Mazmur 41:4-9
Konteks“O Lord, have mercy on me!
Heal me, for I have sinned against you!
41:5 My enemies ask this cruel question about me, 2
‘When will he finally die and be forgotten?’ 3
41:6 When someone comes to visit, 4 he pretends to be friendly; 5
he thinks of ways to defame me, 6
and when he leaves he slanders me. 7
41:7 All who hate me whisper insults about me to one another; 8
they plan ways to harm me.
‘An awful disease 10 overwhelms him, 11
and now that he is bed-ridden he will never recover.’ 12
41:9 Even my close friend 13 whom I trusted,
he who shared meals with me, has turned against me. 14
[41:4] 1 sn In vv. 4-10 the psalmist recites the prayer of petition and lament he offered to the Lord.
[41:5] 2 tn Heb “my enemies speak evil concerning me.”
[41:5] 3 tn Heb “and his name perish.”
[41:6] 5 tn Heb “he speaks deceitfully.”
[41:6] 6 tn Heb “his heart gathers sin to itself.”
[41:6] 7 tn Heb “he goes outside and speaks.”
[41:7] 8 tn Heb “together against me they whisper, all those who hate me.” The Hitpael of לָחַשׁ (lakhash) refers here to whispering to one another (see 2 Sam 12:19).
[41:8] 9 tn The words “they say” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied in the translation to make it clear that v. 8 contains a quotation of what the psalmist’s enemies say about him (see v. 7a).
[41:8] 10 tn Heb “thing of worthlessness.” In Ps 101:3 the phrase refers to evil deeds in general, but here it appears to refer more specifically to the illness that plagues the psalmist.
[41:8] 11 tn Heb “is poured out on him.” The passive participle of יָצַק (yatsaq) is used.
[41:8] 12 tn Heb “and he who lies down will not again arise.”
[41:9] 13 tn Heb “man of my peace.” The phrase here refers to one’s trusted friend (see Jer 38:22; Obad 7).
[41:9] 14 tn Heb “has made a heel great against me.” The precise meaning of this phrase, which appears only here, is uncertain.
[41:9] sn The language of this verse is applied to Judas Iscariot in John 13:18.
