Psalm 83:1-4, 13-16, 18 NIV
O God, do not remain silent; do not turn a deaf ear,
do not stand aloof, O God.
See how your enemies growl, how your foes rear their heads.
With cunning they conspire against your people;
they plot against those you cherish.
“Come,” they say, “let us destroy them as a nation,
so that Israel’s name is remembered no more.”
Make them like tumbleweed, my God, like chaff before the wind.
As fire consumes the forest or a flame sets the mountains ablaze,
so pursue them with your tempest and terrify them with your storm.
Cover their faces with shame, Lord, so that they will seek your name.
Let them know that you, whose name is the Lord —
that you alone are the Most High over all the earth.
Psalm 83 is yet another plea for God to defeat the enemies of Israel. One aspect to the psalm is that it reflects the belief that Israel's enemies are God's enemies.
The Israelites thought of Yahweh as a warrior god much like Baal riding upon the storm clouds. They look to God to open up a can of whoop... and disgrace the enemy.
The enemies are named in this psalm. They are the surrounding nations referred to as the sons of Lot. You might remember that after the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, Lot and his two daughters fled to high ground in Zoar. Seeing the burning cities of the Dead Sea plains they assumed they were the only ones left on earth. The daughters wanting sons plotted to get their father drunk on wine and then slept with him. They bore sons which were named Moab and Ammon. These are among the enemy nations mentioned in Psalm 83.
The psalm also refers to previous victories against enemies like Midian which is the story of the judge Deborah. She leads the people in battle against their enemies. She was God ordained to do so.
Psalm 83:11 NIV
Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb, all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna,
These names point to the story of Gideon and God's victory through Him against the hordes of Midian.
You can read of these stories in the book of Judges. Deborah is found in Judges 4-5 and Gideon in Judges 6-8.
The reflection on these victories is a way of reminding both God and Israel of their history together. God has aroused against the enemies of Israel before. They hope that by reminding God, He will be roused to battle once more.
But now their prayers seem to go unanswered and so they wait on the Lord. The psalm begins praying that God would not be silent, quiet or still. They beg God to see His enemies and hear their wicked plans to destroy God's chosen people.
While the prayer overwhelmingly seeks their enemies destruction through a divine act of God, there is one verse I find hope filled.
Psalm 83:16 NIV
Cover their faces with shame, Lord, so that they will seek your name.
The hope mentioned here is that the enemies would repent after their defeat in the battle against God and the angel armies of heaven. In repentance the enemy might turn from hostilities against Israel and turn toward obedience to their God. Then these neighboring enemy nations would become allies who love the Lord. Isn't that the great hope that all people would come together as brothers and sisters in loving service to God?
The early church sang about such hope in what has been called The Christ Hymn in Philippians 2.
Philippians 2:9-11 NIV
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Keep praying and hoping for God to bring about this day as your life witnesses to Him. Keep hope alive.
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