The Meaning of Psalms 41:9 Explained

Psalms 41:9

KJV: Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.

YLT: Even mine ally, in whom I trusted, One eating my bread, made great the heel against me,

Darby: Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I confided, who did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.

ASV: Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, Who did eat of my bread, Hath lifted up his heel against me.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Yea, mine own familiar  friend,  in whom I trusted,  which did eat  of my bread,  hath lifted up  [his] heel  against me. 

What does Psalms 41:9 Mean?

Study Notes

Yea, mine own familiar friend
Psalms 41. is the Psalm of the betrayal of the Son of man, as Jesus Himself taught. John 13:18 ; John 13:19 . See Psalms 45, next in order of the Messianic Psalms.
trusted .
trust
Trust is the characteristic O.T. word for the N.T. "faith," "believe." It occurs 152 times in the O.T., and is the rendering of Heb. words signifying to take refuge (e.g. Ruth 2:12 "to lean on" (e.g.) Psalms 56:3 "to roll on" (e.g.) Psalms 22:8 "to stay upon" (e.g.) Job 35:14 .

Verse Meaning

Even a former genuine friend of David had turned against him. Ahithophel, who betrayed David and then hanged himself ( 2 Samuel 16:20 to 2 Samuel 17:3; 2 Samuel 17:23), did this. Yet it is not certain that he was the person the psalmist had in mind here. David had more than one friend who later turned against him. Jesus quoted this verse and applied it to Judas ( John 13:18).

Context Summary

Psalm 41:1-13 - "lord, Heal My Soul"
This psalm was probably composed, with the adjacent ones, during the four years in which Absalom's conspiracy was being hatched. Perhaps the anxiety thus caused induced some serious illness, over which David's enemies exulted with unseemly glee. His sensitive nature was evidently greatly pained. But who does not realize the applicability of the psalm to the betrayal of our Lord? Psalms 41:9 is quoted in John 13:18.
In the day of trouble, when enemies oppose, Psalms 41:5-8, and friends prove false, Psalms 41:9, God draws near. Look after God's poor and He will care for you in the evil day. The blessings that you have endeavored to communicate will return to your own comfort in the hour of tribulation. God will make (or change) your bed in sickness, Psalms 41:3; will heal your soul, Psalms 41:4; and will set you before His face forever, Psalms 41:12. What a sweet conception of God as nurse in the room where feet must be shod with velvet and voices speak in gentlest tones!
For Review Questions, see the e-Sword Book Comments. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalm 41

1  The recompense of the charitable
4  David complains of his enemies' treachery
10  He flees to God for helpfulness

What do the individual words in Psalms 41:9 mean?

Even friend of my wellbeing in whom I trusted in whom who ate my bread Has lifted up against me [his] heel
גַּם־ אִ֤ישׁ שְׁלוֹמִ֨י ׀ אֲשֶׁר־ בָּטַ֣חְתִּי ב֭וֹ אוֹכֵ֣ל לַחְמִ֑י הִגְדִּ֖יל עָלַ֣י עָקֵֽב

גַּם־  Even 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: גַּם  
Sense: also, even, indeed, moreover, yea.
אִ֤ישׁ  friend 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
שְׁלוֹמִ֨י ׀  of  my  wellbeing 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: שָׁלֹום  
Sense: completeness, soundness, welfare, peace.
אֲשֶׁר־  in  whom 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
בָּטַ֣חְתִּי  I  trusted 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: בָּטוּחַ 
Sense: to trust.
ב֭וֹ  in  whom 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
אוֹכֵ֣ל  who  ate 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: אָכַל  
Sense: to eat, devour, burn up, feed.
לַחְמִ֑י  my  bread 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: לֶחֶם  
Sense: bread, food, grain.
הִגְדִּ֖יל  Has  lifted  up 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: גָּדַל  
Sense: to grow, become great or important, promote, make powerful, praise, magnify, do great things.
עָלַ֣י  against  me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
עָקֵֽב  [his]  heel 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: עָקֵב  
Sense: heel, rear, footprint, hinder part, hoof, rear of a troop, footstep.