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1 Blessed is he that considereth the poor: the LORD will deliver him in time of trouble. 2 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. 3 The LORD will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing: thou wilt make all his bed in his sickness. 4 I said, LORD, be merciful unto me: heal my soul; for I have sinned against thee. 5 Mine enemies speak evil of me, When shall he die, and his name perish? 6 And if he come to see me, he speaketh vanity: his heart gathereth iniquity to itself; when he goeth abroad, he telleth it. 7 All that hate me whisper together against me: against me do they devise my hurt. 8 An evil disease, say they, cleaveth fast unto him: and now that he lieth he shall rise up no more. 9 Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me. 10 But thou, O LORD, be merciful unto me, and raise me up, that I may requite them. 11 By this I know that thou favourest me, because mine enemy doth not triumph over me. 12 And as for me, thou upholdest me in mine integrity, and settest me before thy face for ever. 13 Blessed be the LORD God of Israel from everlasting, and to everlasting. Amen, and Amen.
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[AD 258] Cyprian on Psalms 41:1
[One] will not be able to merit the mercy of God who himself has not been merciful, nor will [one] gain any request from the divine love by his prayers who has not been humane toward the prayer of the poor.

Source: Treatise VIII. On Works and Alms 5
[AD 390] Diodorus of Tarsus on Psalms 41:1
By “evil day” he refers not to it as naturally evil—a day not being evil by nature, since if it were, the day would transfer the responsibility to its creator. Instead, by “evil day” he refers to the one on which a person is enveloped in distress, affliction and pain or falls victim to illness or some other hazard. So he means, when such a day comes, God, who lends help, is not asleep.

Source: COMMENTARY ON PSALM 41
[AD 395] Gregory of Nyssa on Psalms 41:1
The Word defines blessedness for us in another way than at the beginning. For in the first psalms, to depart from evil was blessed, but here to know the good more fully is pronounced blessed. Now the nature of the good … is the “only-begotten God,” “who, though he was rich, for our sake became poor.” The Word here predicts his “poverty” in the flesh, which is pointed out to us through the Gospel account, pronouncing the one who has recognized that “poverty” with understanding blessed. He was “poor” in relation to the “form of a servant” but blessed in relation to the nature of deity. For in the opening words of the psalm the Word calls him “needy and poor”; at the end of the section he says, “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from eternity to eternity. So be it. So be it.”

Source: ON THE INSCRIPTIONS OF THE PSALMS 2:12.157-58
[AD 397] Ambrose of Milan on Psalms 41:1
Faith comes first, and mercy comes second.… Happy, therefore, is the one who understands the poverty of Christ, his utter destitution. Christ, though he was very rich, became poor for us. In his kingdom, he was rich; in his flesh, he was poor, for he took on himself the flesh of the poor. We had indeed become very poor, because, by fraud practiced on us by the serpent, we lost the rich robes of virtue and were put out of paradise. We were thrown out of our native land and banished into exile. We were even stripped of clothing. Our lovely vesture of virtue that once covered our body was snatched from us by sin.… Have understanding as regards the poverty of Christ, so that you may be rich; understand his weakness and suffering, so that you may become strong and whole; understand his cross, so that you will never blush for it; understand his wound, so that your wounds may be cured; understand his death, so that you may gain eternal life; understand his tomb, so that you may discover the resurrection.

Source: COMMENTARY ON TWELVE PSALMS 41:4
[AD 397] Ambrose of Milan on Psalms 41:1
The day of judgment is bitter, and we dread it. There is no one to whom it does not appear evil, because it is fraught with terror. It is the day on which the Lord will judge not only what we did in public but even our most secret actions. On that day each of us will have to show clearly what we have done and what we have thought. Therefore many will be condemned, and few will win the crown.

