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.
Parallel translations
- WEB For the enemy pursues my soul. He has struck my life down to the ground. He has made me live in dark places, as those who have been long dead.
- BSB For the enemy has pursued my soul, crushing my life to the ground, making me dwell in darkness like those long since dead.
- NKJV For the enemy has persecuted my soul; He has crushed my life to the ground; He has made me dwell in darkness, Like those who have long been dead.
- NASB For the enemy has persecuted my soul; He has crushed my life to the ground; He has made me dwell in dark places, like those who have long been dead.
- NLT My enemy has chased me. He has knocked me to the ground and forces me to live in darkness like those in the grave.
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
The enemy pursues and crushes David's life, leaving him in darkness like the long dead. It describes the depth of his oppression and despair.
Overview
David vividly portrays his suffering: hunted, struck down, and dwelling in darkness as if already in the grave. This pictures the soul-crushing weight of persecution. The righteous Sufferer Jesus likewise descended into death's darkness, emerging in resurrection to bring His people from darkness to light (Colossians 1:13).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 12
- Lam 3:6He hath set me in dark places, as they that be dead of old.
- Ps 7:1–2O LORD my God, in thee do I put my trust: save me from all them that persecute me, and deliver me:
- Ps 7:5Let the enemy persecute my soul, and take it; yea, let him tread down my life upon the earth, and lay mine honour in the dust. Selah.
- 2 Sam 2:22And Abner said again to Asahel, Turn thee aside from following me: wherefore should I smite thee to the ground? how then should I hold up my face to Joab thy brother?
- Ps 142:6Attend unto my cry; for I am brought very low: deliver me from my persecutors; for they are stronger than I.
- Ps 17:9–13From the wicked that oppress me, from my deadly enemies, who compass me about.
- Ps 88:4–6I am counted with them that go down into the pit: I am as a man that hath no strength:
- Ps 54:3For strangers are risen up against me, and oppressors seek after my soul: they have not set God before them. Selah.
- Ps 35:4Let them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul: let them be turned back and brought to confusion that devise my hurt.
- 2 Sam 18:11And Joab said unto the man that told him, And, behold, thou sawest him, and why didst thou not smite him there to the ground? and I would have given thee ten shekels of silver, and a girdle.
- Ps 31:12–13I am forgotten as a dead man out of mind: I am like a broken vessel.
- Ezek 37:11Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts.
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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 143:3 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.