Psalm 83:1-18
Enemies Gather
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1A song. A Psalm of Asaph. O God, be not silent; be not speechless; be not still, O God.
2See how Your enemies rage, how Your foes have reared their heads.
3With cunning they scheme against Your people and conspire against those You cherish,
4saying, “Come, let us erase them as a nation; may the name of Israel be remembered no more.”
5For with one mind they plot together; they form an alliance against You—
6the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites, of Moab and the Hagrites,
7of Gebal, Ammon, and Amalek, of Philistia with the people of Tyre.
8Even Assyria has joined them, lending strength to the sons of Lot. Selah
9Do to them as You did to Midian, as to Sisera and Jabin at the River Kishon,
10who perished at Endor and became like dung on the ground.
11Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb, and all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna,
12who said, “Let us possess for ourselves the pastures of God.”
13Make them like tumbleweed, O my God, like chaff before the wind.
14As fire consumes a forest, as a flame sets the mountains ablaze,
15so pursue them with Your tempest, and terrify them with Your storm.
16Cover their faces with shame, that they may seek Your name, O LORD.
17May they be ever ashamed and terrified; may they perish in disgrace.
18May they know that You alone, whose name is the LORD, are Most High over all the earth.
Berean Standard Bible
Read aloud
The psalm asks God not to be silent while enemies conspire against His people. They say, “Come, let us erase them as a nation,” and gather from many surrounding peoples. The threat is not a private dispute; it is an attempt to destroy a people and erase their name.
The prayer remembers earlier enemies whom God defeated, including Midian, Sisera, and Jabin. It asks God to make the coalition like tumbleweed and chaff before the wind, and to pursue them as fire consumes a forest. The language is severe because the threatened community feels surrounded.
The singer asks God to cover their faces with shame so that they may seek His name. He also asks that they perish in disgrace. Both pleas bring this violent coalition before the LORD: its plans must not prevail, and it must know that He alone is Most High over all the earth.
Questions
1 What are the enemies trying to do?
AnswerThey are conspiring to erase God's people as a nation and destroy their name.
2 What does the community remember?
AnswerIt remembers earlier deliverances from enemies such as Midian, Sisera, and Jabin.
3 What does the prayer ask God to do?
AnswerIt asks Him to scatter them like chaff before the wind and pursue them like a fire that consumes a forest.
4 What should the enemies know?
AnswerThey should know that the LORD alone is Most High over all the earth.
What This Means for Us
Threats to a community's existence deserve serious prayer and practical protection. Do not reduce them to interpersonal conflict or ask victims to become calm before they are safe.
The psalm's fierce words should be entrusted to God. We can seek the survival of a people without making hatred our permanent home.
Prayer
Most High God, protect communities threatened with erasure and violence. Give them wise allies and safe refuge, restrain those who conspire against them, and keep our pursuit of justice free from hatred. Amen.
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