properly · verb, qal imperfect, 3rd person masculine singular + pronominal suffix, 3rd person masculine singular
alive
וִֽ֭יחַיֵּהוּVi.chai.ye.hu
H2421
to live · conjunction + verb, piel, 3rd person masculine singular + pronominal suffix, 3rd person masculine singular
blessed
וְאֻשַּׁ֣רve.'u.Shar
H833
to be straight (used in the widest sense · conjunction + verb, pual sequential perfect, 3rd person masculine singular
earth
בָּאָ֑רֶץba.'A.retz
H776
the earth (at large · preposition with the article + noun, common feminine singular absolute
deliver
תִּ֝תְּנֵ֗הוּti.te.Ne.hu
H5414
to give · verb, qal jussive, 2nd person masculine singular + pronominal suffix, 3rd person masculine singular
will
בְּנֶ֣פֶשׁbe.Ne.fesh
H5315
properly · preposition + noun, common feminine singular construct
enemies
אֹיְבָֽיו'o.ye.Vav
H341
hating · verb, qal active participle, masculine plural construct + pronominal suffix, 3rd person masculine singular
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).
Cross-references
Jeremiah 45:4-5 Thus shalt thou say unto him, The LORD saith thus; Behold, that which I have built will I break down, and that which I have planted I will p…
Psalms 27:12 Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty.
1 Timothy 4:8 For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which…
Psalms 33:19 To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine.
Psalms 37:32-33 The wicked watcheth the righteous, and seeketh to slay him.
Psalms 37:22 For such as be blessed of him shall inherit the earth; and they that be cursed of him shall be cut off.
Psalms 91:3-7 Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.
Psalms 128:1-6 Blessed is every one that feareth the LORD; that walketh in his ways.
Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).
Commentary
Matthew Henry on Psalms 41:1-4
In these verses we have,
I. God's promises of succour and comfort to those that consider the poor; and,
1. We may suppose that David makes mention of these with application either, (1.) To his friends, who were kind to him, and very considerate of his case, now that he was in affliction: Blessed is he that considers poor David. Here and there he met with one that sympathized with him, and was concerned for him, and kept up his good opinion of him and respect for him, notwithstanding his afflictions, while his enemies were so insolent and abusive to him; on these he pronounced this blessing, not doubting but that God would recompense to them all the kindness they had done him, particularly wh…
shall be blessed--literally, "led aright," or "safely," prospered (Psa 23:3).
upon the earth--or land of promise (Psa 25:13; Psa 27:3-9, &c.).
John Gill on Psalms 41:2
The Lord will preserve him and keep him alive,.... Amidst a thousand deaths, to which he is exposed for making a profession of his faith in Christ; see 2 Corinthians 1:10; or this may refer to his spiritual life, which is hid and preserved in Christ, in whom he believes; and is safe and secure; because Christ lives he shall live also, and shall never die the second death, nor be hurt by it, but shall have everlasting life;
and he shall be blessed upon the earth; with temporal blessings; for whatever he has, be it more or less, he has it with the blessing of God, and as a blessing of the covenant, and in love, and so is a blessing indeed: and with spiritual blessings; with peace, pardon, rig…
Psalm 41:1-3
1. Blessed is he that judgeth wisely of the poor: [97] Jehovah will deliver him [98] in the day of evil. 2. Jehovah will keep him, and preserve him in life: he shall be blessed upon the earth; [99] and thou wilt not abandon him to the will of his enemies. 3. Jehovah will support [100] him upon the bed of sorrow: thou hast turned all his bed in his sickness.
1. Blessed is he that judgeth wisely of the poor. Interpreters are generally of opinion that the exercise of kindness and compassion manifested in taking care of the miserable, and helping them, is here commended. Those, however, who maintain that the Psalmist here commends the considerate candour of those who judge wisely…
The Church Fathers
He comments on God's favors to him in different ways: he will give freedom from perils, he says, will closely guard him so that he will suffer nothing, provide him with life and make him appear as blessed by the vast number of favors in the sight of everyone.
