Psalms 41:9-13

41:9 Even my close friend ¹  whom I trusted,

he who shared meals with me, has turned against me. ² 

41:10 As for you, O Lord, have mercy on me and raise me up,

so I can pay them back!” ³ 

41:11 By this ⁴  I know that you are pleased with me,

for my enemy does ⁵  not triumph ⁶  over me.

41:12 As for me, you uphold ⁷  me because of my integrity; ⁸ 

you allow ⁹  me permanent access to your presence. ¹⁰ 

41:13 The Lord God of Israel deserves praise ¹¹ 

in the future and forevermore! ¹² 

We agree! We agree! ¹³ 

[41:9]  ¹ tn Heb “man of my peace.” The phrase here refers to one’s trusted friend (see Jer 38:22; Obad 7).

[41:9]  ² tn Heb “has made a heel great against me.” The precise meaning of this phrase, which appears only here, is uncertain.

[41:10]  ³ tn The cohortative with prefixed vav (ו) here indicates purpose or result (“Then I will repay them”) after the preceding imperatives.

[41:11]  ⁴ sn By this. Having recalled his former lament and petition, the psalmist returns to the confident mood of vv. 1-3. The basis for his confidence may be a divine oracle of deliverance, assuring him that God would intervene and vindicate him. The demonstrative pronoun “this” may refer to such an oracle, which is assumed here, though its contents are not included. See P. C. Craigie, Psalms 1-50 (WBC), 319, 321.

[41:11]  ⁵ tn Or “will.” One may translate the imperfect verbal form as descriptive (present, cf. NIV) or as anticipatory (future, cf. NEB).

[41:11]  ⁶ tn Heb “shout.”

[41:12]  ⁷ tn Or “have upheld.” The perfect verbal form can be taken as generalizing/descriptive (present) or as a present perfect.

[41:12]  ⁸ sn Because of my integrity. See Pss 7:8; 25:21; 26:1, 11.

[41:12]  ⁹ tn The prefixed verbal form with vav (ו) consecutive has the same aspectual function as the preceding perfect. It is either generalizing/descriptive (present) or has a present perfect nuance (“you have allowed”).

[41:12]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “and you cause me to stand before you permanently.”

[41:13]  ¹¹ tn Heb “[be] blessed.” See Pss 18:46; 28:6; 31:21.

[41:13]  ¹² tn Heb “from everlasting to everlasting.” See 1 Chr 16:36; Neh 9:5; Pss 90:2; 106:48.

[41:13]  ¹³ tn Heb “surely and surely” (אָמֵן וְאָמֵן [’amen vÿ’amen], i.e., “amen and amen”). This is probably a congregational response to the immediately preceding statement about the propriety of praising God.