Psalms 41:1-13.-Ground of the Sufferer's hope of deliverance, He who is merciful to the afflicted, shall obtain mercy, when afflicted himself (Psalms 41:1-3); such is the case of David now, afflicted by enemies (Psalms 41:4-9); so he prays for mercy "in his integrity," and is assured of triumph before God's face for ever (Psalms 41:10-12); Doxology (Psalms 41:13); the Messianic interpretation is established by Christ Himself (John 13:18; cf. Psalms 41:9).
Blessed is he that considereth the poor - literally, 'that acts wisely toward the poor' [ mashkiyl ];
i.e., who has a wise consideration and fellow-feeling for their sorrows. To show mercy to our fellowmen in suffering is real wisdom; hardness and unkindness is folly, as well as sin. This is the ground on which David confidently expects from God deliverance for himself, and a requital of their own hard-heartedness upon his enemies. Contrast Psalms 41:5-9, their conduct toward him when in distress, with his conduct toward them when they were so (Psalms 35:13-14). On this fact and the principle that 'with the merciful God will show Himself merciful' (Psalms 41:1-3; Psalms 18:25), David bases his confident prayer here. 'When they were sick, I was merciful to them; now that I am sick, through their wearing malice, show thou mercy to me, especially since they show the opposite spirit to me in my suffering.' The Hebrew for "the poor" [ daal ] implies one sick, weak, or poorly off.