The Meaning of Psalms 41:2 Explained

Psalms 41:2

KJV: The LORD will preserve him, and keep him alive; and he shall be blessed upon the earth: and thou wilt not deliver him unto the will of his enemies.

YLT: Jehovah doth preserve him and revive him, He is happy in the land, And Thou givest him not into the will of his enemies.

Darby: Jehovah will preserve him, and keep him alive; he shall be made happy in the land; and thou wilt not deliver him to the will of his enemies.

ASV: Jehovah will preserve him, and keep him alive, And he shall be blessed upon the earth; And deliver not thou him unto the will of his enemies.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

The LORD  will preserve  him, and keep him alive;  [and] he shall be blessed  upon the earth:  and thou wilt not deliver  him unto the will  of his enemies. 

What does Psalms 41:2 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalms 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: Psalms 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 41:2 mean?

Yahweh will preserve him and keep him alive - [And] he will be blessed on the earth and not You will deliver him to the will of his enemies
יְהוָ֤ה ׀ יִשְׁמְרֵ֣הוּ וִֽ֭יחַיֵּהוּ יאשר [וְאֻשַּׁ֣ר] (בָּאָ֑רֶץ) וְאַֽל־ תִּ֝תְּנֵ֗הוּ בְּנֶ֣פֶשׁ אֹיְבָֽיו

יְהוָ֤ה ׀  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
יִשְׁמְרֵ֣הוּ  will  preserve  him 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁמַר  
Sense: to keep, guard, observe, give heed.
וִֽ֭יחַיֵּהוּ  and  keep  him  alive 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Conjunctive imperfect, third person masculine singular, third person masculine singular
Root: חָיָה  
Sense: to live, have life, remain alive, sustain life, live prosperously, live for ever, be quickened, be alive, be restored to life or health.
יאשר  - 
Parse: Verb, Pual, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
[וְאֻשַּׁ֣ר]  [And]  he  will  be  blessed 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Pual, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָשַׁר 
Sense: to go straight, walk, go on, advance, make progress.
(בָּאָ֑רֶץ)  on  the  earth 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
וְאַֽל־  and  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb
Root: אַל  
Sense: not, no, nor, neither, nothing (as wish or preference).
תִּ֝תְּנֵ֗הוּ  You  will  deliver  him 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular, third person masculine singular
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
בְּנֶ֣פֶשׁ  to  the  will 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: נֶפֶשׁ  
Sense: soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion.
אֹיְבָֽיו  of  his  enemies 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: אֹיֵב  
Sense: (Qal) enemy.