View Psalms 41 in the note window.
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 succour, and praises him, ver. 10, 13.
To the chief musician, A psalm of David.
3: Make his bed - Give him ease and comfort, which sick men receive
by the help of those who turn and stir up their bed, to make it soft and
easy for them.
4: Heal - The soul is said to be healed, when it is pardoned and
purged. For - For I acknowledge that I have sinned.
6: His heart - Even when he is with me, and pretends hearty
affection, his heart is devising mischief against me.
9: Yea - These words were literally fulfilled in David, and yet
the Holy Ghost looked farther in them, even to Christ and Judas,
in whom they received a fuller accomplishment. Lift up - A phrase
implying injury, joined with insolency and contempt; taken from an
unruly horse, which kicks at him that owns and feeds him.
10: Requite - Punish them for their wicked practices; which being
now a magistrate, he was obliged to do.
11: By this - Because hitherto thou hast supported me, and prolonged
my days to the disappointment of their hopes.
12: Settest - Or, hast confirmed me in thy presence, under
thine eye and special care: to minister unto thee, as a king
over thy people. And in regard of his posterity, the kingdom
was established for ever.
13: Amen - Signifies an hearty assent and approbation, and withal
an earnest desire of the thing, to which it is annexed. And as the
psalms are divided into five books, so each of them is closed with
this word; the first here: the second, (Ps 72:19), the third,(Ps 89:52), the fourth, (Ps 106:48), the last in the end of(Ps 150:6), the doubling of the word shews the fervency of his
spirit, in this work of praising God.
