3 The evil man has gone after my soul; my life is crushed down to the earth: he has put me in the dark, like those who have long been dead.
I am numbered among those who go down into the earth; I have become like a man for whom there is no help: My soul is among the dead, like those in the underworld, to whom you give no more thought; for they are cut off from your care. You have put me in the lowest deep, even in dark places.
Then again Abner said to Asahel, Go to one side, do not keep on coming after me: why will you make me put an end to you? for then I will be shamed before your brother Joab.
<Shiggaion of David; a song which he made to the Lord, about the words of Cush the Benjamite.> O Lord my God, I put my faith in you; take me out of the hands of him who is cruel to me, and make me free; So that he may not come rushing on my soul like a lion, wounding it, while there is no one to be my saviour.
Let my hater go after my soul and take it; let my life be crushed to the earth, and my honour into the dust. (Selah.)
From the evil-doers who are violent to me, and from those who are round me, desiring my death. They are shut up in their fat: with their mouths they say words of pride. They have made a circle round our steps: their eyes are fixed on us, forcing us down to the earth; Like a lion desiring its food, and like a young lion waiting in secret places. Up! Lord, come out against him, make him low, with your sword be my saviour from the evil-doer.
I have gone from men's minds and memory like a dead man; I am like a broken vessel. False statements against me have come to my ears; fear was on every side: they were talking together against me, designing to take away my life.
Let them be overcome and put to shame who make attempts to take my soul; let those who would do me damage be turned back and made foolish.
Give ear to my cry, for I am made very low: take me out of the hands of my haters, for they are stronger than I.
He has kept me in dark places, like those who have been long dead.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Psalms 143
Commentary on Psalms 143 Matthew Henry Commentary
Psalm 143
This psalm, as those before, is a prayer of David, and full of complaints of the great distress and danger he was in, probably when Saul persecuted him. He did not only pray in that affliction, but he prayed very much and very often, not the same over again, but new thoughts. In this psalm,
We may more easily accommodate this psalm to ourselves, in the singing of it, because most of the petitions in it are for spiritual blessings (which we all need at all times), mercy and grace.
A psalm of David.
Psa 143:1-6
Here,
Psa 143:7-12
David here tells us what he said when he stretched forth his hands unto God; he begins not only as one in earnest, but as one in haste: "Hear me speedily, and defer no longer, for my spirit faileth. I am just ready to faint; reach the cordial-quickly, quickly, or I am gone.' It was not a haste of unbelief, but of vehement desire and holy love. Make haste, O God! to help me. Three things David here prays for:-