Psalm 41:13 Kommentar

God's kindness and truth have often been the support and comfort of the saints when they have had most experience of man's unkindness and treachery. David here found them so, upon a sick-bed; he found his enemies very barbarous, but his God very gracious. I. He here comforts himself in his communion with God under his sickness, by faith receiving and laying hold of God's promises to him (Psa 41:1-3) and lifting up his heart in prayer to God (Psa 41:4). II. He here represents the malice of his enemies against him, their malicious censures of him, their spiteful reflections upon him, and their insolent conduct towards him (Psa 41:5-9). III. He leaves his case with God, not doubting but that he would own and favour him (Psa 41:10-12), and so the psalm concludes with a doxology (Psa 41:13). Is any afflicted with sickness? let him sing the beginning of this psalm. Is any persecuted by enemies? let him sing the latter end of it; and we may any of us, in singing it, meditate upon both the calamities and comforts of good people in this world. To the chief musician. A psalm of David.

INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 41 To the chief Musician, a Psalm of David. In this psalm is a prophecy concerning Christ, and concerning Judas Iscariot, as runs part of the title in the Syriac version; and in the Arabic version it is called a prophecy concerning the incarnation, and the salutation of Judas; and certain it is that Psa 41:9 is to be understood of him, and of his betraying Christ into the hands of his enemies, since it is cited and applied to him by our Lord himself, Joh 13:18; so that having such a sure rule of interpretation, we may safely venture to explain the whole psalm of Christ, which treats both of his humiliation and exaltation; for it neither agrees with David wholly, nor with Hezekiah, to whom some ascribe it, as Theodoret remarks.

Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,.... Which is said, either by the Messiah, on account of the delight his Father had in him; the favour he had shown him in raising him from the dead, maintaining his innocence, and exalting him at his own right hand; and for all the blessings of grace the whole Israel of God enjoyed through him: or else by the church, who is meant by Israel, the Lord is the God of in a covenant way; who, hearing such things done to her Lord and head, breaks out into an exclamation of praise, and ascribes blessing and glory to God for them, which is due to him; from everlasting, and to everlasting; that is, throughout all ages, world without end, Eph 3:21. Amen and Amen; which word, as Kimchi observes, signifies confirmation; and the doubling of it is for the greater confirmation of what is expressed. Here ends the first part of the book of Psalms, which is divided into five parts by the Jews (a). (a) Midrash Tillim, fol. 2. 1. Kimchi Praefat. in Psal. Next: Psalms Chapter 42

“So be it, so be it” is also an indication that you have reached the end of a book. The psalter appears to be divided into five books, and the first book ends with this psalm, namely, the forty-first. The forty-first psalm concludes very fittingly with the passion, just as the forty-day period of Lent concludes with the Lord’s passion. This allows the second book to begin with the mysteries of regeneration.

"Blessed be the Lord." Here he sets forth praise, and concerning this he does two things. First he sets forth certain things on the part of the one praised; second, on the part of the one praising. "Blessed." To bless is nothing other than to speak well. We bless God in one way, and God blesses us in another. We bless God by acknowledging his goodness. Tob. 12: "Bless the God of heaven." Sir. 43: "Blessing the Lord, exalt him as much as you can." But God blesses us by causing goodness in us, because his speaking is his doing. Ps. 148: "He spoke, and they were made." The second he shows when he says, "the Lord." The power of God is considered according to two things. First, according to the work of governance. Wis. 12: "But you, the ruler of power, judge with tranquillity, and with great reverence you dispose of us." And according to the work of creation. And he touches on these two when he says "Lord," to whom it pertains to govern; second when he says "God," for all consider that to be God which is the first principle of being for all things. But the work of governance has ministers; in the work of creation, however, there can be no ministry. Hence the honor that is due to a governor can be communicated to others. Gal. 4: "You received me as an angel of God." And this is dulia. But latria, which is due to the Creator, is owed to no one else. And therefore the Gloss says: "Lord," to whom dulia is due; "God," to whom latria is due. And he says, "of Israel," that is, of those who see God; because even though he governs all things, nevertheless only the faithful obtain the abundant fruit of governance, which is life. And even if all worship God, yet the faithful alone offer the worship of latria to God alone. The third he shows when he says, "from age to age," because your power is not bodily but eternal. Ps. 145: "Your kingdom is a kingdom of all ages." On the part of the one praising he says two things: namely, the confession of the mouth. Rom. 10: "With the heart one believes unto justice, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." And he does this when he says, "Blessed be God," etc. Likewise, the delight of the will. Phil. 4: "Rejoice in the Lord." And therefore he says, "So be it, so be it"; as if to say: he takes delight in his goods, and he repeats it to signify the continuation of this delight. 1 Chr. 29: "O Lord God, preserve this will." In the Hebrew it has "Amen, Amen." And because "Amen, Amen" is placed at the end of books, some believe that the Book of Psalms is divided into many books, and that one is completed here. But this is not true, because "So be it," or "Amen," is placed here as a continuation of the will, not as the completion of a work.

The Psalmist celebrates the blessedness of those who compassionate the poor, conduct strongly contrasted with the spite of his enemies and neglect of his friends in his calamity. He prays for God's mercy in view of his ill desert, and, in confidence of relief, and that God will vindicate his cause, he closes with a doxology. (Psa 41:1-13) God rewards kindness to the poor (Pro 19:17). From Psa 41:2, Psa 41:11 it may be inferred that the Psalmist describes his own conduct. poor--in person, position, and possessions.

Blessed--praised, usually applied to God. The word usually applied to men denotes happiness (Psa 1:1; Psa 32:1). With this doxology the first book closes. Next: Psalms Chapter 42

(Heb.: 41:14) The closing doxology of the First Book, vid., Introduction. Concerning בּרוּך vid., Psa 18:47. The expression "from aeon to aeon" is, according to Berachoth ix. 5, directed against those who deny the truth of the future world. אמן ואמן (a double aleethe's or aleethoo's) seals it in a climactic form.