Psalms 143:3

Psa 143:3 For the enemy hath persecuted my soul; he hath smitten my life down to the ground; he hath made me to dwell in darkness, as those that have been long dead.

Ver. 3. For the enemy hath persecuted my soul] Quasi rabie ferali percitus, he hath raged unreasonably. The utmost of a danger is to be related before the Lord in prayer, and to be acknowledged after we are delivered out of it, by way of thankfulness.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Ver. 3. For the enemy hath persecuted my soul. He has followed me up with malicious perseverance, and has worried me as often as I have been within his reach. The attack was upon the soul or life of the Psalmist: our adversaries mean us the worst possible evil, their attacks are no child's play, they hunt for the precious life. He hath smitten my life down to the ground. The existence of David was made bitter by the cruelty of his enemy; he was as one who was hurled down and made to lie upon the ground, where he could be trampled on by his assailant. Slander has a very depressing effect upon the spirits; it is a blow which overthrows the mind as though it were knocked clown with the fist. He hath made me to dwell in darkness, as those that have been long dead. The enemy was not content with felling his life to the groundhe would lay him lower still, even in the grave; and lower than that, if possible, for the enemy would shut up the saint in the darkness of hell if he could. David was driven by Saul's animosity to haunt caverns and holes, like an unquiet ghost; he wandered out by night, and lay hid by day like an uneasy spirit which had long been denied the repose of the grave. Good men began to forget him, as though he had been long dead; and bad men made ridicule of his rueful visage as though it belonged not to a living man, but was dark with the shadow of the sepulchre. Poor David! He was qualified to bless the house of the living, but he was driven to consort with the dead! Such may be our case, and yet we may be very dear to the Lord. One thing is certain, the Lord who permits us to dwell in darkness among the dead, will surely bring us into light, and cause us to dwell with those who enjoy life eternal.

Ver. 3. For the enemy, etc. If ever trouble be just cause for calling upon thee, how can mine be more just, when the enemy hath persecuted my soul, hath smitten my life down to the ground, and hath made me to dwell in darkness, as those that have been long dead? All this "the enemy" hath done unto me: but what enemy? Is it not the enemy of all mankind, who hath singled me out, as it were to a duel? And can I resist him myself alone, whom the whole army of mankind cannot? But is it not the enemy of thyself, O God, who is but my enemy because I am thy servant? And wilt thou see thy servants persecutedin thy cause persecutedand not protect them? Shall I suffer, grievously suffer, for thy sake, and wilt thou forsake me? Alas, O Lord; if they were but some light evils that are inflicted upon me I would bear them without complaining, and never make my moan to thee about them; but they are the three greatest miseries that can be thought of; the greatest persecution, the greatest overthrow, and the greatest captivity. For what persecution so grievous as to be persecuted in my soul? for he plays no less a game than for souls: he casts indeed at the body sometimes, and sometimes at goods, yet these are but the bye; the main of his aim is at the soul; for if he can otherwise win the soul he cares not much for either body or goods, but rather makes use of them to keep men in security; for whatsoever he doth, whatsoever he leaves undone, it is all done but in persecution of the soul; and he can persecute as well with prosperity as with adversity, and knows how to fit their several application. It seems as if he takes me for another Job; he sees he can do no good upon me with fawning and clawing, and therefore falls now to quarrelling and striking, and he strikes no light blows; for "he hath stricken my life down to the ground"; and lower would have struck it, if thou, God, hadst nut broken his blow. He strikes me downward, to keep me from heaven, as much as he can: and now that he sees me down, he lets not me rest so neither; but seizes upon me, and being himself the prince of darkness, hath kept me in darkness; not for a night or two, as men stay at their inn, but for a much longer time, as at their dwelling; and it is no ordinary darkness that he hath made me to dwell in, but even the darkness of dead men; and that in the highest degree, as those that have been long dead. They that have been dead but a while are yet remembered sometimes, and sometimes talked of; but they that have been long dead are as quite forgotten as if they had never been; and such, alas, am I. So long have I been made to dwell in darkness, as if I had been dead many years ago, that he that would seek to find me out must be fain to look for me amongst the tombs and monuments. Indeed, to dwell in darkness is no better than the house of death: for as long as we are in life, if we want sometimes the light of the sun, yet the light of a candle will serve to supply it; but I, alas, am kept in such darkness that neither the sunshine of thy gospel nor the lantern of thy law gives any light unto me. I cannot with confidence say, as once I did, "Thou, O Lord, shalt light my candle for me"; and as a body being dead grows cold and stiff, and is not to be bowed, so my soul with continuance in sinning is grown hardened, and, as it were, stiff in sin; that it is as hard a matter to make me flexible to any goodness as to bring a body long dead to life again. Sir Richard Baker.

