The Psalms

Psalm 83

A complaint to God of the enemies' conspiracies, 1-8. A prayer against those who oppress the Church, 9-18.

1 [A Song or Psalm of Asaph.]

Do not keep silent, O God./
Do not hold your peace and do not be still, O God.

2  For behold, your enemies make a tumult,/
and those who hate you have lifted up the head.

3  They have taken crafty counsel against your people/
and consulted against your hidden ones.

4  They have said, "Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation/
so that the name of Israel may no longer be in remembrance."

5  For they have consulted together with one consent./
They are confederated against you:

6  The tabernacles of Edom and the Ishmaelites,/
of Moab and the Hagarenes,

7  Gebal, Ammon, and Amalek,/
the Philistines with the inhabitants of Tyre.

8  Assur is also joined with them./
They have helped the children of Lot./
[Selah.]

9  Do to them as to the Midianites,/
as to Sisera and to Jabin at the brook of Kison,

10 Who perished at En-dor./
They became as dung for the earth.

11 Make their nobles like Oreb and like Zeeb,/
even all their princes as Zebah and as Zalmunna,

12 Who said, "Let us take for ourselves/
the houses of God in possession."

13 O my God, make them like a wheel,/
as the stubble before the wind.

14 As the fire burns a forest/
and as the flame sets the mountains on fire,

15 So persecute them with your tempest/
and make them afraid with your storm.

16 Fill their faces with shame/
so that they may seek your name, O LORD.

17 Let them be confounded and troubled forever./
Let them even be put to shame and perish,

18 So that men may know that you, whose name alone is YAHWEH,/
are the most high over all the earth.

Commentary

Matthew Henry Commentary - Psalms, Chapter 83[➚]

Notes

John Calvin's Chapter Summary:

The prophet implores the divine aid against the enemies of the Church, and, as an argument for obtaining this the more easily, he enumerates the many nations which had conspired together for the express purpose of exterminating the people of Israel, and thereby extinguishing the very name of the Church of God. To stir up himself and others to greater earnestness and confidence in prayer, he shows, by many examples, how mightily God had been wont to succor his servants.

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