New American Bible
2002 11 11
IntraText - Text |
Previous - Next
Click here to hide the links to concordance
Chapter 41
1
1 For the leader. A psalm of David.
2
2 Happy those concerned for the lowly and poor;
when misfortune strikes, the LORD delivers them.
3
The LORD keeps and preserves them, makes them
happy in the land, and does not betray them to their enemies.
4
The LORD sustains them on their sickbed, allays
the malady when they are ill.
5
Once I prayed, "LORD, have mercy on me;
heal me, I have sinned against you.
6
My enemies say the worst of me: 'When will that
one die and be forgotten?'
7
When people come to visit me, they speak
without sincerity. Their hearts store up malice; they leave and spread their
vicious lies.
8
My foes all whisper against me; they imagine
the worst about me:
9
I have a deadly disease, they say; I will never
rise from my sickbed.
10
3 Even the friend who had my trust, who shared
my table, has scorned me.
11
4 But you, LORD, have mercy and raise me up that
I may repay them as they deserve."
12
By this I know you are pleased with me, that my
enemy no longer jeers at me.
13
For my integrity you have supported me and let
me stand in your presence forever.
14
5 Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, from
all eternity and forever. Amen. Amen.
1 [Psalm 41] A thanksgiving for
rescue from illness (⇒ Psalm 41:4,
5, 9). Many people,
even friends, have interpreted the illness as a divine punishment for sin and
have ostracized the psalmist (⇒ Psalm 41:5-11). The
healing shows the return of God's favor and rebukes the psalmist's detractors
(⇒ Psalm 41:12-13).
2 [2] Happy those concerned for the
lowly and poor: other psalms use the same formula ("Happy those") for
those whom God favors. Cf ⇒ Psalm 32:1-2;
⇒ 34:9; ⇒ 40:5;
⇒ 65:5. The psalmist's statement about God's love of
the poor is based on the experience of being rescued (⇒ Psalm
41:1-3).
3 [10] Even the friend . . . has
scorned me: ⇒ John 13:18 cites this verse to
characterize Judas as a false friend. Scorned me: an interpretation of the
unclear Hebrew, "made great the heel against me."
4 [11] That I may repay them as they
deserve: the healing itself is an act of judgment through which God decides for
the psalmist and against the false friends. The prayer is not necessarily for
strength to punish enemies.
5 [14] The doxology, not part of the
psalm, marks the end of the first of the five books of the Psalter. Compare
⇒ Psalm 72:18-20;
⇒ 89:53; ⇒ 106:48.
Previous - Next
Copyright © Libreria Editrice Vaticana
Help