New King James Version
Psalms 41:6
6And if he comes to see me, he speaks lies; His heart gathers iniquity to itself; When he goes out, he tells it.
Psalms 41:6 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And if he come to see me, he speaketh vanity: his heart gathereth iniquity to itself; when he goeth abroad, he telleth it.
- New International Version (NIV)When one of them comes to see me, he speaks falsely, while his heart gathers slander; then he goes out and spreads it around.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And when one comes to see me, he utters empty words, while his heart gathers iniquity; when he goes out, he tells it abroad.
- New Living Translation (NLT)They visit me as if they were my friends, but all the while they gather gossip, and when they leave, they spread it everywhere.
Context of Psalms 41:6
4I said, “Lord, be merciful to me; Heal my soul, for I have sinned against You.” 5My enemies speak evil of me: “When will he die, and his name perish?” And if he comes to see me, he speaks lies; His heart gathers iniquity to itself; When he goes out, he tells it. 7All who hate me whisper together against me; Against me they devise my hurt. 8“An evil disease,” they say, “clings to him. And now that he lies down, he will rise up no more.”
Read all of Psalms 41Psalms 41:6 word by word
וְאִם־בָּ֤א לִרְא֨וֹת׀ שָׁ֤וְא יְדַבֵּ֗ר לִבּ֗וֹ יִקְבָּץ־אָ֥וֶן ל֑וֹ יֵצֵ֖א לַח֣וּץ יְדַבֵּֽר׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And if he comeבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
- to seeרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
- he speakethדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
- vanityשָׁוְאshâv' shav · vanity: falseH7723
- his heartלֵבlêb · heartH3820
- gatherethקָבַץqâbats · to gatherH6908
- iniquityאָ֫וֶן'âven · evil: wickednessH205
- he goethיָצָאyâtsâ' · to come out: comeH3318
- abroadחוּץchûts chûts · outsideH2351
Cross-references for Psalms 41:6
- Psalms 12:2They speak idly everyone with his neighbor; With flattering lips and a double heart they speak.
- Nehemiah 6:1Now it happened when Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab, and the rest of our enemies heard that I had rebuilt the wall, and that there were no breaks left in it (though at that time I had not hung the doors in the gates),
- Proverbs 26:24He who hates, disguises it with his lips, And lays up deceit within himself;
- Daniel 11:27Both these kings’ hearts shall be bent on evil, and they shall speak lies at the same table; but it shall not prosper, for the end will still be at the appointed time.
- Micah 7:5Do not trust in a friend; Do not put your confidence in a companion; Guard the doors of your mouth From her who lies in your bosom.
- Luke 11:53And as He said these things to them, the scribes and the Pharisees began to assail Him vehemently, and to cross-examine Him about many things,
- Luke 20:20So they watched Him, and sent spies who pretended to be righteous, that they might seize on His words, in order to deliver Him to the power and the authority of the governor.
- 2 Corinthians 11:26in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;
- Jeremiah 20:10For I heard many mocking: “Fear on every side!” “Report,” they say, “and we will report it!” All my acquaintances watched for my stumbling, saying, “Perhaps he can be induced; Then we will prevail against him, And we will take our revenge on him.”
Commentaries on Psalms 41:6
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 6And if he come to see me - This may relate to Ahithophel; but it is more likely that it was to some other person who was his secret enemy, who pretended to come and inquire after his health, but with the secret design to see whether death was despatching his work. When he goeth abroad, he telleth it - He makes several observations on my dying state; intimates that I am suffering deep remorse for secret crimes; that God is showing his displeasure against…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 6And if he come to see me - If he condescends to visit me in my sickness. The word me is not in the original; and perhaps the idea is not that he came to see the sufferer, but that he came to see “for himself,” though under pretence of paying a visit of kindness. His real motive was to make observation, that he might find something in the expressions or manner of the sufferer that would enable him to make a report unfavorable to him, and to confirm him in…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 5-13Verses 5-13 We complain, and justly, of the want of sincerity, and that there is scarcely any true friendship to be found among men; but the former days were no better. One particularly, in whom David had reposed great confidence, took part with his enemies. And let us not think it strange, if we receive evil from those we suppose to be friends. Have not we ourselves thus broken our words toward God? We eat of his bread daily, yet lift up the heel against…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 5-9The psalmist’s enemies disguise themselves as friends, while his friends openly become his enemies.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 5-65-6. A graphic picture of the conduct of a malignant enemy.Read the comment
Topics related to Psalms 41:6
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Psalms 41
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- The Treasury of David
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries