Reflections on Psalms 83

 Psalms 83(Contemporary English Version)

1. (A song and a psalm by Asaph.) Our God, don't just sit there, silently doing nothing!
   
2. Your hateful enemies are turning against you and rebelling.
   
3. They are sly, and they plot against those you treasure.
   
4. They say, "Let's wipe out the nation of Israel and make sure that no one remembers its name!"
   
5. All of them fully agree in their plans against you, and among them are
   
6. Edom and the Ishmaelites; Moab and the Hagrites;
   
7. Gebal, Ammon, and Amalek; Philistia and Phoenicia.
   
8. Even Assyria has joined forces with Moab and Ammon.
   
9. Our Lord, punish all of them as you punished Midian. Destroy them, as you destroyed Sisera and Jabin at Kishon Creek
   
10. near Endor, and let their bodies rot.
    
11. Treat their leaders as you did Oreb and Zeeb, Zebah and Zalmunna.
    
12. All of them said, "We'll take God's valuable land!"
    
13. Our God, scatter them around like dust in a whirlwind.
    
14. Just as flames destroy forests on the mountains,
    
15. pursue and terrify them with storms of your own.
    
16. Make them blush with shame, until they turn and worship you, our LORD.
    
17. Let them be forever ashamed and confused. Let them die in disgrace.
    
18. Make them realize that you are the LORD Most High, the only ruler of earth!

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When Asaph addressed God through this psalm, ten nations had formed an alliance against Israel with the intent to "wipe them out as a nation so that Israel's name will no longer be remembered." (83:4) Assyria alone was capable of wiping out Israel, but combined with the other nine nations Israel was in an impossible situation. That is, impossible without the Lord's intervention.

But Asaph knew that with God's involvement this situation against which Israel was helpless to defend herself became one in which these enemies could be destroyed. He remembered what God did with Gideon against the Midianites and with Deborah and Barak against Sisera. There was precedent for God's intervention on Israel's behalf and it was time again for Him to come to her aid. He asked God to make these nations like tumbleweed and straw before the wind. As fire burns through a forest he wanted God to " pursue them with Your tempest and terrify them with Your storm." (83:15) In the end he wanted God to put these nations to shame and to "let them perish in disgrace." (83:17)

When God had caused such a defeat of these mighty foes, they would know that God alone was "the Most High over all the earth." (83:18) In Asaph's mind, God's intervention against these nations would not only benefit Israel but would defend God's name, for these were also God's enemies. By devising "clever schemes" against God's people and attempting to wipe out God's "treasured ones," (83:3) they were conspiring against God.

God's help is still available for His people who reach out for His intervention against those who promote injustice. They, too, are God's enemies as well as enemies of God's people. He will come to the aid of His people.