1 For the music director. A psalm of David. How happy are those who take care of the poor! When they are in trouble the Lord will save them. 2 The Lord protects them and keeps them alive. They will live happily in the land, and they will not be handed over to their enemies. 3 The Lord looks after them when they're sick; he makes them well from their illness. 4 “Lord, please be gracious to me,” I asked. “Please heal me, for I have sinned against you.” 5 Those who hate me only say evil things about me. “When is he going to die, and people forget all about him?” they ask. 6 They come to visit me, but their sympathy is not sincere. They're only interested in the bad news, which they spread around as soon as they leave. 7 All who hate me talk in whispers about my condition, hoping for the worst. 8 “He's been cursed with some terrible disease,” they say. “Now he's bed-ridden he'll never recover!” 9 Even my best friend, the one I trusted, who shared meals with me—even he has turned against me. 10 But you Lord, please be gracious to me, make me well so I can repay them! 11 I know you are pleased with me because you have not let my enemies win and shout in triumph over me. 12 You have supported me because of my integrity, you have brought me into your presence forever. 13 Praise the Lord, the God of Israel, from eternity to eternity! Amen and amen!
Psalm 41 Free Bible Version
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
Notes on this text (1)
- Greek and Latin Bibles number most Psalms one lower than Hebrew and English Bibles.
Cross references (13)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Proverbs 19:17; Proverbs 14:21; 2 Corinthians 9:8–14; Acts 20:35; Matthew 25:34–39
- 2 Jeremiah 45:4–5; Psalm 27:12; 1 Timothy 4:8; Psalm 37:32–33; Psalm 33:19
- 3 2 Kings 20:5–6; Philippians 2:26–27; Psalm 73:26; 2 Corinthians 4:16–17; 2 Kings 1:16
- 4 Psalm 103:3; James 5:15–16; Hosea 6:1; 2 Chronicles 30:18–20; Psalm 147:3
- 5 Psalm 102:8; Proverbs 10:7; Psalm 38:12; Job 20:7; Job 18:17
- 6 Psalm 12:2; Luke 11:53–54; Proverbs 26:24–26; Luke 20:20–23; Daniel 11:27
- 7 Proverbs 16:28; Matthew 26:3–4; Psalm 56:5–6; Matthew 22:15; Romans 1:29
- 8 Psalm 71:11; Luke 13:16; Matthew 27:41–46; Matthew 27:63–64; Psalm 3:2
- 9 John 13:18; Psalm 55:12–14; Matthew 26:23; Psalm 55:20–22; John 13:26–27
- 10 Luke 19:27
- 11 Colossians 2:15; Psalm 124:6; Psalm 25:2; Psalm 147:11; Jeremiah 20:13
- 12 Job 36:7; Psalm 73:23–24; Psalm 37:17; Psalm 34:15; John 17:24
- 13 Psalm 72:18–19; Ephesians 1:3; Revelation 5:9–14; Revelation 4:8; Psalm 89:52
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
For good it is to confess unto Thee, and to say, "Be merciful unto me, heal my soul, for I have sinned against Thee;" and not to abuse Thy goodness for a license to sin, but to remember the words of the Lord, "Behold, thou art made whole; sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee." All of …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 1 (1886)
He who did eat of His bread, was lifting up his heel against Him; his hands were but lately receiving the blessed gifts, and presently for the wages of betrayal he was plotting His death.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)
… departed thither, whence He never departed, because "the world was made by Him." And in this world He was, and into this world He came to save sinners, unto whom my soul doth confess, that He may heal it, for it hath sinned against Him. O ye sons of men, how long so slow of heart?
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 1 (1886)
… I know not what other nature sinned in us." And it gratified my pride to be free from blame and, after I had committed any fault, not to acknowledge that I had done any,--"that Thou mightest heal my soul because it had sinned against Thee;" but I loved to excuse it, and to accuse something else (I wot not what) …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 1 (1886)