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.
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.
- KJV 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.
- 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.
- 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 has made me to dwell in dark places, as those that have been long dead.
- Ps 7:1–2A meditation by David, which he sang to Yahweh, concerning the words of Cush, the Benjamite. Yahweh, my God, I take refuge in you. Save me from all those who pursue me, and deliver me,
- Ps 7:5let the enemy pursue my soul, and overtake it; yes, let him tread my life down to the earth, and lay my glory in the dust. Selah.
- 2 Sam 2:22Abner said again to Asahel, “Turn aside from following me. Why should I strike you to the ground? How then could I look Joab your brother in the face?”
- Ps 142:6Listen to my cry, for I am in desperate need. deliver me from my persecutors, For they are stronger than me.
- Ps 17:9–13from the wicked who oppress me, my deadly enemies, who surround me.
- Ps 88:4–6I am counted among those who go down into the pit. I am like a man who has no help,
- Ps 54:3For strangers have risen up against me. Violent men have sought after my soul. They haven’t set God before them. Selah.
- Ps 35:4Let those who seek after my soul be disappointed and brought to dishonor. Let those who plot my ruin be turned back and confounded.
- 2 Sam 18:11Joab said to the man who told him, “Behold, you saw it, and why didn’t you strike him there to the ground? I would have given you ten pieces of silver, and a sash.”
- Ps 31:12–13I am forgotten from their hearts like a dead man. I am like broken pottery.
- Ezek 37:11Then he said to me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are clean cut off.
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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
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