Psalms — Chapter 83

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1Keep not thou silence, O God: hold not thy peace, and be not still, O God.

2For, lo, thine enemies make a tumult: and they that hate thee have lifted up the head.

3They have taken crafty counsel against thy people, and consulted against thy hidden ones.

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

5For they have consulted together with one consent: they are confederate against thee:

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

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

8Assur also is joined with them: they have holpen the children of Lot. Selah.

9Do unto them as unto the Midianites; as to Sisera, as to Jabin, at the brook of Kison:

10Which perished at Endor: they became as dung for the earth.

11Make their nobles like Oreb, and like Zeeb: yea, all their princes as Zebah, and as Zalmunna:

12Who said, Let us take to ourselves the houses of God in possession.

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

14As the fire burneth a wood, and as the flame setteth the mountains on fire;

15So persecute them with thy tempest, and make them afraid with thy storm.

16Fill their faces with shame; that they may seek thy name, O LORD.

17Let them be confounded and troubled for ever; yea, let them be put to shame, and perish:

18That men may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the most high over all the earth.

1O God, keep not thou silence: Hold not thy peace, and be not still, O God.

2For, lo, thine enemies make a tumult; And they that hate thee have lifted up the head.

3Thy take crafty counsel against thy people, And consult together against thy hidden ones.

4They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; That the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance.

5For they have consulted together with one consent; Against thee do they make a covenant:

6The tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites; Moab, and the Hagarenes;

7Gebal, and Ammon, and Amalek; Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre:

8Assyria also is joined with them; They have helped the children of Lot. Selah

9Do thou unto them as unto Midian, As to Sisera, as to Jabin, at the river Kishon;

10Who perished at Endor, Who became as dung for the earth.

11Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb; Yea, all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna;

12Who said, Let us take to ourselves in possession The habitations of God.

13O my God, make them like the whirling dust; As stubble before the wind.

14As the fire that burneth the forest, And as the flame that setteth the mountains on fire,

15So pursue them with thy tempest, And terrify them with thy storm.

16Fill their faces with confusion, That they may seek thy name, O Jehovah.

17Let them be put to shame and dismayed for ever; Yea, let them be confounded and perish;

18That they may know that thou alone, whose name is Jehovah, Art the Most High over all the earth. Psalm 84 For the Chief Musician; set to the Gittith. A Psalm of the sons of Korah.

1A song, a psalm of Asaph. O God, do not be silent. Do not ignore us. Do not be inactive, O God.

2For look, your enemies are making a commotion; those who hate you are hostile.

3They carefully plot against your people, and make plans to harm the ones you cherish.

4They say, “Come on, let’s annihilate them so they are no longer a nation. Then the name of Israel will be remembered no more.”

5Yes, they devise a unified strategy; they form an alliance against you.

6It includes the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites, Moab and the Hagrites,

7Gebal, Ammon, and Amalek, Philistia, and the inhabitants of Tyre.

8Even Assyria has allied with them, lending its strength to the descendants of Lot. (Selah)

9Do to them as you did to Midian— as you did to Sisera and Jabin at the Kishon River.

10They were destroyed at Endor; their corpses were like manure on the ground.

11Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb, and all their rulers like Zebah and Zalmunna,

12who said, “Let’s take over the pastures of God.”

13O my God, make them like dead thistles, like dead weeds blown away by the wind.

14Like the fire that burns down the forest, or the flames that consume the mountainsides,

15chase them with your gale winds and terrify them with your windstorm.

16Cover their faces with shame, so they might seek you, O Lord.

17May they be humiliated and continually terrified. May they die in shame.

18Then they will know that you alone are the Lord, the Most High over all the earth.

1God, don’t keep silent. Don’t keep silent, and don’t be still, God.

2For, behold, your enemies are stirred up. Those who hate you have lifted up their heads.

3They conspire with cunning against your people. They plot against your cherished ones.

4“Come,” they say, “let’s destroy them as a nation, that the name of Israel may be remembered no more.”

5For they have conspired together with one mind. They form an alliance against you.

6The tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites; Moab, and the Hagrites;

7Gebal, Ammon, and Amalek; Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre;

8Assyria also is joined with them. They have helped the children of Lot. Selah.

9Do to them as you did to Midian, as to Sisera, as to Jabin, at the river Kishon;

10who perished at Endor, who became as dung for the earth.

11Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb; yes, all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna;

12who said, “Let us take possession of God’s pasture lands.”

13My God, make them like tumbleweed; like chaff before the wind.

14As the fire that burns the forest, as the flame that sets the mountains on fire,

15so pursue them with your tempest, and terrify them with your storm.

16Fill their faces with confusion, that they may seek your name, Yahweh.

17Let them be disappointed and dismayed forever. Yes, let them be confounded and perish;

18that they may know that you alone, whose name is Yahweh, are the Most High over all the earth.

Summary
Authorship & Background
Map & Geography
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Reflection

Summary

A communal lament — Asaph lists a coalition of nations conspiring to destroy Israel, then prays God would scatter them as He did Midian and Sisera, that they may know the LORD is Most High over all the earth.

Authorship & Background

Author: Multiple authors — primarily David (73 psalms attributed), plus Asaph (12), Sons of Korah (11), Solomon (2), Moses (1), Heman (1), Ethan (1), and anonymous. The Psalter was compiled over approximately 1000 years and served as Israel's hymnal and prayer book. The book is divided into five 'books' (1-41, 42-72, 73-89, 90-106, 107-150), paralleling the five books of Moses. Key themes: worship, lament, praise, trust, kingship, creation, wisdom, Messianic prophecy, and the full range of human emotion brought before God.
Classification: Community Lament / Imprecatory Psalm Attributed Author: Asaph (the last Asaphite psalm) Key Themes: Enemy coalition against Israel, God's silence, prayer for divine intervention, historical precedents of God's victories, the ultimate purpose: that all may know God is LORD
Historical Context: This is the last psalm attributed to Asaph. It describes a ten-nation coalition conspiring to destroy Israel entirely (v.4 — "let us cut them off from being a nation"). The specific coalition (Edom, Ishmaelites, Moab, Hagrites, Gebal, Ammon, Amalek, Philistia, Tyre, Assyria) is difficult to match to one specific historical event. Some suggest Jehoshaphat's crisis (2 Chronicles 20), others a broader composite of Israel's perennial enemies. The psalm appeals to past victories (Midian, Sisera, Jabin — Judges 4-8) as precedent for divine intervention. Remarkably, the psalm's ultimate goal is not merely Israel's survival but the enemies' recognition that the LORD alone is God (v.18).
Structure:
  • Plea: Break Your Silence, O God (vv.1-4)
  • The Enemy Coalition Listed (vv.5-8)
  • Appeal to Past Victories (vv.9-12)
  • Imprecations Against the Enemy (vv.13-17)
  • Ultimate Purpose: That All Know God (v.18)

Map & Geography

Reflection

  • 1. God's silence does not mean God's absence (v.1). When enemies rage and God seems quiet, He is not uninvolved. Sometimes He is silent while He prepares His response. Ask Him to break silence — but trust Him even in the quiet.
  • 2. Enemy coalitions against God's people always fail (vv.4-8). Throughout history, alliances formed to destroy God's people have ultimately failed. No coalition can overpower God's purposes.
  • 3. Even judgment has a redemptive purpose (vv.16-18). "That they may seek thy name." The goal of prayer against enemies is not merely their destruction but their recognition of God. Biblical imprecation aims at glory, not revenge.
  • 4. History provides precedent for faith (vv.9-12). What God did to Midian and Sisera, He can do again. Past victories are not just memories — they are promises of future intervention.