"And deliver him not into the hand of his enemy." The enemy is the devil. Let none think of a man his enemy, when he hears these words. Haply one thought of his neighbour, of him who had a suit with him in court, of him who would take from him his own possession, of him who would force him to sell to him his house. Think not this; but that enemy think of, of whom said the Lord, "an enemy hath done this." For He it is who suggests that for things earthly he be worshipped, for overthrow the Christian Name this enemy cannot. For he hath seen himself conquered by the fame and praises of Christ, he hath seen, whereas he slew Christ's Martyrs, that they are crowned, he triumphed over. He hath begun to be unable to persuade men that Christ is nought; and because by reviling Christ, he now with difficulty deceives, by lauding Christ, he endeavours to deceive. Before this what said he? Whom worship ye? A Jew, dead, crucified, a man of no moment, who could not even from himself drive away death. When after His Name he saw running the whole human race, saw that in the Name of the Crucified temples are thrown down, idols are broken, sacrifices abolished; and that all these things predicted in the Prophets are considered by men, by men with wonder astonished, and closing now their hearts against the reviling of Christ; he clothes himself with praise of Christ, and begins to deter from the faith in another manner. Great is the law of Christ, powerful is that law, divine, ineffable! but who fulfilleth it? In the name of our Saviour, "tread upon the lion and the dragon." By reviling openly roared the lion; by lauding craftily lurks the dragon. Let them come to the faith, who doubted; and not say, Who fulfilleth it? If on their own strength they presume, they will not fulfil it. Presuming on the grace of God let them believe, presuming (on it) let them come; to be aided come, not to be judged. So live all the faithful in the Name of Christ, each one in his degree fulfilling the commands of Christ, whether married, or celibates and virgins, they live as much as God granteth them to live; neither presume they in their own strength, but know that in Him they ought to glory...
The Church Fathers: public-domain translations (Ante-Nicene and Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers), verse-indexed by SermonIndex (CC BY 4.0).
Dictionary and topics
Liberality · 1:2-4; — 1:2-4;
Poor · DUTY TO — DUTY TO
Dictionary: Easton's (1897) and Smith's (1863), public domain. Topics: Nave's Topical Bible (1896) and Torrey's Topical Textbook (1897), public domain. Both as parsed by NEUU (CC BY 4.0).
(Heb.: 41:2-4) The Psalm opens by celebrating the lot, so rich in promises, of the sympathetic man. דּל is a general designation of the poor (e.g., Exo 30:15), of the sick and weakly (Gen 41:19), of the sick in mind (Sa2 13:4), and of that which outwardly or inwardly is tottering and consequently weak, frail. To show sympathising attention, thoughtful consideration towards such an one (השׂכּיל אל as in Neh 8:13, cf. על Pro 17:20) has many promises. The verb חיּה, which elsewhere even means to call to life again (Psa 71:20), in this instance side by side with preserving, viz., from destruction, has the signification of preserving life or prolonging life (as in Psa 30:4; Psa 22:30). The Pual א…
Ps 41 In this wisdom psalm, the psalmist prays for healing (41:4, 10), laments his distress (41:5-9), and expresses confidence in the Lord’s blessing (41:1-3, 11-12).
41:1 The poor who suffer hardship have special protection under God’s law (Lev 14:21; 19:10); they receive God’s justice and godly rule (Pss 72:13; 82:3-4). The word translated poor is often a synonym for the godly (113:7; see Zeph 3:12).
Spurgeon's Treasury of David on Psalms 41:2
The Lord will preserve him, and keep him alive; and he shall be blessed upon the earth: and thou wilt not deliver him unto the will of his enemies.
The Lord will preserve him, and keep him alive. His noblest life shall be immortal, and even his mortal life shall be sacredly guarded by the power of Jehovah. Jesus lived on till his hour came, nor could the devices of crafty Herod take away his life till the destined hour had struck; and even then no man took his life from him, but he laid it down of himself, to take it again. Here is the portion of all those who are made like their Lord, they bless and they shall be blessed, they preserve and shall be preserved, they watch over the lives of o…