Chapter Overview
Summary
Psalm 83 (MT) / Psalm 82 (LXX) is the LAST of the twelve Asaphite psalms — a communal imprecatory-lament against a ten-nation coalition threatening Israel. The enemy-catalog (vv. 6–8: Edom, Ishmaelites, Moab, Hagrites, Gebal, Ammon, Amalek, Philistia, Tyre, Assyria) suggests either a Jehoshaphat-era crisis (2 Chr 20) or a pan-Near-Eastern coalition. The psalm's memory of past-deliverances (vv. 9–12: Midian, Sisera and Jabin, Oreb and Zeeb, Zebah and Zalmunna) is a strong echo of Judges 4–8.
Notable Variants
83:4 'let us wipe them out as a nation, that the name of Israel be remembered no more' as genocidal-intention attributed to enemies; 83:18 'know that you alone, whose name is the LORD, are the Most High over all the earth' as monotheistic-climax; the Midian-Sisera-Oreb memory as Judges-echo.
Structural Notes
MT Ps 83 = LXX Ps 82. 19 verses (MT/LXX), 18 verses (English). Last Asaphite psalm.
A song. A psalm of Asaph.
Superscription tracks MT.
O God, do not keep silent! Do not hold Your peace; do not be still, O God!
'O God, do not keep silence; do not hold your peace or be still, O God!' tracks MT.
For look — Your enemies are in uproar, and those who hate You have raised their heads.
'For behold, your enemies make an uproar; those who hate you have raised their heads' tracks MT.
Against Your people they devise cunning plans; they conspire against Your treasured ones.
'They lay crafty plans against your people; they consult together against your treasured ones' tracks MT.
They say, 'Come, let us wipe them out as a nation, so that the name of Israel will be remembered no more.'
'They say: Come, let us wipe them out as a nation; let the name of Israel be remembered no more!' tracks MT. GENOCIDAL-INTENTION. This verse articulates the historical-threat-pattern — recurring across Esther (Haman's plan), the Maccabean crisis (Antiochene imposition), the Holocaust. The 'remembered no more' goal defines anti-Semitic-intent.
For they conspire with one mind; against You they seal a covenant —
'For they conspire with one accord; against you they make a covenant' tracks MT.
the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites, Moab and the Hagrites,
'The tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites, Moab and the Hagrites' tracks MT. Enemy-catalog begins. Edom (south), Ishmaelites (desert), Moab (east), Hagrites (Transjordan).
Gebal, Ammon, and Amalek, Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre.
'Gebal and Ammon and Amalek, Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre' tracks MT. Gebal (north-central, Byblos), Ammon (east), Amalek (south), Philistia (west), Tyre (northwest).
Even Assyria has joined them; they lend their arm to the children of Lot. Selah.
'Asshur also has joined them; they are the strong arm of the children of Lot' tracks MT. Asshur (Assyria, north) as coalition-backer of the Moabites and Ammonites ('children of Lot,' cf. Gen 19:30–38).
Do to them as You did to Midian, as to Sisera, as to Jabin at the Wadi Kishon —
'Do to them as you did to Midian, as to Sisera and Jabin at the river Kishon' tracks MT. MIDIAN (Gideon, Judges 6–8); SISERA-JABIN (Deborah-Barak, Judges 4–5). Historical-memory as present-prayer.
They were destroyed at En-dor; they became dung for the ground.
'Who were destroyed at En-dor, who became dung for the ground' tracks MT.
Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb, all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna —
'Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb, all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna' tracks MT. OREB-ZEEB (Midianite-commanders slain by Ephraimites, Judges 7:25); ZEBAH-ZALMUNNA (Midianite-kings slain by Gideon, Judges 8:21).
who said, 'Let us seize for ourselves the pastures of God.'
'Who said: Let us take possession for ourselves of the pastures of God' tracks MT.
O my God, make them like whirling dust, like chaff before the wind.
'O my God, make them like whirling dust, like chaff before the wind' tracks MT. WHIRLING-DUST / CHAFF-BEFORE-WIND — Psalm 1:4 echo.
As fire consumes the forest, as flame sets the mountains ablaze —
'As fire consumes the forest, as the flame sets the mountains ablaze' tracks MT.
So pursue them with Your storm and terrify them with Your tempest.
'So may you pursue them with your tempest and terrify them with your hurricane!' tracks MT.
Fill their faces with shame — so that they may seek Your name, O LORD.
'Fill their faces with shame, that they may seek your name, O LORD' tracks MT. SHAME-FOR-SAKE-OF-SEEKING-YOUR-NAME. Imprecatory prayer with evangelistic-goal: enemies' shame that they may turn-and-seek-God.
Let them be ashamed and terrified forever; let them be disgraced and perish —
'Let them be put to shame and dismayed forever; let them perish in disgrace' tracks MT.
Let them know that You alone — whose name is the LORD — are the Most High over all the earth.
'That they may know that you alone, whose name is the LORD, are the Most High over all the earth' tracks MT. MONOTHEISTIC-CLIMAX. YHWH-alone-is-Most-High. Deuteronomy 6:4's shema-monotheism echoed. The psalm's closing universal-divinity-declaration frames even the enemy-judgment as a path-to-knowledge-of-the-one-God.