Psalms 143:3
1 Hear my prayer, O LORD, give ear to my supplications: in thy faithfulness answer me, and in thy righteousness.
2 And enter not into judgment with thy servant: for in thy sight shall no man living be justified.
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.
4 Therefore is my spirit overwhelmed within me; my heart within me is desolate.
5 I remember the days of old; I meditate on all thy works; I muse on the work of thy hands.
Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- For the enemy has pursued my soul, crushing my life to the ground, making me dwell in darkness like those long since 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.
- 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.
- ASV
- For the enemy hath persecuted my soul; He hath smitten my life down to the ground: He hath made me to dwell in dark places, as those that have been long dead.
- DARBY
- For the enemy persecuteth my soul: he hath crushed my life down to the earth; he hath made me to dwell in dark places, as those that have been long dead.
- BLB
- For the enemy has pursued my soul; he has crushed my life to the ground; he has made me dwell in darkness, like the dead of old.
- ÅB
- For fienden har forfulgt min sjel, han har knust mitt liv til jorden, han har satt meg på mørke steder som de evig døde.
- OTB
- For fienden har forfulgt min sjel;
Han har brakt mitt liv ned til jorden;
Han har latt meg bo i mørket, som de lenge døde. - B1930
- For fienden har forfulgt min sjel, han har knust mitt liv til jorden, han har satt mig på mørke steder som de evig døde.
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Lamentations 3:6
He hath set me in dark places, as they that be dead of old.
Read in contextPsalms 7:5
Let 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.
Read in contextPsalms 7:1–2
O LORD my God, in thee do I put my trust: save me from all them that persecute me, and deliver me:
Read in contextPsalms 88:4–6
I am counted with them that go down into the pit: I am as a man that hath no strength:
Read in contextPsalms 142:6
Attend unto my cry; for I am brought very low: deliver me from my persecutors; for they are stronger than I.
Read in contextPsalms 17:9–13
From the wicked that oppress me, from my deadly enemies, who compass me about.
Read in context2 Samuel 2:22
And 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?
Read in context2 Samuel 18:11
And 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.
Read in context