for they are they who best can make the beds of sick folk, which we see is a great act of mercy, in that it is said, that the Lord himself will make their bed in their sickness. And there are none so poor, but they may make the beds of the sick. Richard Capel.
Ver. 1,5. He that considereth. Mine enemies. Strigelius has observed, there is a perpetual antithesis in this Psalm between the few who have a due regard to the poor in spirit, and the many who afflict or desert them. W. Wilson, D.D.
Ver. 1. (first clause). The incidental blessings resulting from considering the pious poor.
1. We learn gratitude.
2. We see patience.
3. We often remark the triumphs of great grace.
4. We obtain light on Christian experience.
5. We have their prayers.
6. We feel the pleasure of beneficence.
7. We enter into communion with the lowly Saviour.
Ver. 1. The support of the Small pox Hospitals recommended. Bishop Squire, 1760. Scores of sermons of this kind have been preached from this text.
"David's Evidence; or, the Assurance of God's Love: declared in seven Sermons upon the three last verses of the Forty-first Psalme. By WILLIAM BURTON. Minister of the Word at Reading in Berkshire ...1602." 4to.
The ancient Rabbins saw in the Five Books of the Psalter the image of the Five Books of the Law. This way of looking at the Psalms as a second Pentateuch, the echo of the first, passed over into the Christian church, and found favour with some early fathers. It has commended itself to the acceptance of good recent expositors, like Dr. Delitzsch, who calls the Psalter "the congregation's five fold word to the Lord, even as the Thora (the Law) is the Lord's five fold word to the Congregation." This mat be mere fancy, but its existence from ancient times shows that the five fold division attracted early notice. William Binnie, D.D.
God presented Israel with the Law, a Pentateuch, and grateful Israel responded with s Psalter, a Pentateuch of praise, in acknowledgment of the divine gift. J. L. K.
Psalms 41:2*
Ver. 1,3. See Psalms on "Ps 41:1" for further information.
Ver. 1,5. He that considereth. Mine enemies. Strigelius has observed, there is a perpetual antithesis in this Psalm between the few who have a due regard to the poor in spirit, and the many who afflict or desert them. W. Wilson, D.D.
Charles H. Spurgeon's The Treasury of David (1869–1885) — public domain. Psalms only. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
The Biblical Illustrator 1887 · Public Domain On vv1, 3, 4, 6, 9, 11 Blessed is he that considereth the poor: the Lord…
Psa_41:1-13
Blessed is he that considereth the poor: the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble.
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The Psalmists affliction
The central mass of this psalm describes the singer as suffering from two evils: sickness and treacherous friends. This situation naturally leads up to the prayer and confidence of the closing strophe (Psa_41:10-12). But its connection with the introductory verses (1-3) is less plain. A statement of the blessings ensured to the compassionate seems a singular introduction to the psalmists pathetic exhibition of his sorrows. It is to be observed, however, that the two points of the psalmists affliction are the two from which escape is assured to the compassionate, who shall not be delivered to the desire of his enemies, and shall be supported and healed in sickness. Probably, therefore, the general promises of Psa_41:1-3 are silently applied by the psalmist to himself; and he is comforting his own sorrow with the assurance which in his humility he casts into impersonal form. He has been merciful, and believes, though things look dark, that he will obtain mercy. There is probably also an intentional contrast with the cruel exacerbation of his sufferings by uncompassionate companions, which has rubbed salt into his wounds. He has a double consciousness in these opening verses, inasmuch as he partly thinks of himself as the compassionate man and partly as the weak one who is compassionated. (A. Maclaren, D. D.)
The right and wrong treatment of the afflicted
I. The right treatment of the afflicted.
1. Its nature. To consider the poor, in a scriptural and true sense, is--
(1) To honour their nature as men.
(2) To promote their rights as citizens.
(3) To alleviate their woes as sufferers.
(4) To appreciate their work as servants.
Poor though they be, they are children of the same great Father, and endowed with the high attribute of moral intelligence. Poor though they be, they have their rights as citizens of the same state, and they have done more to help on the world than any other class of men. They work our mines, construct our fleets, build our cities, fight our battles, write some of our best books, and invent many of the most useful and ornamental arts.
2. The happiness of the right treatment.
(1) Blessed is he that considereth the poor. Such a man is blessed in the service he renders. The exercise of benevolence is the source of our chiefest joy. It is more blessed to give than to receive.
(2) But the writer specifies certain advantages which are bestowed in addition to this (Psa_41:1-3).
II. The wrong treatment of the afflicted (Psa_41:4-13). Under this ill-treatment--
1. He had a consciousness of his own sins (Psa_41:4).
(1) Great afflictions often awakes a sense of sin.
(2) Under a consciousness of his own sins he appeals for mercy. Lord, be merciful unto me.
2. He deeply felt the wicked conduct of his enemies (Psa_41:5-9).
(1) They desired his death.
(2) They plot his ruin.
3. He directs his heart to the great God (Psa_41:10-13).
(1) He prays.
(2) He confesses.
(3) He worships. It is well when all our trials and varied experiences end thus. (Homilist.)
The blessedness of considering the case of the poor
There is an evident want of congeniality between the wisdom of this world and the wisdom of the Christian. Now, so long as this wisdom has for its object some secular advantage, I yield it an unqualified reverence. If in private life a man be wise in the management of his farm, or his fortune, or his family; or if in public life he have wisdom to steer an empire through all its difficulties, and to carry it to aggrandizement and renown--the respect which I feel for such wisdom as this is most cordial and entire, and supported by the universal acknowledgment of all whom I call to attend to it. Let me now suppose that this wisdom has changed its object--that the man whom I am representing go exemplify this respectable attribute, instead of being wise for time, is wise for eternity--that he labours by the faith and sanctification of the Gospel for unperishable honours--what becomes of your respect for him now? Are there not some of you who are quite sensible that this respect is greatly impaired, since the wisdom of the man has taken so unaccountable a change in its object and in its direction? Men do not respect a wisdom which they-do not comprehend. They may love the innocence of a decidedly religious character, but they do not much, if at all, venerate its wisdom. The things of the Spirit of God are foolishness to the natural man. And all that has now been said of wisdom is applicable, with almost no variation, to another attribute of the human character, and which I would call lovely. I mean--benevolence. But that which the world admires, and that which is truly Christian, are vastly different. The benevolence of the world--with its poetical sentiment--the Christian may not understand; that of the Christian, with its self-denial and enduring of hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ, the world does not understand. It is positively nauseated by the poetical amateur. And the contrast does not stop here. The benevolence of the Gospel is not only at antipodes with that of the visionary sons and daughters of poetry, but it even varies in some of its most distinguishing features from the experimental benevolence of real and familiar life. The fantastic benevolence of poetry is now indeed pretty well exploded; and in the more popular works of the age there is a benevolence of a far truer and more substantial kind substituted in its place--the benevolence which you meet with among men of business and observation--the benevolence which bustles and finds employment among the most public and ordinary scenes; and which seeks for objects, not where the flower blows loveliest, and the stream, with its gentle murmurs, falls sweetest on the ear; but finds them in its every-day walks, goes in quest of them through the heart of the great city, and is not afraid to meet them in its most putrid lanes and loathsome receptacles. Now, it must be acknowledged that this benevolence is of a far more respectable kind than poetic sensibility, which is of no use because it admits of no application. Yet I am not afraid to say, that, respectable as it is, it does not come up to the benevolence of the Christian; and is at variance, in some of its most capital ingredients, with the morality of the Gospel. For time, and the accommodations of time, form all its subject, and all its exercise, lit labours, and often with success, to provide for its object a warm and a well-sheltered tenement; but it looks not beyond the few little years when the earthly house of this tabernacle shall be dissolved, when the soul shall be driven from its perishable tenement, and the only benevolence it will need will be that of those who have directed it heavenwards. The one minds earthly things, the other has its conversation in heaven. That which is the chief motive in the heart of the worldly philanthropist are but mere accessories in the heart of the Christian. All will applaud the benevolence of a Howard, but only the Christian will feel enthusiasm for the apostleship of Paul, who in the sublimer sense accomplished the liberty of the captive and brought them that sat in darkness out of the prison house. And hence it is that notwithstanding missionary zeal has ever been the pioneer for civilization, yet because the missionary labours for the eternal salvation of the heathen, the cry of fanaticism is raised against them, and they are regarded by men of the world with prejudice and disgust. Therefore we are to note the way in which the Bible enjoins us to consider the poor. Our text does not say, Commiserate the poor, for if it said only this it would leave them to the precarious provision of mere impulsive sympathy. Feeling is but a faint and fluctuating security. Fancy may mislead it. The sober realities of life may disgust it. Disappointment may extinguish it. Ingratitude may embitter it. Deceit, with its counterfeit representations, may allure it to the wrong object. The Bible, then, instead of leaving the relief of the poor to the mere instinct of sympathy, makes it a subject for consideration--Blessed is he that considereth the poor--a grave and prosaic exercise I do allow, and which makes no figure in those high-wrought descriptions, where the exquisite tale of benevolence is made up of all the sensibilities of tenderness on the one hand, and of all the ecstasies of gratitude on the other. But the poor have souls and need to be saved, and all benevolence, however necessary and praiseworthy, that ignores this deepest need, is but partial and incomplete. (T. Chalmers, D. D.)
