Psalms 83:4-12

4 They have said, "Come, and 1let us wipe them out as a nation, That the 2name of Israel be remembered no more."
5 For they have 3conspired together with one mind; Against You they make a covenant:
6 The tents of 4Edom and the 5Ishmaelites, 6Moab and the 7Hagrites;
7 8Gebal and 9Ammon and 10Amalek, 11Philistia with the inhabitants of 12Tyre;
8 13Assyria also has joined with them; They have become a help to the 14children of Lot. Selah.
9 Deal with them 15as with Midian, As 16with Sisera and Jabin at the torrent of Kishon,
10 Who were destroyed at En-dor, Who 17became as dung for the ground.
11 Make their nobles like 18Oreb and Zeeb And all their princes like 19Zebah and Zalmunna,
12 Who said, "20Let us possess for ourselves The 21pastures of God."

Psalms 83:4-12 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 83

\\<>\\. This is the last of the psalms that bear the name of Asaph, and some think it was written by him on occasion of David's smiting the Philistines, Moabites, Syrians, Edomites, and others, 2Sa 8:1-14, but these did not conjunctly, but separately, fight with David, and were overcome by him; whereas those this psalm makes mention of were in a confederacy together; and besides, the Tyrians in David's time were in friendship with him; but are here mentioned as joining with others against Israel, Ps 83:7, others are of opinion that this was prophetic delivered out with respect to future times, either to the conspiracy of the enemies of the Jews against them in the times of the Maccabees, ``Now when the nations round about heard that the altar was built and the sanctuary renewed as before, it displeased them very much. &c.'' (1 Maccabees 5:1) or rather to the confederacy of the Moabites, Ammonites, and others, in the times of Jehoshaphat, 2Ch 20:1, so Kimchi, Arama, and the generality of interpreters: perhaps reference is had to the enemies of God's people, from age to age, both in the Old and in the New Testament; R. Obadiah understands it of the war of Gog and Magog.

Cross References 21

  • 1. Esther 3:6; Psalms 74:8; Jeremiah 48:2
  • 2. Psalms 41:5; Jeremiah 11:19
  • 3. Psalms 2:2; Daniel 6:7
  • 4. 2 Chronicles 20:10; Psalms 137:7
  • 5. Genesis 25:12-16
  • 6. 2 Chronicles 20:10
  • 7. 1 Chronicles 5:10
  • 8. Joshua 13:5; Ezekiel 27:9
  • 9. 2 Chronicles 20:10
  • 10. 1 Samuel 15:2
  • 11. 1 Samuel 4:1; 1 Samuel 29:1
  • 12. Ezekiel 27:3; Amos 1:9
  • 13. 2 Kings 15:19
  • 14. Deuteronomy 2:9
  • 15. Judges 7:1-24
  • 16. Judg 4:7, 15, 21-24
  • 17. Zephaniah 1:17
  • 18. Judges 7:25
  • 19. Judges 8:12, 21
  • 20. 2 Chronicles 20:11
  • 21. Psalms 132:13

Footnotes 4

  • [a]. Lit "from"
  • [b]. Or "consulted"
  • [c]. Lit "an arm"
  • [d]. "Selah" may mean: "Pause, Crescendo" or "Musical interlude"
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