Psalm 83

1 Ein Psalmlied Asaphs. Gott, schweige doch nicht also und sei doch nicht so still; Gott, halt doch nicht so inne!

2 Denn siehe, deine Feinde toben, und die dich hassen, richten den Kopf auf.

3 Sie machen listige Anschläge gegen dein Volk und ratschlagen wider deine Verborgenen.

4 "Wohl her!" sprechen sie; "laßt uns sie ausrotten, daß sie kein Volk seien, daß des Namens Israel nicht mehr gedacht werde!"

5 Denn sie haben sich miteinander vereinigt und einen Bund wider dich gemacht,

6 die Hütten der Edomiter und Ismaeliter, der Moabiter und Hagariter,

7 der Gebaliter, Ammoniter und Amalekiter, die Philister samt denen zu Tyrus;

8 Assur hat sich auch zu ihnen geschlagen; sie helfen den Kindern Lot. (Sela.)

9 Tue ihnen, wie den Midianitern, wie Sisera, wie Jabin am Bach Kison,

10 die vertilgt wurden bei Endor und wurden zu Kot auf der Erde.

11 Mache ihre Fürsten wie Oreb und Seeb, alle ihre Obersten wie Sebah und Zalmuna,

12 die da sagen: Wir wollen Häuser Gottes einnehmen.

13 Gott, mache sie wie einen Wirbel, wie Stoppeln vor dem Winde.

14 Wie ein Feuer den Wald verbrennt und wie eine Flamme die Berge anzündet:

15 also verfolge sie mit deinem Wetter und erschrecke sie mit deinem Ungewitter.

16 Mache ihr Angesicht voll Schande, daß sie nach deinem Namen fragen müssen, o HERR.

17 Schämen müssen sie sich und erschrecken auf immer und zu Schanden werden und umkommen;

18 so werden sie erkennen, daß du mit deinem Namen heißest HERR allein und der Höchste in aller Welt.

Psalm 83 Commentary

Chapter 83

The designs of the enemies of Israel. (1-8) Earnest prayer for their defeat. (9-18)

Verses 1-8 Sometimes God seems not to be concerned at the unjust treatment of his people. But then we may call upon him, as the psalmist here. All wicked people are God's enemies, especially wicked persecutors. The Lord's people are his hidden one; the world knows them not. He takes them under his special protection. Do the enemies of the church act with one consent to destroy it, and shall not the friends of the church be united? Wicked men wish that there might be no religion among mankind. They would gladly see all its restraints shaken off, and all that preach, profess, or practise it, cut off. This they would bring to pass if it were in their power. The enemies of God's church have always been many: this magnifies the power of the Lord in preserving to himself a church in the world.

Verses 9-18 All who oppose the kingdom of Christ may here read their doom. God is the same still that ever he was; the same to his people, and the same against his and their enemies. God would make their enemies like a wheel; unsettled in all their counsels and resolves. Not only let them be driven away as stubble, but burnt as stubble. And this will be the end of wicked men. Let them be made to fear thy name, and perhaps that will bring them to seek thy name. We should desire no confusion to our enemies and persecutors but what may forward their conversion. The stormy tempest of Divine vengeance will overtake them, unless they repent and seek the pardoning mercy of their offended Lord. God's triumphs over his enemies, clearly prove that he is, according to his name JEHOVAH, an almighty Being, who has all power and perfection in himself. May we fear his wrath, and yield ourselves to be his willing servants. And let us seek deliverance by the destruction of our fleshly lusts, which war against the soul.

Chapter Summary

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.