Source: COMMENTARY ON TWELVE PSALMS 41:7
[AD 430] Augustine of Hippo on Psalms 41:1
"Blessed is he that understands upon the needy and poor One: in the evil day shall the Lord deliver him" [Psalm 41:1]. For the evil day will come: will thou, nill thou, come it will: the Day of Judgment will come upon you, an evil day if you "understand not the needy and poor." For what now you will not believe, shall be made manifest in the end. But neither shall you escape, when it shall be made manifest, because you believe not, when it is kept secret. Invited are you, what you see not to believe, lest when thou see, thou be put to the blush. "Understand then upon the needy and poor One," that is, Christ: understand in Him the hidden riches, whom poor you see, "In Him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." [Colossians 2:3] For thereby in the evil day shall He deliver you, in that He is God: but in that He is man, and that which in Him is human has raised to life, and changed for the better, He has lifted (you ) to heaven. But He who is God, who would have one person in man and with man, could neither decrease nor increase, neither die nor rise again. He died out of man's infirmity, but God dies not....But as we rightly say, Such a man died, though his soul dies not; so we rightly say, Christ died, though His Divinity dies not. Wherefore died? Because needy and poor. Let not His death offend you, and avert you from beholding His Divinity. "Blessed is he that understands upon the needy and poor One." Consider also the poor, the needy, the hungry and thirsty, the naked, the sick, the prisoners; understand also upon such poor, for if upon such thou understand, you understand upon Him who said, "I was an hungred, I was thirsty, I was a stranger, naked, sick, in prison;" [Matthew 25:35-36] so in the evil day shall the Lord deliver you....

Source: Exposition on Psalm 41
[AD 458] Theodoret of Cyrus on Psalms 41:1
Though having lordship of visible and invisible things, he had nowhere to lay his head, was born of a virgin and through lack of bed was laid in a manger. Consequently, the inspired Word declares blessed the one able to understand this poverty and filled with zeal to sing the praises as far as possible of the one who accepted it.

Source: COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS 41:2
[AD 460] Valerian of Cimiez on Psalms 41:1
Clearly, as often as we succor the wretched, we give to ourselves. The dispensing of our resources is our gain. For if you consider again the hope of future reward, whatever is given to the poor is reckoned as a profit. That is what the prophet states: “Blessed is he who understands concerning the needy and the poor: the Lord will deliver him in the evil day.”

Source: HOMILY 8:2
[AD 461] Leo the Great on Psalms 41:1
You should “recognize” Christ “in the needy” to the extent that your resources “allow.” Christ our Lord gives testimony to the fact that he is the one whom we clothe, support and feed in them. That is how strongly he has recommended the poor to us.

Source: SERMON 6:2
[AD 428] Theodore of Mopsuestia on Psalms 41:2
He comments on God’s favors to him in different ways: he will give freedom from perils, he says, will closely guard him so that he will suffer nothing, provide him with life and make him appear as blessed by the vast number of favors in the sight of everyone.

Source: COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 41:3A
[AD 430] Augustine of Hippo on Psalms 41:2
"And deliver him not into the hand of his enemy" [Psalm 41:2]. The enemy is the devil. Let none think of a man his enemy, when he hears these words. Haply one thought of his neighbour, of him who had a suit with him in court, of him who would take from him his own possession, of him who would force him to sell to him his house. Think not this; but that enemy think of, of whom said the Lord, "an enemy has done this." [Matthew 13:28] For He it is who suggests that for things earthly he be worshipped, for overthrow the Christian Name this enemy cannot. For he has seen himself conquered by the fame and praises of Christ, he has seen, whereas he slew Christ's Martyrs, that they are crowned, he triumphed over. He has begun to be unable to persuade men that Christ is nought; and because by reviling Christ, he now with difficulty deceives, by lauding Christ, he endeavours to deceive. Before this what said he? Whom do you worship? A Jew, dead, crucified, a man of no moment, who could not even from himself drive away death. When after His Name he saw running the whole human race, saw that in the Name of the Crucified temples are thrown down, idols are broken, sacrifices abolished; and that all these things predicted in the Prophets are considered by men, by men with wonder astonished, and closing now their hearts against the reviling of Christ; he clothes himself with praise of Christ, and begins to deter from the faith in another manner. Great is the law of Christ, powerful is that law, divine, ineffable! But who fulfills it? In the name of our Saviour, "tread upon the lion and the dragon." By reviling openly roared the lion; by lauding craftily lurks the dragon. Let them come to the faith, who doubted; and not say, Who fulfills it? If on their own strength they presume, they will not fulfil it. Presuming on the grace of God let them believe, presuming (on it) let them come; to be aided come, not to be judged. So live all the faithful in the Name of Christ, each one in his degree fulfilling the commands of Christ, whether married, or celibates and virgins, they live as much as God grants them to live; neither presume they in their own strength, but know that in Him they ought to glory....

