Psalms 41

Psalms 41THEME: A messianic psalm predicting the betrayal of JudasThis messianic psalm was written by David probably at the time he was betrayed by Ahithophel, his trusted counselor. Ahithophel sided with David’s son Absalom when he led a rebellion against his father. Finally Ahithophel committed suicide by hanging himself (2Sa_17:23). Ahithophel foreshadows the betrayer of Christ, Judas Iscariot, and is so quoted by our Lord Himself. This psalm opens with a blessing.

Psalms 41:1

It opens with “blessed” and closes with “blessed.” It begins with, “Blessed is he that considereth the poor,” and ends with, “Blessed be the LORD God of Israel.” The word blessed as we have already seen, means “happy,” so that the Genesis section of the Psalms (Psalms 1-41) begins with “happy” and closes with “happy.” Now notice the section that makes this a messianic psalm:

Psalms 41:9

Jesus quoted this verse in reference to Judas, “I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me” (Joh_13:18). This verse was fulfilled in Judas, the one who betrayed the Lord Jesus. Peter also referred to it in Act_1:16, “Men and brethren, this scripture must needs have been fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before concerning Judas, which was guide to them that took Jesus.” We have something more here:

Psalms 41:10

This verse is a reference to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. “Raise me up, that I may recompense them.” In this Genesis section we have seen the death of Christ and His resurrection as well. But I want to make something startlingly clear: The death of Christ saves no one; it is the death and resurrection of Christ that saves. Paul explicitly defines the gospel in 1Co_15:3-4: “For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.” Without the resurrection of the Lord there is no gospel. Almost everyone has an opinion about the Lord Jesus. Jesus asked His disciples, “…Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Mat_16:13-16). Who do you say that Christ is? Many modern plays about Jesus leave Him on the cross or in the tomb. Thomas Jefferson left Him in the tomb in his moral teachings about Jesus. He concluded his book with a stone closing the tomb. There is no gospel there. That stone was rolled away and the Lord left the tomb. He was raised from the dead. Because of the resurrection we can say:

Psalms 41:13

This verse ends with a double amen. “Amen, and Amen” means that God put the finishing touches on our salvation when Christ rose from the dead, ascended into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Christ finished the work of salvation for us. You don’t have to add anything to it, but don’t take away from the gospel by omitting the Resurrection. Without that there is no gospel. This is the final psalm in the Genesis section. It has been well stated that the Book of Genesis is the entire Bible in miniature; that is, all the great truths of Scripture are germinal in Genesis. This first section of psalms covers the entire Book of Psalms in the same way. While the Book of Genesis concludes with a “coffin in Egypt,” this Genesis section of Psalms closes on the high note of resurrection.