The duty of considering the poor
It requires wisdom to understand the constitution of things, but the more a man understands the more he will approve. The inequalities of mankind, and the consequent state and condition of the poor, is one of those subjects which most of all perplex the mind. Such inequality is an undoubted fact, and has ever and everywhere been so. But when a good man beholds this, and sees his own affluence and the others indigence, he will reason that the Divine intent was that he should supply his brothers need. The inequality of nature should be rectified by religion. Now, let the rich think that what they give to the poor is thrown away, or given to them who can make no return. For to the poor, under God, the rich owe all their wealth. They are the workers and producers of the wealth which the rich only consume. Is society composed only of the noble and opulent? Did you ever hear, or read, of one that was so composed? It could not subsist for a week. As the members of it would not work, they could not eat. Of what value were your estates in the country, if the poor did not cultivate them? Of what account the riches of the nobleman, or the gentleman, if they must want the comforts, the conveniences, and even the necessaries of life? The king himself is served by the field; and, without the labours of the husbandman, must starve in his palace, surrounded by his courtiers and guards. The world depends, for subsistence, on the plough, the sickle, and the flail! Mankind, in short, constitute one vast body, to the support of which every member contributes his share; and by all of them together, as by so many greater and lesser wheels in a machine, the business of the public is carried on, its necessities are served, and its very existence is upholden. From hence it appears that the inequality of mankind is not the effect of chance, but the ordinance of Heaven, by whose appointment, as manifested in the constitution of the universe, some must command, while others obey; some must labour, while others direct their labours; some must be rich, while others are poor. The Scripture inculcates the same important truth, and the inference to be deduced from it--The poor shall never cease, etc. (Deu_15:11). Such is the method directed by Heaven of balancing the account between the different orders of men. What, then, will be the first consideration of a rich man when he sees a poor man? If he have a clear head, and a good heart, will he not reason in some such manner as this? God has given the earth for the support of all. While I abound, why does this man want? Plainly, that we may bear one anothers burdens; that my abundance may supply his need, may alleviate his distress, may help to sustain the affliction under which he groans: that I may take off his load of woe, and he take off the superfluity of my wealth; that so the stream, now broken and turbid, may again find its level, and flow pure and tranquil. If I do not act thus, may not the poor justly complain, and would not the fault be mine? And if the rich man refuse to help the poor, it is but natural to ask whence came this inequality? It was not from the rich mans merit or the poets demerit. It has been permitted that the poor may learn resignation, and the rich be taught charity, and the right employment of the good things vouchsafed to them. It is more blessed to give than to receive; let the rich remember this, and the end of their being made rich is answered. And let the rich man remember, too, that had it pleased God, he would have been poor, and it may please Him that he shall he so. He then will need that which now he is recommended to give. Such changes do occur. But whether in your case they do or not, if your riches do not leave you, yet in a little while you must leave them. Death waits to strip you of them all. They wilt only avail you then as you have employed them well now. In the Gospel we must seek full information as to this duty. Our blessed Lord became poor to make us rich, and has thus for ever obliged us to consider the poor. But how are we to obey these precepts? Let charity rule in the heart, and it will not need to be told how much it should give. But for rules take these:--
1. Let each lay aside a due proportion of his income for charities.
2. Practise economy with a view to charity; retrench expenditure on luxury and indulgence for this end.
3. Then, in giving, give work rather than money where the poor would work if they could. Where they would not, let them be made to work. Such is true kindness to them. (G. Horns.)
Considering the poor
When God commends us, or encourages us to consider the poor and needy, He commands and encourages us to do that for our fellow-creatures which we, as poor and needy dependants on His bounty, ask Him to do for us. He was not satisfied with death and the cross only, but He took up with becoming poor also, and a stranger, and a beggar, and naked, and with being thrown into prison, and undergoing sickness, that so, at least, He might call thee off [from covetousness]. If thou wilt not requite Me (He says) as having suffered for thee, show mercy on Me for My poverty; and if thou art not minded to pity Me for My poverty, do for My disease be moved, and for My imprisonment be softened. And if even these things make thee not charitable, for the easiness of the request comply with Me; for it is no costly gift I ask, but bread and lodging, and words of comfort. But if even after this thou still continuest unsubdued, still, for the kingdoms sake, be improved for the rewards which I have promised. Hast thou, then, no regard even for these? Yet still, for very natures sake, be softened at seeing Me naked; and remember that nakedness wherewith I was naked on the cross for thee; or if not this, yet that wherewith I am now naked through the poor . . . I fasted for thee; again I am hungry for thee . . . of thee, that owest Me the requital of benefits without number, I make not request as of one that oweth, but crown thee as one that favoureth Me, and a kingdom do I give thee for these small things . . . I delivered thee from most galling bonds; but for me it is quite enough if thou wilt but visit me when in prison. (Chrysostom.)
They, then, who even in out poor, low way, are conformed, or beginning to be conformed, to Gods mind in considering--that is, in searching out, compassionating, and relieving--distress have that in them which must be the source of blessedness, because they have that in them which is the source of happiness (I speak, of course, after the manner of men) to the Divine Mind; for God rejoices over His works. He rejoices in diffusing life and happiness; and when one province of His fair creation became marred and ruined by sin, and He extended mercy to it, then He delighted in that mercy. We then when, notwithstanding miserable deficiencies and shortcomings, we compassionate those in distress, and relieve their wants, even here enter somewhat into the very joy of God. And there is no Christian grace to the exercise of which God has in His Word so frequently or so emphatically promised a reward in the world to come. (M. F. Sadler, M. A.)
On Christian care for the poor
Judaism stood alone among ancient religions, Christianity stands alone among modern, in the inculcation of earnest, solemn, anxious consideration for the poor. And for the same reason. They both try to look on the world as the God who made it looks on it, and to share the burden of its want and its woe which is pressing on His heart. In nothing is the unity of Scripture more beautiful, more conspicuous, than in this great thought about the poor. Perhaps it is the grandest evidence of its inspiration. Christ deemed it the crowning glory of His kingdom (Mat_11:5).
I. The motive to consideration of the poor. I do not mean the reasons--they are abundant, but the motive. For the reasons and the motive power are, alas! widely different. The reasons are abundant for upright, godly conduct. A man is tempted to selfish, sensual, knavish action. There are ten thousand reasons why he should forbear, not one why he should yield. Every drop of his blood, every beat of his heart, every fibre of his nerve, could it speak, would cry out against it. His whole being, body, soul, and spirit, is against it. The whole structure of the universe is against it. Gods face, Gods hand, are against it. But he does it and faces it all. So here the reason is one thing; the power which makes the reason effective, which touches, moves, compels the conduct, is from a yet deeper spring. The fundamental element in the motive to care for the poor, is the revelation that the poor are the care of God. However man came to it, he has come to a god-like nature. The strongest influence which you can bring to bear on him is the revelation of the mind of God. There is something in him which moves him to imitation. The childs nature and passion, the cry of his spirit, Father, Father, tends to take shape in acts sympathetic with God.