Source: Exposition on Psalm 41
[AD 430] Augustine of Hippo on Psalms 41:3
"The Lord help him" [Psalm 41:3]. But when? Haply in heaven, haply in the life eternal, that so it remain to worship the devil for earthly needs, for the necessities of this life. Far be it! You have "promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come." [1 Timothy 4:8] He came unto you on earth, by Whom were made heaven and earth. Consider then what He says, "The Lord help him, on his bed of pain." The bed of pain is the infirmity of the flesh; lest you should say, I cannot hold, and carry, and tie up my flesh; you are aided that you may. The Lord help you on your bed of pain. Your bed did carry you, you carried not your bed, but wast a paralytic inwardly; He comes who says to you, "Take up your bed, and go your way into your house." [Mark 2:11] "The Lord help him on his bed of pain." Then to the Lord Himself He turns, as though it were asked, Why then, since the Lord helps us, suffer we such great ills in this life, such great scandals, such great labours, such disquiet from the flesh and the world? He turns to God, and as though explaining to us the counsel of His healing, He says, "You have turned all his bed in his infirmity." By the bed is understood anything earthly. Every soul that is infirm in this life seeks for itself somewhat whereon to rest, because intensity of labour, and of the soul extended toward God, it can hardly endure perpetually, somewhat it seeks on earth whereon to rest, and in a manner with a kind of pausing to recline, as are those things which innocent ones love....The innocent man rests in his house, his family, his wife, his children; in his poverty, his little farm, his orchard planted with his own hand, in some building fabricated with his own study; in these rest the innocent. But yet God willing us not to have love but of life eternal, even with these, though innocent delights, mixes bitterness, that even in these we may suffer tribulation, and so He turns all our bed in our infirmity. "You have turned all his bed in his infirmity." Let him not then complain, when in these things which he has innocently, he suffers some tribulations. He is taught to love the better, by the bitterness of the worse; lest going a traveller to his country, he choose the inn instead of his own home.

Source: Exposition on Psalm 41
[AD 450] Hesychius of Jerusalem on Psalms 41:3
May the Lord help him. That even in the present time the truth of these prophetic promises may be found. Many, laboring in sickness and disease, when they leave behind their own poor and needy works, are changed for the better. For if even on a future day judgment triumphs over mercy, what a marvel it would be, if also he would turn away by his rich mercy the death which we await, and he would restore strength? Surely this is the frailty of spirit, which is received in the inner man, wherein he has determined hands or the strength to do things. Even crippled knees are healed that were not strong before to walk on the way to life. Then the mercy bequeathed to the poor heals and revives the spirit held back by its grave disease of folly and brought to death from its sin. He, therefore, immediately added: “I said: Lord, have mercy on me, heal my soul, because I have sinned against you.”

Source: LARGE COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 41:4
[AD 465] Maximus of Turin on Psalms 41:3
We can call the members of our own bodies our beds, in which our souls repose so delightfully as if in a bed. I think that is what the holy prophet had in mind when he says: “You have turned his whole bed in his sickness.” Blessed is he whose bed the Lord turns in his sickness in order that he who not long ago was prone to anger, an adulterer, wanton and full of every sin due to his weaknesses, becomes chaste, humble and modest when the Lord turns a body which was accustomed to evil.

Source: SERMON 19:3
[AD 430] Augustine of Hippo on Psalms 41:4
But why this? Because He "scourges every son whom He receives." [Hebrews 12:6] Why this? Because to men sinning was it said, "In the sweat of your face shall you eat bread." [Genesis 3:19] Therefore because all these chastisements, in which all our bed is turned in our infirmity, man ought to acknowledge that he suffers for sin; let him turn himself, and say what follows: "I said, Lord, be merciful unto me; heal my soul, for I have sinned against You" [Psalm 41:4]. O Lord, by tribulations do Thou exercise me; to be scourged You judge every son whom You will receive, who spared not even the Only-Begotten. He indeed without sin was scourged; but I say, "I have sinned against You."...

Source: Exposition on Psalm 41
[AD 430] Augustine of Hippo on Psalms 41:4
Your accuser goes on scoring points off you, as long as you insist on making your own excuses. So do you want to ensure that your accuser—the devil, that is—suffers and groans? Do what you have heard, do what you have learned, and say to your God, “I myself have said it, Lord. Have mercy on me, heal my soul, since I have sinned against you.” “I myself,” he says, “I myself have said it; not the devil, not luck, not fate. I myself have said it. I’m not making excuses, on the contrary, I accuse myself. I have said it. Have mercy on me, heal my soul.”

Source: SERMON 29:3
[AD 430] Augustine of Hippo on Psalms 41:4
The reason he says, “I myself have said it, Lord,” is to thrust before our eyes the fact that the will and decision to sin arises from the soul and that we are fully capable of destroying ourselves, while it takes God to seek that which was lost and to save that which had wounded itself.

Source: SERMON 20:1
[AD 458] Theodoret of Cyrus on Psalms 41:4
I am the one who is poor, he is saying, who embraced voluntary poverty, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, who makes my own the sufferings of human beings, who though having committed no sin offers the prayer for human nature as nature’s firstfruits. It should be noted, however, that Symmachus said not “because I sinned against you” but “even if I sinned against you.”

Source: COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS 41:4
[AD 542] Caesarius of Arles on Psalms 41:4
God will heal you if only you admit your wound. You lie under the physician’s hands; patiently implore his aid. If he bathes or burns or cuts it, bear it calmly; do not even pay any attention to it, provided you are cured. Moreover, you will be cured if you present yourself to the doctor. Not that he does not see you hide, but confession is the very beginning of restoration to health.

Source: SERMON 59:5
[AD 542] Caesarius of Arles on Psalms 41:4
When sinners are rebuked for their crimes … they do not all accept it with humility and obedience. Many do not blush to reply with most insolent boldness, saying, Am I the only one who did this? Have not those people, and those, done similar things or worse? Do not even the clergy with major orders commit such sins? Unhappy soul! A crowd of miserable people is a comfort to you. Can the individual sinner be tormented any less if immense crowds of sinners begin to be tortured in eternal punishment with him? How much better it would be for each one to flee the evil of his sins and exclaim in humble confession, “I said, O Lord, be merciful to me. Heal my soul, for I have sinned against you,” and, “I know my iniquity, and my sin is always before me.” For the good of his soul he should follow the examples of those who were honestly converted after many sins, rather than propose for imitation those who will suffer endless punishment after brief joy.

Source: SERMON 5:2
[AD 585] Cassiodorus on Psalms 41:4
Every sin is a sickness of the soul. As it grows stronger, the health of the inner person decreases. He who cried out to the Physician was aware of his illness, but in that understanding he was already healthy in so far as he recognized that he was weak. So he wishes for his soul to be healed, namely, by the forgiveness of sins.

Source: EXPLANATION OF THE PSALMS 41:5
[AD 430] Augustine of Hippo on Psalms 41:5
"Mine enemies speak evil of Me, When He shall die, then shall His Name perish" [Psalm 41:5]. Of this we have already spoken, and from this began.

Source: Exposition on Psalm 41
[AD 397] Ambrose of Milan on Psalms 41:6
Judas went out, and he spoke. He went out from the faith, he went out from the council and number of the apostles. He went out from Christ’s banquet to the villainy of Satan; he went out from the grace that sanctifies to the noose that strangles. He went to speak vain things to infidels. He went outside, leaving behind the mysteries of life that lay within. He went out, for he had never known the mysteries that are contained in Scripture.

Source: COMMENTARY ON TWELVE PSALMS 41:17
[AD 430] Augustine of Hippo on Psalms 41:6
"And entered in to see" [Psalm 41:6]. What Christ suffered, that suffers also the Church; what the Head suffered, that suffer also the Members. "For the disciple is not above his Master, nor the servant above his Lord." [Matthew 10:24] ...

If to Christ's Members you belong, come within, cling to the Head. Endure the tares if you are wheat, endure the chaff if you are grain. [Matthew 13:30] Endure the bad fish within the net if you are a good fish. Wherefore before the time of winnowing do you fly away? Wherefore before the time of harvest, do you root up the grain also with yourself? Wherefore before you have come to the shore, have you broken the nets? "They go abroad, and tell it."

