Psalms 41 · The Lantern

To the choirmaster. A psalm of David. Happy is the one who considers the weak; in the day of evil the LORD will deliver him.

Victory over Betrayal

The LORD will keep him and keep him alive, and he will be called happy in the land; and do not give him over to the desire of his enemies.

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.

"The Lord preserve him." Here he shows how one merits mercy from the prayer of the saints, who pray for the merciful. And a prayer is set forth for the merciful person in a state of prosperity; second, for one in a state of adversity. In a state of prosperity a man needs two things: namely, to be advanced and preserved in good; second, to be freed from evils.

The LORD will sustain him on the bed of languishing; all his lying down you have overturned in his illness.

"The Lord help him" [Psalm 41:3]. But when? Haply in heaven, haply in the life eternal, that so it remain to worship the devil for earthly needs, for the necessities of this life. Far be it! You have "promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come." [1 Timothy 4:8] He came unto you on earth, by Whom were made heaven and earth.

We can call the members of our own bodies our beds, in which our souls repose so delightfully as if in a bed. I think that is what the holy prophet had in mind when he says: "You have turned his whole bed in his sickness." Blessed is he whose bed the Lord turns in his sickness in order that he who not long ago was prone to anger, an adulterer, wanton and full of every sin due t…

"The Lord bring him aid." Here is set forth a prayer for the merciful person in adversity. And first he asks for divine help or support; second he alleges the necessity of this.

I said, “LORD, be gracious to me; heal my soul, for I have sinned against you.”

One says: "The devil made me do it"; another says: "Fortune made me do it"; another: "I was compelled by fate," no one to himself. When you wish to be your own excuser, your accuser triumphs over you. Do you wish to do what will cause your accuser, that is, the devil, to grieve and lament?

When sinners are rebuked for their crimes … they do not all accept it with humility and obedience. Many do not blush to reply with most insolent boldness, saying, Am I the only one who did this? Have not those people, and those, done similar things or worse? Do not even the clergy with major orders commit such sins? Unhappy soul!

And because to the merciful mercy is owed, being conscious of his mercy, I ask for mercy. First, therefore, he asks for mercy absolutely; second he shows in what respect he especially asks for it; third he assigns the cause of the petition.

My enemies speak evil of me: “When will he die and his name perish?”

And if one comes to see me, he speaks emptiness; his heart gathers iniquity to itself; he goes outside — he speaks.

Judas went out, and he spoke. He went out from the faith, he went out from the council and number of the apostles. He went out from Christ's banquet to the villainy of Satan; he went out from the grace that sanctifies to the noose that strangles. He went to speak vain things to infidels. He went outside, leaving behind the mysteries of life that lay within.

Now, the outcome of events testifies to these things: furtively they conversed together and looked for the way to implement the plot.

And sinners procure this by lying in ambush. Thus he first sets forth the manner of ambush. Second he shows the effect of the ambush, at "He came in." Concerning the first he does three things. For first he proposes the deceitful entry. Second, the feigned speech. Third, the insidious disposition.

Together against me all who hate me whisper; against me they devise evil for me:

“A thing of worthlessness is poured out in him; and now that he lies down, he will not rise again.”

Even the man of my peace, in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted his heel against me.

So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you? Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.

We need not imagine that Jesus did not know that Judas was going to betray him.… Of course Jesus knew it. But in order to emphasize how damnable was the deed, Jesus speaks of the hopes he had held regarding Judas' loyalty.… We come down more heavily on one in whom we say we had high hopes or great trust, if afterwards that person robs us of our hope and high opinion.… This is w…

"Even the man of my peace, in whom I trusted." Above, the Psalmist set forth the counsel of enemies plotting the death of Christ; here, however, he introduces the counsel of friends. And because Christ himself, in Jn. 13, introduces this word concerning Judas, therefore let us here explain this of Christ. Where he does two things. First the condition of Judas is described.

But you, LORD, be gracious to me and raise me up, and I will repay them.

"But Thou, O Lord, be merciful unto Me" [Psalm 41:10]. This is the person of a servant, this is the person of the needy and poor for, "Blessed is he that understandeth upon the needy and poor One." See, as it was spoken, "Be merciful unto Me, and raise Me up, and I will requite them," so is it done. For the Jews slew Christ, lest they should lose their place.

O Lord, as you have raised your Son from death, so lift me from sin. Lift me, and I will repay them. In this I know that you suffered for me so that my enemies may not rejoice over me. You have not refused even to die for me. I feared you lying in the tomb, but since you have arisen my enemy will not rejoice over me. You have sustained me on account of my innocence.

"But you." Christ has now set forth his petition in general; here, however, he shows in what respect he asks for mercy. Hence he says: they have disturbed me, but there remains nothing except that I have recourse to God; and therefore he says, "But you, O Lord, have mercy on me." Mercy ought to be where there is misery; now Christ was made a partaker of our misery, not as to gu…

By this I know that you have delighted in me: that my enemy does not shout in triumph over me.

You notice that he hints more clearly at the repayment here in his mentioning, not vengeance by the wronged but personal disappointment by the frustrated, which resulted in their punishing themselves on seeing the one they envied held in high esteem. His meaning here is, in fact, Show, Lord, how you care for me by their not rejoicing in the vile hopes they have for me.

All this was said on the part of the nature assumed, which was involved also in the passion.… Since, then, the assumed nature remained free of all wickedness, it was right for him to say, "But you supported me for my innocence and confirmed me in your presence forever": I received a stable unity, the combining was indivisible, the glory everlasting.

"In this I know." Here he sets forth his confidence of being heard. And first he sets forth that God willed him, that is, it was pleasing to the Father's will in him. Hence he says, "that you have willed me." Mt. 3: "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." Is.

And I — in my integrity you have upheld me, and you have set me before your face forever.

"But as for Me, Thou upholdest Me, because of Mine innocence." Truly innocence; integrity without sin, requiting without debt, scourging without desert.

What a truly holy innocence and simplicity, a truly blessed humility!.… He did not defend himself with any struggle. He was moving toward the cross with a peaceful spirit, going to die with a tranquil mind. He fulfilled all the words predicted by the prophets by his own undefiled integrity.

"But you have upheld me because of my innocence," etc. Here, having been heard, he gives thanks. And first he confesses the benefit. Second he adds praise, at "Blessed." In the benefit he confesses all that pertains to himself. For first he sets forth the merit. Second he shows the benefit of the resurrection. Third, the state of the risen one. Fourth, the exultation.

Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, from everlasting and to everlasting. Amen and amen.

Psalms41

Victory over Betrayal