II. The kind of consideration demanded.
1. Set plainly before the minds eye the terrible inequalities of gifts, possessions, culture, advantages, and all that makes the outward joy of life. We like to escape from it. The blessing is for the man who faces it; who in his comfortable home, with art, music, dress, amusement, luxurious appliances, carriages, and food, will set before his face the life of the millions to whom all this is as far off as the stars. Who will think of the laundress shut up in a hot, fetid room, standing over a tub or an ironing-board, four or five young children clinging round her, and one ill up-stairs; but who dares not stop, who must work on lest they starve. Or poor parents watching a fair child dear to them as yours to you, and pining daily for the nourishing food and sea air, but which they are utterly unable to give. The man who considers the poor will keep this in sight while he enjoys Gods blessings.
2. He will not believe that God meant life to be anything like this. The heathen says that this is Gods ordinance, and it is impious to interfere. But the Christian is quite sure God meant nothing like this.
3. He will say, It is a solemn part of my duty to mend it. God leaves it with us, not because He does not care, but because He cares so intensely. He will have us see to it. It is societys most pressing, most sacred, most blessed work, to consider the poor; to be always meditating, planning, and working at what aims at the extinction of the bitterness of poverty from the world. It is not mere giving. Some do most who give nothing, who have nothing to give. It is the mind and the heart to think and to care which first need to be cultivated; the feeling that it is base and selfish to enjoy our advantages, comforts, and luxuries, while we abstain from systematic thoughtful effort to bridge over the chasm which separates the classes, and to make less bitter the lot of the poor.
III. The blessing in which it fruits. He that giveth to the poor lendeth to the Lord. Many may feel that this is a far-away matter--The Lord will repay. They see nothing tangible here; brave words, no more. To me it seems the reality of realities. I see something very intangible in the best of worldly securities; who is to secure them? While this is real, solid, enduring, as the order of the world.
1. The blessing lies hid in the order of the world. God has made man and the world so that this mind shall be blessed. All men honour, love, and cherish it. It draws forth the best elements of every nature, the sunny side of every heart.
2. The blessing lies deeper and closer, in a warm glow of living joy in his own heart. It is the souls health, this care for need. There is the glow of health in the soul of the man who cherishes it, which is incomparable with any other sensation; it is the pure joy of life.
3. Deeper still, it lies in the heart and the hand of God. God loves that man, and counts him His friend. God watches that man, and assures his life. In moments of crisis and strain it is as if a Hand came out of the invisible to clasp and upbear him--the Hand which will one day lift him out of the shades of death to that world where he shall hear the welcome, Come, thou blessed of my Father, etc. (J. Baldwin Brown, B. A.)
Benevolence
This the most prominent characteristic of our religion.
I. The duty of considering the poor. It must be performed on Christian principles. Not as did the Pharisees, to be seen of men. There are several kinds of poor. Inquire, therefore, what it is to consider the poor. It implies sympathy with them; that we should, if possible, visit them; that we should relieve them; that we should seek to do good to their souls.
II. The privilege of considering the poor. All duty is privilege, for all God requires us to do is for our advantage. Gods blessing attends the considering of the poor. The Lord will preserve him in the day of trouble. See this in the history of Job. (Joseph Entwistle.)
Considering the poor
Poverty is a large word, and requires a large definition. Sickness, weakness, fear, sense of helplessness, sense of desolation--all these may be brought under the definition of poverty. Some men are poor mentally, needing continual suggestion, direction, and recruital of mind. Want of money is the most superficial kind of poverty. It is by no means to be neglected either by the individual or by the state, because through want of money men often perish through lack of other things. When money is taken thus typically, then pennilessness becomes a manifold disorder and weakness. The word rendered considereth implies a kindliness of consideration. It is not only a statistical or economical view of social circumstances, it is also a direct and earnest exercise of the heart. The word may also be rendered he that understands. We cannot understand the poor simply as an intellectual study. No man understands hunger who has not been hungry. There are dictionary interpretations of words which help us but a short way towards their true comprehension. Think of turning to the dictionary to find the meaning of poverty, hunger, sorrow, death! All the words may be neatly and clearly defined in terms, but to understand any one of them we must pass through the experience which it indicates. The blessings of the Bible are always poured upon good-doing. (J. Parker.)
The sick and needy (for Hospital Sunday)
1. It is urged that free hospitals for the sick poor are not an unmixed good. The same may be said of every existing human institution. Were we to wait for perfection before we would give our support to any philanthropic scheme, philanthropy would die out entirely from the hearts of men from lack of worthy objects. While occasional and substantial help is a great blessing, and one which neither the receiver nor the giver can well spare without loss of pure emotion and without poverty of soul, too much help, or help too readily obtainable, is a great injury, inasmuch as it undermines manliness and self-reliance, destroys that vigour of independence which all toilers in every rank ought to cultivate, and often creates the poverty and misery it is intended to cure. The change cannot be wrought in a day or a year, or in hardly less than a score of years. It must be gradual. Many of the present generation are incurable, their inveterate pauperism cannot be shaken off. It is to the next generation that we must look for a better state of things. The sick and needy will still be at our doors, for many a year to come; men, women and children will still be helpless and perish if we withhold our pity and relief. While poverty lasts we must keep our manhood, our brotherly sympathy, our tender compassion, and by the agency of our splendid hospitals earn the cheap honour of helping to provide for the sick and needy.
2. The second objection is that the money raised is not distributed as equitably as it should be. Still, assuming this, I ask on what reasonable, just, or humane, grounds will you withhold your help from the fund because some of it is misappropriated? Is it reasonable to cripple the healing resources of ten persons who need your help, simply because one person has received help which he did not so much need? Is it just to punish the deserving hospitals for the undeserving?
3. The third objection is that persons avail themselves of hospital relief who have no right to the benefit. Of this deplorable fact there can be no doubt. The out-patients room at the hospital is crowded by persons who can well afford to pay for medical and surgical attendance. Is this abuse of the hospitals a valid objection to our giving them all our support? I venture to say it is not. To destroy a precious and useful thing because some one puts it to a wrong use, or because it has fallen into illegitimate hands, is a manifest folly. If the liberal subscribers to the Hospital Fund were to hand in along with their subscriptions a vigorous protest against the indiscriminate reception of applicants for relief, the abuse would soon be abated, and in time altogether disappear. But not to give is to forfeit your right to be heard; not to support the hospitals is to put yourself out of court and disqualify you from giving evidence. (C. Voysey.)
Practical sympathy: pity shown more by deeds than words
A respectable merchant of London having become embarrassed in his circumstances, and his misfortunes being one day the subject of conversation in the Royal Exchange, several persons expressed the great sympathy they felt for him; whereupon a Quaker who was present said, I feel five hundred pounds for him, what do you feel?
The blessedness of the benevolent
Where is heaven? asked a wealthy Christian of his minister. I will tell you where it is, was the quick reply: if you will go to the store, and buy £10 worth of provisions and necessaries, and take them to that poor widow on the hillside, who has three of her children sick. She is poor, and a member of the Church. Take a nurse and some one to cook the food. When you get there, read the twenty-third Psalm, and kneel by her side and pray. Then you will find out where heaven is.
A despiser of the poor reproved
An eminent surgeon was one day sent for by the Cardinal du Bois, Prime Minister of France, to perform a very serious operation upon him. The Cardinal, on seeing him enter the room, said to him, You must not expect to treat me in the same rough manner that you treat the more miserable wretches at your hospital. My lord, replied the surgeon, with great dignity, every one of those miserable wretches, as your eminence is pleased to call them, is a Prime Minister in my eyes, for each is one of Gods poor.
The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Expositor's Bible 1887 · Public Domain On v1 Psalms 41
Psalms 41
THE central mass of this psalm describes the singer as suffering from two evils: sickness and treacherous friends. This situation naturally leads up to the prayer and confidence of the closing strophe (Psa_41:10-12). But its connection with the introductory verses (Psa_41:1-5) is less plain. A statement of the blessings ensured to the compassionate seems a singular introduction to the psalmists pathetic exhibition of his sorrows. Cheyne thinks that the opening verses were added by the framer of the collection to adapt the poem to the use of the Church of his own time, and that "the original opening must have been different" ("Orig. of Psalt.," 246, n.). It is to be observed, however, that the two points of the psalmists affliction are the two from which escape is assured to the compassionate, who shall not be "delivered to the desire of his enemies," and shall be supported and healed in sickness. Probably, therefore, the general promises of Psa_41:1-3 are silently applied by the psalmist to himself; and he is comforting his own sorrow with the assurance which in his humility he casts into impersonal form. He has been merciful, and believes, though things look dark, that he will obtain mercy. There is probably also an intentional contrast with the cruel exacerbation of his sufferings by uncompassionate companions, which has rubbed salt into his wounds. He has a double consciousness in these opening verses, inasmuch as he partly thinks of himself as the compassionate man and partly as the "weak" one who is compassionated.
