Psalms 41:7-8

41:7 All who hate me whisper insults about me to one another;

they plan ways to harm me.

41:8 They say,

‘An awful disease overwhelms him,

and now that he is bed-ridden he will never recover.’


tn Heb “together against me they whisper, all those who hate me.” The Hitpael of לָחַשׁ (lakhash) refers here to whispering to one another (see 2 Sam 12:19).

tn The words “they say” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied in the translation to make it clear that v. 8 contains a quotation of what the psalmist’s enemies say about him (see v. 7a).

tn Heb “thing of worthlessness.” In Ps 101:3 the phrase refers to evil deeds in general, but here it appears to refer more specifically to the illness that plagues the psalmist.

tn Heb “is poured out on him.” The passive participle of יָצַק (yatsaq) is used.

tn Heb “and he who lies down will not again arise.”