Psalms 41:9

Mine own familiar friend. Literally, “the man of my peace.” Those who hold that this psalm was written by David against a background of the rebellion of Absalom, apply this verse to Ahithophel (2 Sam. 15:31; see on Ps. 55:12).

Which did eat of my bread. The conduct suggested here is peculiarly ignominious (see 2 Sam. 9:10–13; 1 Kings 18:19). This passage is applied to Judas (see John 13:18). The fact that a portion of this psalm is shown to have another application besides the more apparently local application does not mean that the entire psalm was originally designed to be predictive. It is best always to interpret these ancient writings first in their historical background and to make an additional application to the future of only those portions that later inspired writers applied in such a way (see on Deut. 18:15).

Hath lifted up his heel. The figure suggests to some the picture of a horse kicking the man who feeds him, to others the idea of tripping someone. Such base ingratitude was shown by Judas, who had accepted three years of favor from the hand of Jesus.