Source: Exposition on Psalm 41
[AD 458] Theodoret of Cyrus on Psalms 41:6
Now, the outcome of events testifies to these things: furtively they conversed together and looked for the way to implement the plot. Then they made a charge of overthrow, saying to Pilate, “He makes himself king and forbids us paying tribute to Caesar,” which is what the prophecy says: “They set up a lawless plan against me.” That is, they leveled a charge of lawlessness against me.

Source: COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS 41:5
[AD 430] Augustine of Hippo on Psalms 41:7
"All mine enemies whisper against Me unto the same thing" [Psalm 41:7]. Against Me all unto the same thing. How much better with me unto the same thing, than against me "unto the same thing." What is, "Against me unto the same thing"? With one counsel, with one conspiring. Christ then speaks unto you, You consent against Me, consent ye to Me: why against Me? Wherefore not with Me? That same thing if you had always had, you had not divided you into schisms. For, says the Apostle, "I beseech you, brethren, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no division among you." [1 Corinthians 1:10] "All mine enemies whisper against Me unto the same thing:" against Me do they "devise evil to Me." To themselves rather, for "they have gathered iniquity to themselves;" but therefore to Me, because by their intention they are to be weighed: for not because to do nothing was in their power, to do nothing was in their will. For the devil lusted to extinguish Christ, and Judas would slay Christ; yet Christ slain and rising again, we are made alive, but to the devil and to Judas is rendered the reward of their evil will, not of our salvation....The intention wherewith they spoke, not what they spoke, did He consider, who related that they spoke evil of Him, "Against Me they devised evil to Me." And what evil to Christ, to the Martyrs what evil? All has God turned to good.

Source: Exposition on Psalm 41
[AD 430] Augustine of Hippo on Psalms 41:8
"An ungodly word do they set forth against Me" [Psalm 41:8]. What sort of ungodly word? Listen to the Head Itself. "Come, let us kill Him, and the inheritance shall be ours." [Mark 12:7] Fools! How shall the inheritance be yours? Because ye killed Him? Lo! You even killed Him; yet shall not the inheritance be yours. "Shall not He that sleeps add this also, that He rise again"? When ye exulted that you had slain Him, He slept; for He says in another Psalm, "I slept." They raged and would slay Me; "I slept." If I had not willed, I had not even slept. "I slept," because "I have power to lay down My life, and I have power to take it again." [John 10:18] "I laid Me down and slept, and rose up again." Rage then the Jews; be "the earth given into the hands of the wicked," [Job 9:24] be the flesh left to the hands of persecutors, let them on wood suspend it, with nails transfix it, with a spear pierce it. "Shall He that sleeps, not add this, that He rise up again?" Wherefore slept He? Because "Adam is the figure of Him that was to come." [Romans 5:14] And Adam slept, when out of his side was made Eve. [Genesis 2:21] Adam in the figure of Christ, Eve in the figure of the Church; whence she was called "the mother of all living." [Genesis 3:20] When was Eve created? While Adam slept. When out of Christ's side flowed the Sacraments of the Church? While He slept upon the Cross....

Source: Exposition on Psalm 41
[AD 90] John on Psalms 41:9
So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you? Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them. 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. [Psalms 41:9] Now I tell you before it come, that, when it is come to pass, ye may believe that I am he. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.
[AD 390] Diodorus of Tarsus on Psalms 41:9
The one who shared the same table with me and the same food proved to be a foe the more threatening the more he concealed his malice under his close relationship. The Lord also suffered this in the case of Judas: in that case, too, it was not someone from the outer group of disciples who concocted plots but one who gave the impression of being closely related and sharing with him table and food.

Source: COMMENTARY ON PSALM 41
[AD 397] Ambrose of Milan on Psalms 41:9
We need not imagine that Jesus did not know that Judas was going to betray him.… Of course Jesus knew it. But in order to emphasize how damnable was the deed, Jesus speaks of the hopes he had held regarding Judas’ loyalty.… We come down more heavily on one in whom we say we had high hopes or great trust, if afterwards that person robs us of our hope and high opinion.… This is why Jesus says that he had hoped, it was as though he had a right to hope. For surely one would expect an apostle to lay aside his old ways and follow new and better ways.

