Psalms 143:3

For the enemy hath persecuted my soul. He has followed me up with malicious perseverance, and has worried me as often as I have been within his reach. The attack was upon the soul or life of the Psalmist: our adversaries mean us the worst possible evil, their attacks are no child's play, they hunt for the precious life. He hath smitten my life down to the ground. The existence of David was made bitter by the cruelty of his enemy; he was as one who was hurled down and made to lie upon the ground, where he could be trampled on by his assailant. Slander has a very depressing effect upon the spirits; it is a blow which overthrows the mind as though it were knocked clown with the fist. He hath made me to dwell in darkness, as those that have been long dead. The enemy was not content with felling his life to the ground—he would lay him lower still, even in the grave; and lower than that, if possible, for the enemy would shut up the saint in the darkness of hell if he could. David was driven by Saul's animosity to haunt caverns and holes, like an unquiet ghost; he wandered out by night, and lay hid by day like an uneasy spirit which had long been denied the repose of the grave. Good men began to forget him, as though he had been long dead; and bad men made ridicule of his rueful visage as though it belonged not to a living man, but was dark with the shadow of the sepulchre. Poor David! He was qualified to bless the house of the living, but he was driven to consort with the dead! Such may be our case, and yet we may be very dear to the Lord. One thing is certain, the Lord who permits us to dwell in darkness among the dead, will surely bring us into light, and cause us to dwell with those who enjoy life eternal.

He hath made me to dwell in darkness - Literally, in dark places. This may be understood of David’s taking refuge in caves and dens of the earth, to escape from his persecuting son; yea, even to take refuge in the tombs, or repositories of the dead.

For the enemy hath persecuted my soul - Has persecuted me; has sought my life. He hath smitten my life down to the ground - He has, as it were, trampled me down to the earth. The word rendered “smitten” means to break in pieces, to beat small, to crush. See Psa 72:4; Psa 89:10; Job 6:9. His very life seemed to be crushed out as one that is trodden down to the ground. He hath made me to dwell in darkness - He has made my life like that of one who dwells in darkness; he has made it a life of sorrow, so that I have no comfort - no light. As those that have been long dead - A similar expression occurs in Lam 3:6: “He hath set me in dark places, as they that be dead of old.” The same Hebrew words are used. The word rendered “long” means, age, duration, eternity: Psa 139:24. The idea here is, that his condition was like that of those who had been long in their graves; who had long since ceased to see any light; whose abode was utter and absolute gloom.