Focused Passage

Psalms 41:1-13

Blessed Mercy, Betrayed Trust, and the LORD Who Upholds His Servant

Psalm 41 moves from a beatitude on merciful concern for the weak, into David's plea for healing amid sin and enemy malice, through the wound of intimate betrayal, and finally into assurance of divine upholding and the doxology that seals Book I.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

For the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

1Blessed is the one who cares for the poor; the LORD will deliver him in the day of trouble.

2The LORD will protect and preserve him; He will bless him in the land and refuse to give him over to the will of his foes.

3The LORD will sustain him on his bed of illness and restore him from his bed of sickness.

4I said, “O LORD, be gracious to me; heal me, for I have sinned against You.”

5My enemies say with malice: “When will he die and be forgotten?”

6My visitor speaks falsehood; he gathers slander in his heart; he goes out and spreads it abroad.

7All who hate me whisper against me; they imagine the worst for me:

8“A vile disease has been poured into him; he will never get up from where he lies!”

9Even my close friend whom I trusted, the one who shared my bread, has lifted up his heel against me.

10But You, O LORD, be gracious to me and raise me up, that I may repay them.

11By this I know that You delight in me, for my enemy does not triumph over me.

12In my integrity You uphold me and set me in Your presence forever.

13Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Amen and Amen.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 1

Original words

Blessedאַ֭שְׁרֵיH835Interjection[is] the one who caresמַשְׂכִּ֣ילH7919Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singularforאֶל־H413Prepositionthe poorדָּ֑לH1800Adjective - masculine singularthe LORDיְהוָֽה׃H3068Noun - proper - masculine singularwill deliver himיְֽמַלְּטֵ֥הוּH4422Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine singularin the dayבְּי֥וֹםH3117Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular constructof troubleרָ֝עָ֗הH7451Noun - feminine singular
Verse 2

Original words

The LORDיְהוָ֤ה׀H3068Noun - proper - masculine singularwill protectיִשְׁמְרֵ֣הוּH8104Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine singularand preserve himוִֽ֭יחַיֵּהוּH2421Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine singularHe will bless himיֶאְשֹּׁרH833Verb - Pual - Imperfect - third person masculine singularin the landבָּאָ֑רֶץH776Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singularand refuseוְאַֽל־H408Conjunctive waw | Adverbto give him overתִּ֝תְּנֵ֗הוּH5414Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular | third person masculine singularto the willבְּנֶ֣פֶשׁH5315Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular constructof his foesאֹיְבָֽיו׃H341Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular
Verse 3

Original words

The LORDיְֽהוָ֗הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularwill sustain himיִ֭סְעָדֶנּוּH5582Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine singularonעַל־H5921Prepositionhis bedעֶ֣רֶשׂH6210Noun - feminine singular constructof illnessדְּוָ֑יH1741Noun - masculine singularand restore himהָפַ֥כְתָּH2015Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singularfrom his bedמִ֝שְׁכָּב֗וֹH4904Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular. . .כָּל־H3605Noun - masculine singular constructof sicknessבְחָלְיֽוֹ׃H2483Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Verse 4

Original words

Iאֲ‍ֽנִי־H589Pronoun - first person common singularsaidאָ֭מַרְתִּיH559Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singularO LORDיְהוָ֣הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularbe gracious to meחָנֵּ֑נִיH2603Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular | first person common singularhealרְפָאָ֥הH7495Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular | third person feminine singularmeנַ֝פְשִׁ֗יH5315Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singularforכִּי־H3588ConjunctionI have sinnedחָטָ֥אתִיH2398Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singularagainst Youלָֽךְ׃Preposition | second person feminine singular
Verse 5

Original words

My enemiesאוֹיְבַ֗יH341Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct | first person common singularsayיֹאמְר֣וּH559Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine pluralwith maliceרַ֣עH7451Adjective - masculine singularWhenמָתַ֥יH4970Interrogativewill he dieיָ֝מ֗וּתH4191Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularand be forgottenוְאָבַ֥דH6Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular. . .שְׁמֽוֹ׃H8034Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Verse 6

Original words

My visitorוְאִם־H518Conjunction. . .בָּ֤אH935Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular. . .לִרְא֨וֹת׀H7200Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructspeaksיְדַבֵּ֗רH1696Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singularfalsehoodשָׁ֤וְאH7723Noun - masculine singularhe gathersיִקְבָּץ־H6908Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularslanderאָ֥וֶןH205Noun - masculine singularin hisל֑וֹPreposition | third person masculine singularheartלִבּ֗וֹH3820Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularhe goesיֵצֵ֖אH3318Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularoutלַח֣וּץH2351Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine singularand spreads it abroadיְדַבֵּֽר׃H1696Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Verse 7

