The Bible — World English Bible
Psalm 83
In brief
Psalm 83 is a communal prayer of Asaph. God's people see a coalition of nations banding together to wipe out the name of Israel. The psalmist begs God not to stay silent, lists the enemy peoples, then recalls victories of the past, such as the one over Midian. He asks for severe judgments, but the goal is stated clearly: that these peoples seek the name of the LORD and recognize that he is the Most High over all the earth.
The chapter in 4 parts
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.
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’s 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.
Key verses
God, don’t keep silent. Don’t keep silent, and don’t be still, God.
The psalm begins with an urgent appeal: let God act. God's silence is what weighs most on the people.
“Come,” they say, “let’s destroy them as a nation, that the name of Israel may be remembered no more.”
The enemies' plan is to erase even the memory of Israel's name. It is an attack on the people and on the covenant with God.
Do to them as you did to Midian, as to Sisera, as to Jabin, at the river Kishon; who perished at Endor, who became as dung for the earth. Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb, yes, all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna,
The psalmist recalls the victories of Gideon, and of Deborah and Barak. He relies on what God has already done to ask him to act again.
Fill their faces with confusion, that they may seek your name, Yahweh.
Even in the request for judgment, the goal is that the enemies seek the name of the LORD. The prayer aims at their recognition of God and not only at their downfall.
that they may know that you alone, whose name is Yahweh, are the Most High over all the earth.
The psalm closes on the purpose of it all: that people know God alone is the Most High over all the earth.
Test your knowledge
Frequently asked questions about Psalm 83
What does Psalm 83 mean?
It is the prayer of a people threatened by an alliance of hostile nations. The psalmist asks God not to stay silent, recalls past victories and calls for judgment. He does so in order that the enemies may finally recognize the name of the LORD. The psalm teaches us to bring our fear to God rather than take justice into our own hands.
Why does Psalm 83 ask for such harsh judgments?
These are so-called imprecatory psalms: the psalmist entrusts his anger to God and leaves the judgment to him. For a Christian, Jesus also asks us to love our enemies. Christian traditions therefore read these requests in slightly different ways, but all hold that vengeance belongs to God and that the goal is that he be known.
How can I pray or meditate on Psalm 83?
When you feel attacked or your church is threatened, tell God what you feel, as Asaph does. Remind him of what he has already done in your life. Then direct your prayer to verse 18: ask that those who oppose you, or the gospel, come to know the name of the LORD.
Who is Asaph?
Asaph is one of the singers appointed by David for the service of the sanctuary. Twelve psalms bear his name, including Psalm 50 and Psalms 73 to 83. The title of Psalm 83 calls it a song of Asaph. The text does not say which historical coalition it has in mind.
World English Bible translation — public domain.