Skip to content

You Are Here in the Story

Creation
Fall
Patriarchs
Exodus & Kingdom
Exile & Return
Christ
Church & Consummation

Exodus & Kingdom: Nation formed, law given, kingdom rises and falls

Psalms

Chapter 83

A Prayer Against Enemy Nations

The psalmist urgently appeals to God not to be silent, for God's enemies are in tumult and conspiring against Israel. Multiple nations—Edom, Ishmael, Moab, Hagar, Gebal, Ammon, Amalek, Philistia, Tyre, Assyria, and the children of Lot—have conspired together to destroy Israel and erase it from memory. The psalmist petitions God to defeat these enemies as He defeated Midian and Sisera, covering their faces with shame so they may seek God's name and know that He alone, JEHOVAH, is most high over all the earth.

Enemy conspiracyNational destructionGod's past victoriesDivine supremacy

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 En-dor: 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.

Highlight verses · Track progress · Unlock AI tools — free to start.