Source: COMMENTARY ON TWELVE PSALMS 41:21-22
[AD 430] Augustine of Hippo on Psalms 41:9
"The man of My peace, in whom I trusted, which did eat of My bread, has enlarged his heel against Me" [Psalm 41:9]: has raised up his foot against Me: would trample upon Me. Who is this man of His peace? Judas. And in him did Christ trust, that He said, "in whom I trusted"? Did He not know him from the beginning? Did He not before he was born know that he would be? Had He not said to all His disciples, "I have chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil"? [John 6:70] How then trusted He in him, but that He is in His Members, and that because many faithful trusted in Judas, the Lord transferred this to Himself?..."The man of My peace, in whom I trusted, which did eat of My bread." How showed He him in His Passion? By the words of His prophecy: by the sop He marked Him out, that it might appear said of him, "Which did eat of My bread." [John 13:26] Again, when he came to betray Him, He granted him a kiss, [Matthew 26:49] that it might appear said of him, "The man of My peace."

Source: Exposition on Psalm 41
[AD 430] Augustine of Hippo on Psalms 41:10
"But You, O Lord, be merciful unto Me" [Psalm 41:10]. This is the person of a servant, this is the person of the needy and poor: for, "Blessed is he that understands upon the needy and poor One." See, as it was spoken, "Be merciful unto Me, and raise Me up, and I will requite them," so is it done. For the Jews slew Christ, lest they should lose their place. [John 11:48] Christ slain, they lost their place. Rooted out of the kingdom were they, dispersed were they. He, raised up, requited them tribulation, He requited them unto admonition, not yet unto condemnation. For the city wherein the people raged, as a ramping and a roaring lion, crying out, "Crucify Him, Crucify Him," [Luke 23:21] the Jews rooted out therefrom, has now Christians, by not one Jew is inhabited. There is planted the Church of Christ, whence were rooted out the thorns of the synagogue. For truly this fire blazed "as the fire of thorns." But the Lord was as a green tree. This said Himself, when certain women mourned Christ as dying...."For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in a dry?" When can a green tree be consumed by the fire of thorns? For they blazed as fire among thorns. Fire consumes thorns, but whatsoever green tree it is applied to, is not easily kindled....Yet lest ye think that God the Father of Christ could raise up Christ, that is, the Flesh of His Son, and that Christ Himself, though He be the Word equal with the Father, could not raise up His own Flesh; hear out of the Gospel, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." [John 2:19] "But," said the Evangelist (lest even after this we should doubt), "He spoke of the temple of His Body. Raise Me up, and I will requite them."

Source: Exposition on Psalm 41
[AD 460] Arnobius the Younger on Psalms 41:10
O Lord, as you have raised your Son from death, so lift me from sin. Lift me, and I will repay them. In this I know that you suffered for me so that my enemies may not rejoice over me. You have not refused even to die for me. I feared you lying in the tomb, but since you have arisen my enemy will not rejoice over me. You have sustained me on account of my innocence. The church speaks in the apostles and prophets because the farmers and fishermen raised up by God, not the philosophers and teachers, have built the church that God has confirmed in his sight forever.

Source: COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS 41
[AD 390] Diodorus of Tarsus on Psalms 41:11
You notice that he hints more clearly at the repayment here in his mentioning, not vengeance by the wronged but personal disappointment by the frustrated, which resulted in their punishing themselves on seeing the one they envied held in high esteem. His meaning here is, in fact, Show, Lord, how you care for me by their not rejoicing in the vile hopes they have for me.

Source: COMMENTARY ON PSALM 41
[AD 430] Augustine of Hippo on Psalms 41:11
"By this I know that You favour Me, that Mine enemies shall not triumph over Me" [Psalm 41:11] Because the Jews did triumph, when they saw Christ crucified; they thought that they had fulfilled their will to do Him hurt: the fruits of their cruelty they saw in effect, Christ hanging on the Cross: they shook their heads, saying, "If Thou be the Son of God, come down from the Cross." [Matthew 27:39-40] He came not down, who could; His Potency He showed not, but patience taught. For if, on their saying these things, He had come down from the Cross, He would have seemed as it were to yield to them insulting, and not being able to endure reproach, would have been believed conquered: more firm remained He upon the Cross, than they insulting; fixed was He, they wavering. For therefore shook they their heads, because to the true Head they adhered not. He taught us plainly patience. For mightier is that which He did, who would not do what the Jews challenged. For much mightier is it to rise from the sepulchre, than to come down from the Cross. "That Mine enemies shall not triumph over Me." They triumphed then at that time. Christ rose again, Christ was glorified. Now see they in His Name the human race converted: now let them insult, now shake the head: rather now let them fix the head, or if they shake the head, in wonder and admiration let them shake....

