But thou, O LORD, be merciful unto me, and raise me up, that I may requite them.
Parallel translations
- WEB But you, Yahweh, have mercy on me, and raise me up, that I may repay them.
- BSB But You, O LORD, be gracious to me and raise me up, that I may repay them.
- NKJV But You, O Lord, be merciful to me, and raise me up, That I may repay them.
- NASB ¶But You, Lord, be gracious to me and raise me up, That I may repay them.
- NLT Lord, have mercy on me. Make me well again, so I can pay them back!
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
David asks God to have mercy and raise him up so he may requite his enemies. He seeks restoration and just recompense.
Overview
Amid betrayal he turns to God for mercy and renewed strength. The desire to 'repay' is best understood as seeking God's vindication of justice through him as king. He leaves the outcome to the Lord rather than taking matters into his own hands.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 7
- Luke 19:27But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me.
- Ps 3:3But thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head.
- Ps 18:37–42I have pursued mine enemies, and overtaken them: neither did I turn again till they were consumed.
- Ps 57:1Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast.
- Ps 69:22–28Let their table become a snare before them: and that which should have been for their welfare, let it become a trap.
- Ps 109:6–21Set thou a wicked man over him: and let Satan stand at his right hand.
- Ps 21:8–10Thine hand shall find out all thine enemies: thy right hand shall find out those that hate thee.
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
The Psalms are Christ's own prayer book and a gallery of his portraits — the suffering one of Psalm 22, the risen Lord of Psalm 16, the priest-king of Psalm 110, the Son to whom the nations are given.
How Psalms 41:10 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.