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The combination of sickness and treachery is remarkable, especially if the former is taken literally, as the strongly marked details seem to require. The sick man is visited by an insincere sympathiser, who is all eyes to note symptoms of increasing weakness, and all tongue, as soon as he gets out of the sickroom, to give the result, which is to his malice the better the worse it is. Such a picture looks as if drawn from life, and the sketch of the traitor friend seems to be a portrait of a real person. The supporters of the post-exilic date and national interpretation of the psalm have not succeeded in pointing out who the false friends of Israel were, who seemed to condole with, and really rejoiced over, its weakness, or who were the treacherous allies who failed it. The theory of the Davidic origin has in its favour the correspondence of Ahithophels treason with the treachery of the trusted friend in the psalm; and, while it must be admitted that there is no mention of sickness in the narrative in 2 Samuel, the supposition that trouble of conscience had brought illness gains some countenance from Psalms 32, if it is Davidic, and would naturally explain Davids singular passiveness whilst Absalom was hatching his plot.
The psalm may be divided into four strophes, of which, however, the two middle ones cohere very closely. Psa_41:1-3 give the mercy requited to the merciful; Psa_41:4-6, after a brief prayer and confession begin the picture of the psalmists sufferings, which is carried on through the next strophe (Psa_41:7-9), with the difference that in the former the scene is mainly the sick mans chamber, and in the latter the meeting place of the secret conspirators. Psa_41:10-12 build on this picture of distress a prayer for deliverance and rise to serene confidence in its certain answer. The closing doxology is not part of the psalm, but is appended as the conclusion of the first book of the Psalter.
The principle that Gods dealings with us correspond to our dealings with men, as clouds are moulded after the curves of the mountains which they touch, is no less characteristic of the New Testament than of the Old. The merciful obtain mercy; God forgives those who forgive their brethren. The absoluteness of statement in this psalm is, of course, open to misunderstanding; but the singer had not such a superficial view of his relations to God as to suppose that kindly sympathy was the sole condition of Divine compassion. That virtue, the absence of which added pangs to his pains, might well seem to a sufferer writhing under the bitterness of its opposite the Divinest of all excellences, and worthiest of recompense. That its requital should be mainly considered as consisting in temporal deliverance and physical health is partly due to the characteristics of the Old Testament promises of blessedness, and partly to the psalmists momentary needs. We have noted that these are reflected in the blessings promised in Psa_41:1-3. The "happy" of Psa_41:1 is caught up in the abruptly introduced "He shall be counted happy" of Psa_41:2 which may carry tacit reference to the malicious slanders that aggravated the psalmists sufferings, and anticipates deliverance so perfect that all who see him shall think him fortunate. The next clause rises into direct address of Jehovah, and is shown by the form of the negative in the Hebrew to be petition, not assertion, thus strongly confirming the view that "me" lurks below "him" in this context. A similar transition from the third to the second person occurs in Psa_41:3, as if the psalmist drew closer to his God. There is also a change of tense in the verbs there: "Jehovah will sustain"; "Thou hast turned," the latter tense converting the general truth expressed in the former clause into a fact of experience. The precise meaning of this verse is questioned, some regarding both clauses as descriptive of tender nursing, which sustains the drooping head and smoothes the crumpled bedding, while others, noting that the word rendered "bed" (A.V. and R.V.) in the second clause means properly "lying down," take that clause as descriptive of turning, sickness into convalescence. The latter meaning gives a more appropriate ending to the strophe, as it leaves the sick man healed, not tossing on a disordered bed, as the other explanation does. Jehovah does not half cure.
The second and third strophes (Psa_41:4-9) are closely connected. In them the psalmist recounts his sorrows and pains, but first breathes a prayer for mercy, and bases it no longer on his mercifulness, but on his sin. Only a shallow experience will find contradiction here to either the former words, or to the later profession of "integrity" (Psa_41:12). The petition for soul healing does not prove that sickness in the following verses is figurative, but results from the belief that sorrow is the effect of sin, a view which belongs to the psalmists stage of revelation, and is not to be held by Christians in the same absolute fashion. If the Davidic origin of the psalm is recognised, the connection of the kings great sin with all his after sorrows is patent. However he had been merciful and compassionate in general, his own verdict on the man in Nathans parable was that he "showed no pity," and that sin bore bitter fruit in all his life. It was the parent of all the sensual outrages in his own house; it underlay Ahithophels treachery; it had much to do in making his reign abhorred; it brought the fuel which Absalom fired, and if our supposition is right as to the origin of the sickness spoken of in this psalm, that sin and the remorse that followed it gnawed at the roots of bodily health. So the psalmist, if he is indeed the royal sinner, had need to pray for soul healing first, even though he was conscious of much compassion and hoped for its recompense. While he speaks thus to Jehovah, his enemies speak in a different tone. The "evil" which they utter is not calumny, but malediction. Their hatred is impatient for his death. The time seems long till they can hear of it. One of them comes on a hypocritical visit of solicitude ("see" is used for visiting the sick in 2Ki_8:29, and speaks lying condolence, while he greedily collects encouraging symptoms that the disease is hopeless. Then he hurries back to tell how much worse he had found the patient; and that ignoble crew delight in the good news, and send it flying. This very special detail goes strongly in favour of the view that we have in this whole description a transcript of literal, personal experience. There were plenty of concealed enemies round David in the early stages of Absaloms conspiracy, who would look eagerly for signs of his approaching death, which might save the need of open revolt and plunge the kingdom into welcome confusion. The second strophe ends with the exit of the false friend.
The third (Psa_41:7-9) carries him to the meeting place of the plotters, who eagerly receive and retain the good news that the sick man is worse. They feed their ignoble hate by picturing further ill as laying hold of him. Their wish is parent to their thought, which is confirmed by the report of their emissary. "A thing of Belial is poured out on him," or "is fastened upon him," say they. That unusual expression may refer either to moral or physical evil. In the former sense it would here mean the sufferers sin, in the latter a fatal disease. The connection makes the physical reference the more likely. This incurable disease is conceived of as "poured out," or perhaps as "molten on him," so that it cannot be separated from him. Therefore he will never rise from his sick bed. But even this murderous glee is not the psalmists sharpest pang. "The man of my peace," trusted, honoured, admitted to the privileges, and therefore bound by the obligations, of hospitality so sacred in the old world, has kicked the prostrate sufferer, as the ass in the fable did the sick lion. The treachery of Ahithophel at once occurs to mind. No doubt many treacherous friends have wounded many trustful hearts, but the correspondence of Davids history with this detail is not to be got rid of by the observation that treachery is common. Still less is it sufficient to quote Oba_1:7 where substantially the same language is employed in reference to the enemies of Edom, as supporting the national reference of the present passage. No one denies that false allies may be described by such a figure, or that nations may be personified; but is there any event in the post-exilic history which shows Israel deceived and spurned by trusted allies? The Davidic authorship and the personal reference of the psalm are separable. But if the latter is adopted, it will be hard to find any circumstances answering so fully to the details of the psalm as the Absalomic rebellion and Ahithophels treason. Our Lords quotation of part of Psa_41:9, with the significant omission of "in whom I trusted," does not imply the Messianic character of the psalm, but is an instance of an event and a saying which were not meant as prophetic, finding fuller realisation in the life of the perfect type of suffering godliness than in the original sufferer.
The last strophe (Psa_41:10-12) recurs to prayer, and soars to confidence born of communion. A hand stretched out in need and trust soon comes back filled with blessings. Therefore here the moment of true petition is the moment of realised answer. The prayer traverses the malicious hopes of enemies. They had said, "He will rise no more"; it prays, "Raise me up." It touches a note which sounds discordant in the desire "that I may requite them"; and it is far more truly reverential and appreciative of the progress of revelation to recognise the relative inferiority of the psalmists wish to render quid pro quo than to put violence on his words in order to harmonise them with Christian ethics, or to slur over the distinction between the Law, of which the keynote was retribution, and the Gospel, of which it is forgiveness.
But the last words of the psalm are sunny with the assurance of present favour and with boundless hope. The man is still lying on his sick bed, ringed by whispering foes. There is no change without, but this change has passed: that he has tightened his hold of God, and therefore can feel that his enemies whispers will never rise or swell into a shout of victory over him. He can speak of the future deliverance as if present; and he can look ahead over an indefinite stretch of sunlit country, scarcely knowing whether the furthest point is earth or no. His integrity is not sinless, nor does he plead it as a reason for Jehovahs upholding, but hopes for it as the consequence of His sustaining hand. He knows that he will have close approach to Jehovah; and though, no doubt, "forever" on his lips meant less than it does on ours, his assurance of continuous communion with God reached, if not to actual, clear consciousness of immortality, at all events to assurance of a future so indefinitely extended, and so brightened by the sunlight of Gods face, that it wanted but little additional extension or brightening to be the full assurance of life immortal.
William Robertson Nicoll, ed., The Expositor's Bible (London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1887–1910) — public domain. 65 of 66 books (1 Corinthians is not separately keyed, as that volume carries no machine-parseable verse references); section-level commentary keyed to the opening verse. Introductory and overview sections not keyed to a specific passage are excluded.
The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary 1892 · Public Domain On v1 This psalm, like the preceding one, is from the…
INTRODUCTION
This psalm, like the preceding one, is from the pen of David, and is addressed “to the chief musician,” for use in public religious services. It seems to have been composed with reference to a period when the Psalmist was suffering from bodily sickness, and from the malice of his enemies and the faithlessness and ingratitude of friends. “The kernel of our psalm,” says Hengstenberg, “is contained in Psa_35:13-14. The fundamental idea is this, that he who is compassionate will receive compassion, that he who has the consciousness of having wept with the weeping, may console himself with the assurance that his own weeping shall be turned by God into laughing.” Homiletically we shall consider the psalm as setting forth—The blessedness of the compassionate (Psa_41:1-3); the complaint, prayer, and confidence of the compassionate (Psa_41:4-12); and the doxology (Psa_41:13).
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THE BLESSEDNESS OF THE COMPASSIONATE
(Psa_41:1-3.)
The blessings mentioned in these verses are for the man “that considereth the poor.” By “the poor” in this place we must understand the weak and feeble, those who are in a depressed condition, and need the sympathy and aid of others. The word may be used in reference to those who are in a low condition by reason of poverty, bodily affliction, or sorrow. The consideration of which the Psalmist speaks is a thoughtful sympathy and help, “the manifestations of a tender fellow-feeling.” And the man who extends this thoughtful sympathy and help to the poor, the Psalmist pronounces “blessed.” He is blessed with—
I. Divine deliverance. “The Lord will deliver him in time of trouble.” Margin: “in the day of evil.” Hengstenberg: “in the day of distress.” “The day of evil” is a period with which all men are more or less acquainted. The present state is characterised by affliction and trial, pain and sorrow, disease and death. But “if any be hidden in the day of the Lord’s anger,” the compassionate shall. The Lord will keep them in the day of distress, and will deliver them.
II. Divine preservation. “The Lord will preserve him, and keep him alive.” “This,” says Barnes, “refers to a general, not a universal rule in the Divine administration, that acts of piety will be partially rewarded on the earth; or that the Divine favour will be shown to those who deal kindly with others.” When the shafts of death fly quickly around them, they shall be shielded by God. He who manifests kindness and care for the afflicted and sorrowful may expect, when he is placed in similar circumstances, that God will interpose for his preservation.
III. Divine blessing. “He shall be blessed upon the earth.” Hengstenberg: “in the land.” “This is in accordance with the doctrine noticed above, and so often referred to in the psalms and elsewhere, that the effect of religion will be to promote happiness and prosperity in this life.”—Barnes. “If it may be for God’s glory, and the man’s good. this temporal life shall be preserved, and evidences of God’s blessing shall be seen upon him.”—Dickson.
IV. Divine reservation. “Thou wilt not deliver him to the will of his enemies.” When attacked by foes the Lord will defend the compassionate man, so that they shall neither ensnare him by their wiles, nor overpower him by their might. “The most potent enemy we have can have no power against us but what is given him from above. The good-will of a God that loves us is sufficient to secure us from the ill-will of all that hate us, men and devils; and that good-will we may promise ourselves au interest in, if we have considered the poor and helped to relieve and rescue them.”—M. Henry.
V. Divine support in affliction. “The Lord will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing; Thou wilt make all his bed in his sickness.” God has not promised His people “that they shall never be sick, nor that they shall not lie languishing, nor that their sickness shall not be unto death; but He has promised to enable them to bear their affliction with patience, and cheerfully to wait the issue. The soul by His grace shall be made to dwell at ease when the body lies in pain.”—M. Henry. On the second clause, Hengstenberg says, “ ‘All his couch dost Thou change in his sickness.’ The couch stands here for the state of the sick; God changes his couch of pain and sickness into one of convalescence and joy, and that entirely.” And M. Henry, “That bed must needs be well made which God Himself has the making of.” When we are in affliction it is no small comfort to remember that we have kindly ministered to others in like circumstances. And God Himself will relieve and comfort those who have so done in all their sufferings.
CONCLUSION:—
1. Heed well the principle which underlies our text, that God will deal with us as we do with others. “With the merciful Thou wilt show Thyself merciful,” &c. (Psa_18:25-27. “Blessed are the merciful; for they shall obtain mercy.” “With what measure ye mete it shall be measured to you again.”
2. Cultivate a kind and considerate spirit toward the poor, the sorrowful, the afflicted. By so doing, we tread in the footsteps of our Lord and become sharers in His joy.
THE COMPLAINT, PRAYER, AND CONFIDENCE OF THE COMPASSIONATE
(Psa_41:4-12.)
The relation of this section to the preceding, as we understand it, is thus stated by Hengstenberg: “The Psalmist, who, with perfect right, could appropriate to himself the words, ‘Blessed is he who acts wisely towards the poor,’ goes on to mention, in two strophes, that now it was the day of distress for him, now the rage of his enemies was boiling against him, now he was prostrated with pain, so that it was time for him to receive the fulfilment of the promise, He will deliver him,” &c.
I. The complaint of the compassionate. David had shown himself compassionate to the poor and needy, yet now that the day of his distress has come he has to complain bitterly of the treatment he received from men. Here is his complaint concerning.
1. His enemies. He complains of
(1.) Their malignity. “Mine enemies speak evil of me, When shall he die, and his name perish?” It is scarcely possible to imagine malignity more intense than this. The malignity that desires the death of another is terrible; that which desires not only another’s death, but also the blotting out of his memory from amongst men is more terrible; whilst that which desires these things concerning a good man is most terrible. Yet such was the malignity of the enemies of the Psalmist.
(2.) Their deceit. “If he come to see me, he speaketh vanity; his heart gathereth iniquity to itself; when he goeth abroad, he telleth it.” Here is the most cruel hypocrisy. These enemies visited the poet in his affliction under the pretence of friendship and kindly interest in his welfare, uttering empty and hypocritical assurances of love and sympathy. Their real object was to gather materials for slandering him, to discover something in his temper, or speech, or condition, which they might pervert to their own base ends. And then they went abroad and published their base and dastardly perversions. “There is no fence against those whose malice thus gathers iniquity.”
(3.) Their confederacy. “All that hate me whisper together against me; against me do they devise my hurt.” Here are combination and consultation with a view to the injury of the poet. His enemies were many, and they conspired to effect his overthrow. “Whisperers and backbiters are put together among the worst of sinners (Rom_1:29-30). They whispered that their plot against him might not be discovered and so defeated; there is seldom whispering (we say) but there is lying or some mischief on foot.”—M. Henry.