Ver. 3. To dwell in darkness. To seek my safety in holes and obscure places in the wilderness. See 2Sa 17:16. As those that have been long dead. That is, where I seem to be buried alive, and to have no more hopes of being restored to a happy condition in this world than those that have been long dead have of living again in it. Thomas Fenton.

Ver. 3-6. Consider,

1. The great lengths God may sometimes permit the enemy to go, Ps 143:3. The case of Job a good illustration.

2. The deep depression of spirit he may even permit his saints to experience, Ps 143:4.

3. The good things he has provided for their meditation when even at their worst, Ps 143:5.

4. The two things his grace will never suffer to die, whose existence is a pledge of near approaching joy,

a) The thirsting after himself.

b) The practice of prayer. The whole is a good text for a lecture on the life and experience of Job. J. F.

Psalms 143:4*

Charles H. Spurgeon's The Treasury of David (1869–1885) — public domain. Psalms only. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Psa 143:3-4. For the enemy hath persecuted my soul — This is not a reason of what he said last, Psa 143:2, but an argument to enforce his petition, delivered Psa 143:1, and repeated Psa 143:7. He hath smitten my life down to the ground — He hath beaten me down to the earth, where I lie struggling for life. He hath made me to dwell in darkness — Not only in dark caves, but under dark apprehensions, and clouds of trouble and distress, out of which I see no way of deliverance, except from thy power and mercy; as those that have been long dead — In as hopeless a condition in the eye of man, as those that have lain long in the grave. Therefore is my spirit overwhelmed — See on Psa 142:3. My heart within me is desolate — Deprived of all hope and comfort, except from thee; or, is astonished, as ישׁתומם may be properly rendered.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

3. (Psa 143:3) For the enemy persecutes my soul, crushes to the earth my life, makes me dwell in dark places like the dead of old. This verse assigns a reason for the preceding prayers, a connection indicated by the for. He prays that God will deal with him in mercy, not in justice, by abandoning him to the fate here described. Compare Psa 7:5, but especially Psa 88:3-6. See also Lam 3:6. The last words some understand to mean for ever dead.

Joseph Addison Alexander, The Psalms Translated and Explained (1850) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

143:3-4 I am losing all hope: The psalmist confesses his desperation as his life slips away under oppressive and ruthless foes.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

He acknowledgeth that God is the only and true physician and heal him: and that he is able to raise him to life, though he were dead long ago, and turned to ashes.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Verse 3. He hath made me to dwell in darkness] Literally, in dark places. This may be understood of David's taking refuge in caves and dens of the earth, to escape from his persecuting son; yea, even to take refuge in the tombs, or repositories of the dead.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

3. For the enemy hath persecuted my soul. Having acknowledged that he only suffered the just punishment of his sins, David comes now to speak of his enemies; for to have begun by speaking of them would have been a preposterous order. Their cruelty was shown in their not resting satisfied but with the destruction of one who was a saint of God; he declares that he must even now perish unless God should help him speedily. The comparison is not merely to a dead man, but a putrid corpse; for by the dead of an age כמתי עולם. These words are differently rendered in the ancient versions. The Septuagint has ὡς νεκροὺς αἰωνος, as the dead of the age; the Syriac, forever; the Chaldee, as they that lie down of that age. The real sense of the expression is, as they who have been dead a long time. The Psalmist employs hyperbolical language in this verse; he says, the enemy hath beaten his life to the ground, hath made him dwell in dark places, and for such a length of time, that there remained no remembrance of him, and that he had become like those persons who had long since been in their graves. The design of all this is to express emphatically great sorrow and oppression.” — Phillips.

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

(3) This verse explains the last. The affliction under which the psalmist suffers is evidence that God is visiting for sin.

He hath made . . .—See Lam_3:6; and comp. Psa_88:5-6.

Long dead.—Literally, either dead of old, or dead for ever, according as we take ‘ôlam of past or future time. LXX., νεκροὺς αἰῶνος; Vulg., mortuos sæculi.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

3. Cp. Psa_7:5; Psa_88:3-6. The last line agrees verbatim with Lam_3:6.

in darkness] In dark places, as Psa_88:6, probably a figure for calamity, in which he is as it were buried alive. But it is possible (cp. Psa_142:7) that he was actually a prisoner.

as those that have been long dead] And so are forgotten alike by God and man (Psa_88:5). But the meaning may be those who are dead for ever, who will never return to life; lit. dead of eternity, cp. Jer_51:39, ‘sleep of eternity’ = perpetual sleep; Ecc_12:5, ‘house of eternity’ = perpetual abode.

