A song, a psalm of Asaph
83:Title In the recorded history of Israel we never read of the exact alliance against Israel of all the nations mentioned in this psalm. It is probable that Asaph is reviewing attacks on Israel made by different nations at different times. In other words, all Israel’s enemies were of one mind through the centuries to destroy it from being a nation.⚜
83
📚Do not keep silent, O God; do not be quiet and do not be still,
O God.
83:1 God’s enemies were not silent – v 2. Let God speak and silence them.⚜
2 📚For, look, your enemies make
an uproar,
and those who hate you have lifted
up their head.
83:2 God raised up the nation Israel to be the channel for bringing His Word, His truth, His salvation to the world. Those who hated Israel were haters of light, of truth, of God. Today those who hate Christ’s believers are in the same sad condition. They are haters of God – John 3:20; 15:18, 24; Rom 1:30; 1 John 3:13.⚜
3 📚They have craftily plotted
against your people,
and conspired together against
your hidden ones 📖.
4 📚They have said,
“Come, and let us cut them off
as a nation,
so that the name
of Israel may be
remembered no more”.
83:4 Pharaoh in Egypt, the nations around Canaan, Haman in Persia, and many others since including Adolph Hitler in Germany have tried to crush the Jews and exterminate them as a people. All such attempts failed and cannot but fail. God has always had His purposes with Israel and He will certainly fulfill them. Likewise there have been attempts made by various peoples at various times to exterminate the followers of Christ. It is utterly impossible to do so (Matt 16:18). In fact such attempts have often resulted in an increase in their numbers, power, and purity.⚜
5 📚For they have consulted together
with one purpose;
they have formed an alliance
against you:
6 📚The tents of Edom,
and the Ishmaelites,
of Moab, and the Hagarenes,
7 📚Gebal, and Ammon, and Amalek,
the Philistines with the inhabitants
of Tyre;
8 📚Assyria too has joined
with them;
they have helped the children
of Lot. Selah
83:4-8 Diverse people who have no common interests are united in one thing – they all oppose God and would like to destroy the people of God. So Herod and Pilate, former enemies, became allies and friends at the crucifixion of Christ (Luke 23:12. See Ps 2:2).⚜
83:6-8 The enemies mentioned here were on all sides of Israel, east, south, west, and north.⚜
9 📚Do to them as you did to
the Midianites,
to Sisera, to Jabin,
at the Kishon River,
10 📚Who perished at Endor;
they became like refuse
on the ground.
11 📚Make their leaders like Oreb
and like Zeeb;
yes, all their princes like
Zebah and Zalmunna,
12 📚Who said, “Let us take possession
of the pastures of God for
ourselves”.
83:12 Israel’s “pastures” belong to God.⚜
13 📚O my God, make them like a
rolling wheel,
like chaff before the wind.
14 📚As the fire burns a forest,
and as a flame sets the mountains
on fire,
15 📚So pursue them with
your tempest,
and frighten them with your storm.
83:13-15 Note on such prayers at Ps 35:8.⚜
16 📚Fill their faces with shame,
so that they may seek your name,
O LORD.
17 📚Let them be disappointed
and dismayed forever;
yes, let them be put to shame,
and perish,
18 📚That men may know
that you,
whose name alone is
the LORD,
are the Most High over
all the earth.
83:16-18 The inspired psalmists always had good reasons for praying for their enemies’ defeat or destruction (see Ps 7:6-9). Here Asaph gives two reasons: that men may seek the true God (v 16), and may know that Jehovah alone is the God of the universe (v 18). So Asaph’s prayer does not arise from a vindictive heart or motives of human revenge, but from a desire for God’s glory and the good of those who will seek God and come to know Him. On this high note the Psalms of Asaph are at an end.⚜