(4.) Their fiendish exultation. “An evil disease, say they, cleaveth fast unto him, and now that he lieth, he shall rise up no more.” The first clause of this verse is not easily interpreted. Our translation is incorrect. Margin, as in the Hebrew: “A thing,” or word, “of Belial.” Professor Alexander: “A word of Belial is poured upon him.” Hengstenberg says: “The first member, literally: a matter of mischief is poured upon him.” We take it that “the matter of mischief,” or “word of Belial,” is the diabolical plan which the enemies of the Psalmist had framed for effecting his ruin; and in the anticipated success of which they fiendishly exulted. It was not without reason that David complained of his enemies.
2. Those whom he had regarded as his friends. “Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.” “Mine own familiar friend,” or “the man of my peace,” indicates one who was associated with David in the most peaceful and amicable relations. “In whom I trusted,” points to “one who lived on a footing of confidence with the Psalmist.” “Who eats my bread,” does not refer to one who had been entertained as an occasional guest by the Psalmist, but to one who was supported by him as a member of his family. “The participle points to something continued.” Such an one, the Psalmist complains, had “lifted up his heel against” him, like a horse that turns and kicks a kind master. Matthew Henry, Hengstenberg, et al., think that the reference here is to Ahithophel (2Sa_15:12; 2Sa_15:31). Well may David complain in bitterness of soul of such treatment. La Fontaine said: “Rare is true love; true friendship is still rarer.” “In trust,” said Queen Elizabeth, “I have found treason.” “Friends!” said Socrates, “there is no friend.”
Our Lord applied part of this verse to Judas, the betrayer, Joh_13:8. But it is significant that He omitted the words, “Mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted.” The omission is
(1.) “An evidence against the direct Messianic interpretation” of the psalm.
(2.) It seems to show that Christ had never regarded Judas as an intimate and trusted friend.
II. The prayer of the compassionate. The Psalmist here prays that the blessing promised to those who consider the poor may be granted unto him. He prays—
1. For mercy. In both the fourth and the tenth verses he cries, “O Lord, be merciful unto me.” The request for mercy implies a consciousness of unworthiness. It is also an appeal to the disposition of God to pity the miserable, and succour the distressed.
2. For restoration. “Heal my soul, for I have sinned against Thee; … and raise me up.” The Psalmist recognises the intimate connection between sin and suffering. He regarded his afflictions as a consequence of his sins. “Sin,” says Matthew Henry, “is the sickness of the soul; pardoning mercy heals it; renewing grace heals it; and this spiritual healing we should be more earnest for than for bodily health.” The request, “and raise me up,” looks back to the cruel boast of his enemies, “and now that he lieth down he shall rise up no more.” It is a prayer that God would restore him to health and prosperity, and so baffle the wicked designs of his foes. The latter part of the tenth verse is not, “in order that I may requite them,” but, “so will I requite them.” The words do not necessarily involve a desire for individual revenge on his enemies. They may mean simply a desire for the vindication of right and truth.
III. The confidence of the compassionate. The Psalmist expresses his assurance of,—
1. The Divine favour. “By this I know that Thou favourest me, because mine enemy doth not triumph over me.” The possession of the Divine favour, and the defeat of his enemies, are in his mind inseparably associated, and he expresses a confident assurance of both. “When we can discern the favour of God in any mercy, personal or public, that doubles it and sweetens it.”
2. The Divine support. “And as for me, Thou upholdest me,” &c. The remarks of Matthew Henry on this verse are excellent. “
(1.) When at any time we suffer in our reputation, our chief concern should be about our integrity, and then we may cheerfully leave it to God to secure our reputation. David knows that, if he can but persevere in his integrity, he need not fear his enemies’ triumphs over him.
(2.) The best man in the world holds his integrity no longer than God upholds him in it; for by His grace we are what we are; if we be left to ourselves, we shall not only fall, but fall away.
(3.) It is a great comfort to us that, however weak we are, God is able to uphold us in our integrity, and will do it if we commit the keeping of it to Him.
(4.) If the grace of God did not take a constant care of us, we should not be upheld in our integrity; His eye is always upon us, else we should soon start aside from Him.
(5.) Those whom God now upholds in their integrity. He will set before His face for ever, and make happy in the vision and fruition of Himself. He that endures to the end shall be saved.”
CONCLUSION.—Let us cultivate and pray for strong confidence in God. Then shall we be victorious over the infirmities of the flesh, the weakness or falseness of professed friends, and the scheming malignity of enemies.
DOXOLOGY
(Psa_41:13.)
This verse of praise marks the close of the first book of the psalms.
I. Blessing is ascribed to God as a God holding relations with His people. “The Lord God of Israel.” In the past He has conferred many blessings upon them. In the present they trust Him; and He upholds and saves them. He has promised to bless them with eternal glory. “The Lord of hosts is the God of Israel, even a God to Israel.” “Blessed,” i.e., praised, honoured, “be the Lord God.”
1. God is supremely blessed in Himself. “The ever blessed God.”
2. God is blessed in His works. “All Thy works shall praise Thee, O God.”
3. God is blessed by all His intelligent and loyal creatures. By angels, and by the redeemed both in heaven and on earth.
II. Blessing is ascribed to God eternally. “From everlasting and to everlasting.” From the unbeginning past to the unending future. What an existence is that of God!
III. Blessing is ascribed to Him fervently. “Amen, and Amen.” The repetition of the “Amen” shows that the ascription of blessing is the intense wish of the mind and heart. Many and forcible are the reasons which urge all intelligent creatures thus to ascribe blessing to God.
We, whom He has redeemed from sin and hell, are under special obligation to praise and glorify Him. “What shall I render unto the Lord?” &c. “Bless the Lord, O my soul,” &c.
The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary (gen. ed. Joseph S. Exell; Funk & Wagnalls, c. 1892) — public domain (pre-1929). A full-Bible homiletical/sermon-outline anthology covering 65 of 66 books (2 John is absent from the source module). Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Sermon Bible 1900 · Public Domain On v1 I. The motive to consideration of the poor. The…
Psa 41:1
I. The motive to consideration of the poor. The fundamental element in the motive to care for the poor is the revelation that the poor are the care of God.
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II. The kind of consideration demanded. (1) Set plainly before the mind’s eye the terrible inequalities of gifts, possessions, culture, advantages, and all that makes the outward joy of life. (2) The man who considers the poor will not believe that God meant life to be anything like this. (3) He will say, It is a solemn part of my duty to mend it. God will have us take on us His ministry to the poor.
III. The blessing in which it fruits, (1) The blessing lies hid in the order of the world. (2) The blessing lies deeper and closer in a warm glow of living joy in our own hearts. (3) Deeper still, it lies in the heart and the hand of God.
F. W. Farrar, Contemporary Pulpit Extra No. 2, 1887.
References: Psa 41:1.—J. Baldwin Brown, The Sunday Afternoon, p. 394; F. W. Farrar, Christian World Pulpit, vol. xxx., p. 305. Psa 41:1, Psa 41:2.—H. W. Beecher, Ibid., vol. xxv., p. 148. Psa 41:9.—Congregationalist, vol. vi., p. 267; J. E. Vaux, Sermon Notes, 1st series, p. 56. Psalm 41—A. Maclaren, Life of David, p. 234; T. Guthrie, The Way to Life, p. 333. Psa 42:1.—Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. xiv., No. 822; G. Matheson, Moments on the Mount, p. 151. Psa 42:1, Psa 42:2.—S. Cox, Expositions, 3rd series, p. 109.
The Sermon Bible, ed. William Robertson Nicoll (1888–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
F. W. Grant 1903 · Public Domain On v1 The cross as seen by faith and by unbelief.
The cross as seen by faith and by unbelief.
To the chief musician: a psalm of David.
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The first book closes now with the double view of the Cross; as seen by faith or by unbelief; with the occasion and the true ground of the latter. The work is accepted of God, who raises up the Worker, and sets Him before His face forever, while faith finds in it that which brings help and deliverance in every kind of trial and evil. The book ends with the ascription of praise; as the numerical structure indicates; from all the earth.
