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 ) .