Psalm 83:2

2 For behold, thine enemies have made a noise; and they that hate thee have lifted up the head.

Psalm 83:2 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 83:2

For, lo, thine enemies make a tumult
Or "a noise" ^F4: wicked men are commonly noisy, roaring out their blasphemies against God, belching out oaths and curses, and breathing threatenings and slaughter against the saints; especially a numerous army of them, consisting of many people and nations, as this did; who are called the Lord's "enemies", being the enemies of his people, and their cause and his are one and the same; and besides, all wicked men are enemies to God, and all that is good, in their minds, and which appears by their actions; yea, they are enmity itself unto him:

and they that hate thee have lift up the head;
are haughty, proud, and arrogant; speak loftily, and with a stiff neck; set their mouth against heaven, and God in it; and their tongue walks through the earth, and spares none; they exult and rejoice, as sure of victory, before the battle is fought; such then were, and such there are, who are haters of God, hate his being, perfections, purposes, and providences; hate his Son without a cause, and even do despite unto the Spirit of grace; hate the law and its precepts, the Gospel and its doctrines and ordinances, and the ways, worship, and people of God, as appears by what follows.

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FOOTNOTES:

F4 (Nwymhy) "sonuerunt", V. L. "perstrepunt", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Cocceius; "strepunt", Gejerus.

Psalm 83:2 In-Context

1 O God, who shall be compared to thee? be not silent, neither be still, O God.

2 For behold, thine enemies have made a noise; and they that hate thee have lifted up the head.

3 Against thy people they have craftily imagined a device, and have taken counsel against thy saints.

4 They have said, Come, and let us utterly destroy them out of the nation; and let the name of Israel be remembered no more at all.

5 For they have taken counsel together with one consent: they have made a confederacy against thee;

6 even the tents of the Idumeans, and the Ismaelites; Moab, and the Agarenes;

7 Gebal, and Ammon, and Amalec; the Philistines also, with them that dwell at Tyre.

8 Yea, Assur too is come with them: they have become a help to the children of Lot. Pause.

9 Do thou to them as to Madiam, and to Sisera; as to Jabin at the brook of Kison.

10 They were utterly destroyed at Aendor: they became as dung for the earth.

11 Make their princes as Oreb and Zeb, and Zebee and Salmana; even all their princes:

12 who said, let us take to ourselves the altar of God as an inheritance.

13 O my God, make them as a wheel; as stubble before the face of the wind.

14 As fire which shall burn up a wood, as the flame may consume the mountains;

15 so shalt thou persecute them with thy tempest, and trouble them in thine anger.

16 Fill their faces with dishonour; so shall they seek thy name, O Lord.

17 Let them be ashamed and troubled for evermore; yea, let them be confounded and destroyed.

18 And let them know that thy name is Lord; that thou alone art Most High over all the earth.