Psalms 83:1

1 A Song. A Psalm of Asaph. Do not keep silent, O God! Do not hold Your peace, And do not be still, O God!

Psalms 83:1 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 83:1

Keep not thou silence, O God
Which he is thought and said to do, when he does not answer the prayers of his people, nor plead their cause, nor rebuke their enemies; when he does not speak a good word to them, or one for them, or one against those that hate and persecute them;

hold not thy peace;
or "be not deaf" F2 to the cries and tears of his people, and to the reproaches, menaces, and blasphemies of wicked men:

and be not still, O God;
or "quiet" F3, at rest and ease, inactive and unconcerned, as if he cared not how things went; the reason follows.


FOOTNOTES:

F2 (vrxt-la) "ne obsurdescas", Vatablus; "ne surdum agas", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator; "ne quasi surdus et mutus sis", Michaelis.
F3 (jqvt la) "ne quiescas", Pagninus, Montanus, Musculus, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Gejerus; "neque quietus sis", Michaelis.

Psalms 83:1 In-Context

1 A Song. A Psalm of Asaph. Do not keep silent, O God! Do not hold Your peace, And do not be still, O God!
2 For behold, Your enemies make a tumult; And those who hate You have lifted up their head.
3 They have taken crafty counsel against Your people, And consulted together against Your sheltered ones.
4 They have said, "Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation, That the name of Israel may be remembered no more."
5 For they have consulted together with one consent; They form a confederacy against You:
Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.