The psalm has three parts essentially; the fourth being but the praise with which all ends. The first part gives us the blessedness of the knowledge of that Poor Man; whose poverty makes many rich. Only with such an application can we see the true significance of this blessedness. To make it the recompense of mere benevolence; as is the common thought; would be not merely unevangelic, but render the body of the psalm wholly unintelligible. The Lord’s own application of the ninth verse to Judas (Joh 13:18) would seem almost; at first sight; to necessitate that of the Speaker to Christ Himself. But the fourth verse; on the other hand; seems just as plainly to forbid this. How could He say, as the psalmist does, "Heal my soul; for I have sinned against Thee"? But the subject of the psalm, as even the first verse shows; implies a mystery. There is something which needs an understanding heart, and that something concerns in some way the "poor man;" to whom we may then naturally expect our attention to be directed. Faith penetrates the mystery, and finds unspeakable blessing. Unbelief reads it in quite another way, and its recompense is in correspondence with this; an opposite one.
This word "poor;" although a possible rendering of the Hebrew; is not the only one possible; nor (I believe) its significance in this case. The meaning of the original is "swinging, waving to and fro;" hence "wavering; weak, exhausted," and thus may be used as synonymous with "poor;" but this weakness may; of course; be produced in a very different way, -as by injury or by sickness; and here the enigma of the psalm begins. "Weakened" the Sufferer is; but from what cause? Look on to the fourth verse, and his own words seem to make it still more equivocal: "I said; Jehovah, be favorable unto me: heal my soul; for I have sinned against Thee." Indeed, this seems more than equivocal: healing must; no doubt, be as needful in the case of "bruising" as of disease; but how explain of the Sinless One; "I have sinned against Thee"? Strong as the expression is; even this is not decisive; and; if we cannot easily accept it as suitable from the lips of the Substitute for sinners; Bishop Horsley has well reminded us that the same word exactly is used by Judah; in the book of Genesis; where we must unquestionably render it; as the common version does, "bear the blame" or "sin" (Gen 44:32: chatathi lo.).
The words; then; may be equivocal, and designedly so; and yet all the more suit the application to the Lord here. For here is just the mystery which faith is called to penetrate. Granted that this suffering implies sin, and is owned to do so; yet is it "in;" or only "on," the One who suffers? Think of the darkness on the Cross; and the awful cry that God had forsaken Him; -the seeming justification of the accusations of His enemies! How natural to the heart; ignorant of its need; to say; "A thing of Belial cleaves to him," which the common version renders; "an evil disease": unbelief so interpreting this "heal my soul"; while faith; adoring, sees the atoning sacrifice!
Thus; then; the meaning of the psalm emerges; completely in accordance with its connection with the preceding one, and its place at the conclusion of the book. It is the moral conclusion: unbelief the result of hostility in heart to Him who has in the very revelation of God to man; revealed him to himself. Thus "Me the world hateth;" He says; "because I bear witness of it; that its deeds are evil." Unbelief is the issue of unrepentance; and fatally misinterprets all the divine ways. Grace is an offense to it; the humiliation of Christ a stumbling-stone; the cross an inconceivable requirement on God’s part: the whole mystery of "God manifest in flesh" is utterly rejected.
1. "He weakened my strength in my journey," says the Sufferer of the 102nd psalm; "He shortened my days." Yet this is He who of old laid the foundations of the earth; and the heavens are the work of His hands. They, therefore; may pass, but He remaineth (comp. Heb 1:10-12). We can realize; therefore; the happiness of the man who understandeth as to the Weakened One. It is the clear sight of faith which discerns the glory of Christ under the veil of His sufferings: therefore "in the evil day Jehovah will deliver him." Whatever the character of the evil, grace will manifest its sufficiency. Enemies; though there may be many in a hostile world; cannot prevail against him: "Jehovah will preserve him, and keep him alive; and Thou wilt not give him up to the will of his enemies." Be the attack from within, and upon the forces of life, "Jehovah will sustain him on the bed of languishing: Thou wilt make all his bed in his sickness."
2. These, then, are blessings attendant upon faith; though in their character as here given; they have the external aspect so marked in the Old Testament. The psalm, then -though the Speaker may be the same -takes voice as the utterance evidently of the Weakened One Himself, -faith’s mysterious object. And here is the text with all its mystery, upon which unbelief now comments after its own manner: "I said, Jehovah, be favorable to me: heal my soul, for I have sinned [or, borne sin] toward Thee." There is the mystery: "sinned," "borne sin," -which is it? And this is that which the heart-stricken cry upon the cross involves. Even now, multitudes of even true believers have never realized its true meaning. Was that forsaking simply His being given up to death? was that the unequaled sorrow, -unequaled only because of the glory of Him who endured it? Here that very glory which faith discerns in Him, seems as if it had blinded it to the depths into which He must descend. In the darkness over the cross at mid-day, they see not the outward expression of the Light of light withdrawn, but nature’s sympathy with the dying Saviour. They talk of "equivalent penalty", nay, of "substitute for penalty," and of His death as but the "close of His life-work." From this descent has been made through every possible phase of unbelief to the complete denial of atonement, in any true sense of the word. But we will not follow this now: look back only at the sin-offering (Lev 4:1-35; Lev 5:1-13), and see how great may be the "poverty" of apprehension, to which God has been pleased yet to come down, because in the Christ that faith confesses there is a divine sufficiency, where the apprehension of the work itself is yet all-insufficient.
But we turn to look back at the awful enmity of his maddened adversaries. "Mine enemies speak evil of me: When will he die, and his name perish?" True it is, they are strangers to His glorious Name, or they could not ask such a question. As the apostle says, "Whom none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory" (1Co 2:8). Of course: they would not have dared. None the less had they seen in Christ the image of God, and seen it to hate it only. He who hates goodness hates of necessity the God of all goodness, and yet may not know that it is God he hates. Thus Christ in the world tested the world, and "the world knew Him not" (Joh 1:10); and yet "light had come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil" (Joh 3:19). Thus, in either way, the story may be truly told, and in either way be the same story: for evil knows not good, -cannot fathom it, or believe in it; "the light shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehended it not" (Joh 1:5). Faith in the light is only coincident with a new birth -a new nature.
In the next verse the hypocrisy that links itself with this real enmity is manifest: "And if he come to see me, he speaketh deceit: his heart gathereth falsehood to itself; when he goeth without, he speaketh it." Thus he finds just what he looks for; his heart is a magnet that, by a terrible principle of natural selection, attracts wickedness to itself; -wickedness which it has forged first. Then he goes out and proclaims his acquisition; but indeed to show himself out for what he is.
Then come plots and treacherous whisperings, and they persuade themselves that God is against the One they would make their victim. "A thing of Belial," they say, "cleaveth fast to him; and now that he lieth, he shall rise up no more." How readily the cry upon the cross would be for such an implication of guilt! God Himself confessedly against the holy Sufferer; and this was but the last, doubtless, in their eyes, of many similar things. The betrayal of Judas closes the story of man’s uttermost wickedness with the spurning heel of a false friend. The sop dipped in the dish was the sign of friendship: he receives it, and goes out; love’s last witness finding no response, -"after the sop, Satan entered into him" (Joh 13:27).
3. Such, then, is man, and towards Him who in grace has come to be his Deliverer. But if he is thus in his innermost heart revealed, God manifests Himself at length in behalf of the object of his enmity. This is not needful here to be told at length, for it has been again and again the subject of these psalms; but it is clearly enough shown out in the words of the same Speaker who has been heard throughout. He is answered in resurrection, raised up for the recompense of friends and foes alike. The enmity of His adversaries cannot prevail against Him in whom Jehovah delights. His perfection is owned, and in it He is sustained, and set before the face of God forever. There is but One of whom all this could be said, and the psalm as a whole speaks of Him, as we have seen. It is thus a most suited close to this precious first book of the divine counsels as to Christ.
4. The formal close in the last verse is, I believe, indicated by the number as the voice of man universally at last, giving praise to the God of Israel, the Eternal, from that eternity before time began, and now on to eternity -a praise therefore which contemplates all time from first to last, the period of the creature and his failure, and of the dishonor done to the glorious Creator by his means. It is sealed with the Old Testament "verily, verily," which the Christ of the New has taken up and made His own.
