Psaume 143:3

3 L'ennemi poursuit mon âme, Il foule à terre ma vie; Il me fait habiter dans les ténèbres, Comme ceux qui sont morts depuis longtemps.

Psaume 143:3 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 143:3

For the enemy hath persecuted my soul
Which is to be connected with ( Psalms 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" ^F18; 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 ( 2 Samuel 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, ( Psalms 88:6 ) ; as those that have been long dead;
or "of old" ^F19, 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" ^F20; will remain so till that time comes; signifying hereby his hopeless, helpless, and forlorn state and condition; see ( Psalms 31:12 ) ( Psalms 88:4 Psalms 88:5 ) .

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FOOTNOTES:

F18 (ytyx) "catervam meam", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator.
F19 (Mlwe) "olim", Tigurine version, Vatablus, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Cocceius.
F20 So Syriac and Arabic versions.

Psaume 143:3 In-Context

1 Psaume de David. Eternel, écoute ma prière, prête l'oreille à mes supplications! Exauce-moi dans ta fidélité, dans ta justice!

2 N'entre pas en jugement avec ton serviteur! Car aucun vivant n'est juste devant toi.

3 L'ennemi poursuit mon âme, Il foule à terre ma vie; Il me fait habiter dans les ténèbres, Comme ceux qui sont morts depuis longtemps.

4 Mon esprit est abattu au dedans de moi, Mon coeur est troublé dans mon sein.

5 Je me souviens des jours d'autrefois, Je médite sur toutes tes oeuvres, Je réfléchis sur l'ouvrage de tes mains.