3, 4. The reason for his prayer. The extremity of his present sufferings seems to be a proof that God is calling him to account and punishing him for his sins with strict severity.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

For the enemy hath persecuted my soul,.... Which is to be connected with Psa 143:1; and is a reason why he desires his prayer might be answered, seeing his enemy, either Saul, or Absalom his own son, persecuted him, or pursued him in order to take away his soul, or life; or Satan, the enemy and avenger, who goes about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour; or persecuting men, who are his emissaries and instruments, whom he instigates to persecute the Lord's people, and employs them therein;

he hath smitten my life down to the ground: brought him into a low, mean, and abject state, and near to death; had with a blow struck him to the ground, and left him wallowing in the mire and dirt, just ready to expire. The phrase is expressive of a very distressing state and condition. Some render it "my company" (r); meaning the men that were with him, his soldiers, who were reduced to a low condition with him, and greatly enfeebled and dispirited;

he hath made me to dwell in darkness: in the sides of the cave, as Kimchi; see Sa2 24:3; or in great affliction of body and mind, frequently signified by darkness, as prosperity is by light; he was not only obliged by his enemy to hide himself in woods and wildernesses, and in caves and dens, but was filled with gloomy apprehensions of things, Psa 88:6;

as those that have been long dead; or "of old" (s), an age or two ago, who are out of mind and forgotten, and of whom there is no hope of their coming to life again until the resurrection; or who are "dead for ever" (t); will remain so till that time comes; signifying hereby his hopeless, helpless, and forlorn state and condition; see Psa 31:12.

(r) "catervam meam", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator. (s) "olim", Tigurine version, Vatablus, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Cocceius. (t) So Syriac and Arabic versions.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

For the enemy hath persecuted my soul - Has persecuted me; has sought my life.

He hath smitten my life down to the ground - He has, as it were, trampled me down to the earth. The word rendered “smitten” means to break in pieces, to beat small, to crush. See Psa 72:4; Psa 89:10; Job 6:9. His very life seemed to be crushed out as one that is trodden down to the ground.

He hath made me to dwell in darkness - He has made my life like that of one who dwells in darkness; he has made it a life of sorrow, so that I have no comfort - no light.

As those that have been long dead - A similar expression occurs in Lam 3:6 : “He hath set me in dark places, as they that be dead of old.” The same Hebrew words are used. The word rendered “long” means, age, duration, eternity: Psa 139:24. The idea here is, that his condition was like that of those who had been long in their graves; who had long since ceased to see any light; whose abode was utter and absolute gloom.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

This is not a reason of what he last said, Psa 143:2, but an argument to enforce his petition delivered Psa 143:1, and repeated Psa 143:7, &c. For though I am not faultless, if thou shouldst make an exact search into me, yet mine enemies are more culpable and highly unjust, and therefore I hope for thy help against them, from thy justice as well as mercy.

My soul, i.e. my life; for nothing less will satisfy him.

He hath smitten my life down to the ground; he hath beaten me down to the ground, where I lie struggling for life.

He hath made me to dwell in darkness; he hath forced me to have mine abode in dark vaults and caves, where I am out of sight and memory, and in as forlorn and hopeless a condition in the eye of man as those that have lain long rotting in the grave.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

3. Have been long dead—Or, have been “dead” from immemorial time, or, more literally, those that are for ever dead, who cannot rise from the grave, but are hopelessly bound in its chains of darkness. But in this sense it is simply hypothetical.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

For the enemy hath persecuted my soul. "The enemy" may be Saul, but is more probably an abstract expression for "my enemies" generally. He hath smitten my life down to the ground; or, "crushed my life to the ground brought me, i.e., very low. (comp. Psa_42:6) He hath made me to dwell in darkness. (comp. Psa_88:6) As those that have been long dead. I have dwelt in a darkness like that of Shell; i.e. in gloom and unhappiness. (comp. Lam_3:6)

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

For - This is not a reason of what he last said, but an argument to enforce his petition delivered, ver. 1. Soul - My life; nothing less will satisfy him. Dead - I am in as hopeless a condition in the eye of man, as those that have lain long in the grave.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

pursued my soul

Here the word "soul" represents the person. AT: "pursued me" (See: Synecdoche)

has crushed me to the ground

Defeating an enemy is spoken of as a heavy object crushing a lighter object on the ground. AT: "has completely defeated me"

My spirit is overwhelmed within me

"I am weak" or "I am extremely discouraged"

my heart despairs

"I no longer have any hope"

translationWords

adversary

soul

life

darkness

die

spirit

heart

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

For an enemy pursued my soul That is to say: If I have sinned before You, behold, I have suffered. This psalm was recited as referring to all of Israel in Babylon.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.