F. W. Grant, The Numerical Bible (4th ed., 1903) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
J. R. Dummelow 1909 · Public Domain On v1 The Psalmist has been brought low by sickness, and…
The Psalmist has been brought low by sickness, and pronounces a blessing on those who consider such sufferers as himself (Psa_41:1-3). His own experience has been of an opposite kind. His enemies have triumphantly anticipated his end, and their hypocritical sympathy has only been the guise of malice (Psa_41:5-8). One friend in particular has done his utmost to injure him (Psa_41:9). He asks God to restore his health that he may requite all this unkindness, and finally expresses his confidence in God's favour and unchanging support (Psa_41:10-12). In Joh_13:18 the words of Psa_41:9 are appropriately applied to Judas. Psa_41:13 is not a part of the Ps., but forms the concluding doxology to Book 1 of the Psalter.
1. Poor] a different word from that so often used for the afflicted righteous. It means the 'weak' or 'sick.'
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2. Blessed upon the earth] rather, 'counted happy in the land.'
6. The visitor who comes in pretended sympathy only seeks information to be maliciously used outside.
8. An evil disease] or, a result of wickedness; lit. 'a thing of belial.'
9. Which did eat.. my bread] The ties of hospitality, which in the East are regarded as specially sacred, had been violated as well as those of friendship. Lifted up his heel] a figure for unfeeling violence and brutality.
10. That I may requite them] a touch of vindictiveness which Christians may not imitate: see Intro.
11. Recovery has begun. The enemy has been disappointed of his triumph. This is already taken as a proof of God's favour.
12. Integrity] The consciousness of an upright purpose is not inconsistent with the confession of sin in Psa_41:4 : see on Psa_25:21. Settest me before thy face for ever] the opposite of the fate predicted by his enemies in Psa_25:5, Psa_25:8. To be in God's presence is to enjoy true and unending life.
J. R. Dummelow, A Commentary on the Holy Bible (Macmillan, 1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
C. I. Scofield 1917 · Public Domain On v9 Yea, mine own familiar friend
Yea, mine own familiar friend
Psalms 41. is the Psalm of the betrayal of the Son of man, as Jesus Himself taught. Joh 13:18; Joh 13:19. See Psalms 45, next in order of the Messianic Psalms.
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trusted (See Scofield "Psa 2:12").
The Scofield Reference Bible (1917 edition), notes by C. I. Scofield — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Arno C. Gaebelein 1922 · Public Domain On v1 Psalm 41
Psalm 41
Faith and Unbelief in View of the Cross
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1. Faith in Him and the Results (Psa 41:1-3)
2. Unbelief and its hatred (Psa 41:4-9)
3. The vindication of the Christ of the cross (Psa 41:10-13)
The poor one (literally: the miserable, exhausted one) is the Lord Jesus suffering on the cross. Blessed are they who understand as to Him, who consider Him, for it means deliverance, salvation, preservation, victory and happiness. But unbelief mocks and sneers at Him. They speak against Him, make evil devices against Him, the sin-bearer, that an evil disease (literally: a thing of Belial) is upon Him and that He shall rise no more. All this points back to the cross and is still true of the unbeliever who rejects the cross. Verse 9 refers to Judas who betrayed Him. See Joh 13:18 and notice when our Lord quotes from this Psalm He omits the words “whom I trusted,” for the Omniscient One knew Judas, and did not trust him. And He, the Poor and Needy One, the Miserable One, the Forsaken One, had His prayer answered; He is the Risen One (Psa 41:10); in God’s own presence, before His face (Psa 41:12). The first book of the Psalms ends with praise, prophetic of the praise which is yet to fill all the earth. Amen and Amen.
Arno C. Gaebelein, The Annotated Bible (1913–1922) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Paul E. Kretzmann 1924 · Public Domain On v1 A Psalm of Thanksgiving and Trust in God.
A Psalm of Thanksgiving and Trust in God.
To the chief musician, a psalm of David, composed probably during the time of persecution by Absalom and, if not Messianic throughout, is at least in part typical of the Messiah’s suffering, Joh 13:18; Act 1:16.
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v. 1. Blessed is he that considereth the poor, being properly attentive to the afflicted ones, observing the needy with loving sympathy; the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble, literally, "in the day of adversity," rewarding him in mercy for his deed of mercy.
v. 2. The Lord will preserve him and keep him alive; and he shall be blessed upon the earth, be given true prosperity; and Thou wilt not deliver him unto the will of his enemies, giving him up to destruction.
v. 3. The Lord will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing, support him upon his sick-bed, not let him sink down in death; Thou wilt make all his bed in his sickness, turning it into a couch of recovery and health.
v. 4. I said, Lord, be merciful unto me, this always being the greatest concern of David, just as it stands out in the work of the great Son of David. Heal my soul; for I have sinned against Thee, that being the inward cause of his sufferings.
v. 5. Mine enemies speak evil of me, wishing him evil and destruction, When shall he die and his name perish?
v. 6. And if he, one of the adversaries whose enmity stood out above that of the rest, come to see me, he speaketh vanity, emptiness, hypocrisy; his heart gathereth iniquity to itself, all forms of mischief; when he goeth abroad, he telleth it, he makes known what he found out by his hypocritical behavior, by feigning a sympathetic interest.
v. 7. All that hate me whisper together against me, in making use of the news brought by their spying confederate; against me do they devise my hurt, with deceitful plotting, in an evil conspiracy, such as that made by the leaders of the Jews after receiving from Judas the assurance of his readiness to betray Christ.
v. 8. An evil disease, say they, cleaveth fast unto him, literally, "is welded to him," making it impossible for him to shake it off; and now that he lieth, he shall rise up no more, for the enemies blasphemously considered him marked and judged of God and therefore rejoiced that he was eliminated.
v. 9. Yea, mine own familiar friend, literally, "the man of my peace," of his closest friendship and companionship, enjoying the sacred hospitality of his house, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me, not merely in a spurning gesture, but with the avowed purpose of kicking him aside. It is this verse which Jesus expressly applies to His betrayer, Judas Iscariot, Joh 13:18.
v. 10. But Thou, O Lord, be merciful unto me, David’s usual plea for mercy, and raise me up, causing him to arise from his bed of sickness, from his depth of misery, that I may requite them, in executing judgment upon the wicked.
v. 11. By this I know that Thou favorest me, that Jehovah has pleasure in him, because mine enemy doth not triumph over me, with shouts of victory, finding himself, rather, disappointed.
v. 12. And as for me, thou upholdest me in mine integrity, the fact of his being innocent of deliberate wrongdoing, and settest me before Thy face forever, under God’s watch and care, as an object of His trust and love throughout eternity. To the psalm has been added the doxology of the entire First Book of Psalms:
v. 13. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, the only true God, from everlasting and to everlasting, through all eternity. Amen, and Amen; yea, yea, this is most certainly true, and the firm confession of all believers.
Paul E. Kretzmann, Popular Commentary of the Bible (1921–1924) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv1, 4, 7, 10, 13 General Information:
General Information:
Parallelism is common in Hebrew poetry. (See: Poetry and Parallelism)
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For the chief musician
"This is for the director of music to use in worship."
A psalm of David
Possible meanings are 1) David wrote the psalm or 2) the psalm is about David or 3) the psalm is in the style of David's psalms.
he ... him ... his
These words refer to anyone who is concerned for the weak.
the weak
"weak people" or "poor people"
Yahweh will support him on the bed of suffering
The phrase "the bed of suffering" refers to when a person lies in bed because he is sick. AT: "When he is sick and in bed, Yahweh will support him" (See: Metonymy)
you will make his bed of sickness into a bed of healing
The phrase "a bed of healing" refers to when a person rests in bed and recovers from his sickness. AT: "you, Yahweh, will heal him of his sickness" (See: Metonymy)
translationWords
psalm
David
bless
trouble
Yahweh
life
suffer
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv1, 3, 4, 5, 9, 11, 13 Ps 41 In this wisdom psalm, the psalmist prays…
Ps 41 In this wisdom psalm, the psalmist prays for healing (41:4, 10), laments his distress (41:5-9), and expresses confidence in the Lord’s blessing (41:1-3, 11-12).
41:1 The poor who suffer hardship have special protection under God’s law (Lev 14:21; 19:10); they receive God’s justice and godly rule (Pss 72:13; 82:3-4). The word translated poor is often a synonym for the godly (113:7; see Zeph 3:12).
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.