Original words

Allכָּל־H3605Noun - masculine singular constructwho hateשֹׂנְאָ֑יH8130Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct | first person common singularmeעָלַ֓י׀H5921Preposition | first person common singularwhisperיִ֭תְלַחֲשׁוּH3907Verb - Hitpael - Imperfect - third person masculine plural. . .יַ֗חַדH3162Adverbagainst meעָלַ֣יH5921Preposition | first person common singularthey imagineיַחְשְׁב֖וּH2803Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine pluralthe worstרָעָ֣הH7451Adjective - feminine singularfor meלִֽי׃Preposition | first person common singular
Verse 8

Original words

A vileבְּ֭לִיַּעַלH1100Noun - masculine singulardiseaseדְּֽבַר־H1697Noun - masculine singular constructhas been pouredיָצ֣וּקH3332Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singularinto himבּ֑וֹPreposition | third person masculine singularhe will neverלֹא־H3808Adverb - Negative particle. . .יוֹסִ֥יףH3254Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singularget upלָקֽוּם׃H6965Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructfrom whereוַאֲשֶׁ֥רH834Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - relativehe liesשָׁ֝כַ֗בH7901Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Verse 9

Original words

Evenגַּם־H1571Conjunctionmy close friendאִ֤ישׁH376Noun - masculine singular construct. . .שְׁלוֹמִ֨י׀H7965Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singularwhomאֲשֶׁר־H834Pronoun - relativeI trustedבָּטַ֣חְתִּיH982Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singularthe one who sharedאוֹכֵ֣לH398Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularmy breadלַחְמִ֑יH3899Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singularhas lifted upהִגְדִּ֖ילH1431Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular[his] heelעָקֵֽב׃H6119Noun - masculine singularagainst meעָלַ֣יH5921Preposition | first person common singular

BSB notes

  • Cited in John 13:18
Verse 10

Original words

But Youוְאַתָּ֤הH859Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - second person masculine singularO LORDיְהוָ֗הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularbe gracious to meחָנֵּ֥נִיH2603Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular | first person common singularand raise me upוַהֲקִימֵ֑נִיH6965Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular | first person common singularthat I may repayוַֽאֲשַׁלְּמָ֥הH7999Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative - first person common singularthemלָהֶֽם׃Preposition-l | Pronoun - third person masculine plural
Verse 11

Original words

By thisבְּזֹ֣אתH2063Preposition-b | Pronoun - feminine singularI knowיָ֭דַעְתִּיH3045Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singularthatכִּֽי־H3588ConjunctionYou delightחָפַ֣צְתָּH2654Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singularin meבִּ֑יPreposition | first person common singularforכִּ֤יH3588Conjunctionmy enemyאֹיְבִ֣יH341Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular construct | first person common singulardoes notלֹֽא־H3808Adverb - Negative particletriumphיָרִ֖יעַH7321Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singularover meעָלָֽי׃H5921Preposition | first person common singular
Verse 12

Original words

In myוַאֲנִ֗יH589Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - first person common singularintegrityבְּ֭תֻמִּיH8537Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singularYou upholdתָּמַ֣כְתָּH8551Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singularmeבִּ֑יPreposition | first person common singularand set meוַתַּצִּיבֵ֖נִיH5324Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - second person masculine singular | first person common singularin Your presenceלְפָנֶ֣יךָH6440Preposition-l | Noun - common plural construct | second person masculine singularforeverלְעוֹלָֽם׃H5769Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular
Verse 13

Original words

Blessed beבָּ֘ר֤וּךְH1288Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singularthe LORDיְהוָ֨ה׀H3068Noun - proper - masculine singularthe Godאֱלֹ֘הֵ֤יH430Noun - masculine plural constructof Israelיִשְׂרָאֵ֗לH3478Noun - proper - masculine singularfrom everlastingמֵֽ֭הָעוֹלָםH5769Preposition-m, Article | Noun - masculine singulartoוְעַ֥דH5704Conjunctive waw | Prepositioneverlastingהָעוֹלָ֗םH5769Article | Noun - masculine singularAmenאָ֘מֵ֥ן׀H543Adverband Amenוְאָמֵֽן׃H543Conjunctive waw | Adverb

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.