Source: Exposition on Psalm 41
[AD 458] Theodoret of Cyrus on Psalms 41:11
All this was said on the part of the nature assumed, which was involved also in the passion.… Since, then, the assumed nature remained free of all wickedness, it was right for him to say, “But you supported me for my innocence and confirmed me in your presence forever”: I received a stable unity, the combining was indivisible, the glory everlasting.

Source: COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS 41:7
[AD 430] Augustine of Hippo on Psalms 41:12
"But as for Me, You uphold Me, because of my innocence" [Psalm 41:12]. Truly innocence; integrity without sin, requiting without debt, scourging without desert. "You uphold Me because of Mine innocence, and hast made Me strong in Your sight for ever." You have made Me strong for ever, You made Me weak for a time: You have made Me strong in Your sight, You made Me weak in sight of men. What then? Praise to Him, glory to Him. "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel." For He is the God of Israel, our God, the God of Jacob, the God of the younger son, the God of the younger people. Let none say, Of the Jews said He this, I am not Israel; rather the Jews are not Israel. For the elder son, he is the elder people reprobated; the younger, the people beloved. "The elder shall serve the younger:" [Genesis 25:13] now is it fulfilled: now, brethren, the Jews serve us, they are as our satchellers, we studying, they carry our books. Hear wherein the Jews serve us, and not without reason....With them are the Law and the Prophets, in which Law, and in which Prophets, Christ is preached. When we have to do with Pagans, and show this coming to pass in the Church of Christ, which before was predicted of the Name of Christ, of the Head and Body of Christ, lest they think that we have forged these predictions, and from things which have happened, as though they were future, had made them up, we bring forth the books of the Jews. The Jews forsooth are our enemies, from an enemy's books convince we the adversary.. ..If any enemy clamour and say, "You for yourselves have forged prophecies;" be the books of the Jews brought forth, because the elder shall serve the younger. Therein let them read those predictions, which now we see fulfilled; and let us all say, "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting, and all the people shall say, So be it, So be it."

Source: Exposition on Psalm 41
[AD 460] Arnobius the Younger on Psalms 41:12
Be not offended, careful reader, that we draw a mystical matter from a moral explanation. For just as the Pharisees beset Judas to betray the Lord by offering him his own safety to turn him over, so also unclean spirits beset my outer man which eats my bread and offer to it now money through greed, now luxury through desire, by which, if it accepts, it fails, and when it fails they drive him “to hang himself in a noose,” that is, so that he despairs that he is able to be freed by repentance. But he says to them: He who sleeps, will he not arise?… Let us cease to harm ourselves, and let us be made innocent so that each one may say rightly to God: On account of my innocence you have sustained me, and you who had cast me away from your countenance because of sin, now through repentance strengthen me in your sight forever.

Source: COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS 41
[AD 585] Cassiodorus on Psalms 41:12
What a truly holy innocence and simplicity, a truly blessed humility!.… He did not defend himself with any struggle. He was moving toward the cross with a peaceful spirit, going to die with a tranquil mind. He fulfilled all the words predicted by the prophets by his own undefiled integrity. He felt grief at the misfortunes of his persecutors, and when he was hung on the cross, he prayed for his enemies in an act of incredible mercy, for he had determined that all the faithful should also do this.… Now that he has laid aside the weakness inherent in a mortal body, the God-Man, one of two natures, also continues in these two distinct and complete natures in eternal glory. His name is above every name; his power commands heaven and earth.

Source: EXPLANATION OF THE PSALMS 41:13
[AD 397] Ambrose of Milan on Psalms 41:13
“So be it, so be it” is also an indication that you have reached the end of a book. The psalter appears to be divided into five books, and the first book ends with this psalm, namely, the forty-first. The forty-first psalm concludes very fittingly with the passion, just as the forty-day period of Lent concludes with the Lord’s passion. This allows the second book to begin with the mysteries of regeneration.

Source: COMMENTARY ON TWELVE PSALMS 41:37