O GOD, DO NOT KEEP SILENT

Passage: Psalms 83:1-18

Key verse: 1,18

NIV

Psalm 83[a]
A song. A psalm of Asaph.

O God, do not remain silent;(A)
    do not turn a deaf ear,
    do not stand aloof, O God.
See how your enemies growl,(B)
    how your foes rear their heads.(C)
With cunning they conspire(D) against your people;
    they plot against those you cherish.(E)
“Come,” they say, “let us destroy(F) them as a nation,(G)
    so that Israel’s name is remembered(H) no more.”

With one mind they plot together;(I)
    they form an alliance against you—
the tents of Edom(J) and the Ishmaelites,
    of Moab(K) and the Hagrites,(L)
Byblos,(M) Ammon(N) and Amalek,(O)
    Philistia,(P) with the people of Tyre.(Q)
Even Assyria(R) has joined them
    to reinforce Lot’s descendants.[b](S)

Do to them as you did to Midian,(T)
    as you did to Sisera(U) and Jabin(V) at the river Kishon,(W)
10 who perished at Endor(X)
    and became like dung(Y) on the ground.
11 Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb,(Z)
    all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna,(AA)
12 who said, “Let us take possession(AB)
    of the pasturelands of God.”

13 Make them like tumbleweed, my God,
    like chaff(AC) before the wind.
14 As fire consumes the forest
    or a flame sets the mountains ablaze,(AD)
15 so pursue them with your tempest(AE)
    and terrify them with your storm.(AF)
16 Cover their faces with shame,(AG) Lord,
    so that they will seek your name.

17 May they ever be ashamed and dismayed;(AH)
    may they perish in disgrace.(AI)
18 Let them know that you, whose name is the Lord(AJ)
    that you alone are the Most High(AK) over all the earth.(AL)

Read full chapter
Footnotes
  1. Psalm 83:1 In Hebrew texts 83:1-18 is numbered 83:2-19.
  2. Psalm 83:8 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

O God, Do Not Keep Silence

A Song. A Psalm of (A)Asaph.

83 O God, do not keep silence;
    (B)do not hold your peace or be still, O God!
For behold, your enemies (C)make an uproar;
    those who hate you have (D)raised their heads.
They lay (E)crafty plans against your people;
    they consult together against your (F)treasured ones.
They say, “Come, (G)let us wipe them out as a nation;
    let the name of Israel be remembered no more!”
For they conspire with one accord;
    against you they make a covenant—
the tents of (H)Edom and (I)the Ishmaelites,
    (J)Moab and (K)the Hagrites,
(L)Gebal and (M)Ammon and (N)Amalek,
    (O)Philistia with the inhabitants of (P)Tyre;
(Q)Asshur also has joined them;
    they are the strong arm of (R)the children of Lot. Selah

Do to them as you did to (S)Midian,
    as to (T)Sisera and Jabin at (U)the river Kishon,
10 who were destroyed at (V)En-dor,
    who became (W)dung for the ground.
11 Make their nobles like (X)Oreb and Zeeb,
    all their princes like (Y)Zebah and Zalmunna,
12 who said, (Z)“Let us take possession for ourselves
    of the pastures of God.”

13 O my God, make them like (AA)whirling dust,[a]
    like (AB)chaff before the wind.
14 As (AC)fire consumes the forest,
    as the flame (AD)sets the mountains ablaze,
15 so may you pursue them (AE)with your tempest
    and terrify them with your hurricane!
16 (AF)Fill their faces with shame,
    that they may seek your name, O Lord.
17 Let them be (AG)put to shame and dismayed forever;
    let them perish in disgrace,
18 that they may (AH)know that you alone,
    (AI)whose name is the Lord,
    are (AJ)the Most High over all the earth.

Read full chapter
Footnotes
  1. Psalm 83:13 Or like a tumbleweed

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

1. They seek to destroy God's people (1-8)

All the traditional enemies of Israel--Moab, Edom, Ammon, Philistia, Midian, Amalek, the Ishmaelites and even Assyria--joined together to destroy God's people Israel. When the forces of the devil gain strength in our land, and join together to remove the worship of God, to call evil, good and good, evil, what can we do? The psalmist tells us. We too can have a sense of history, remembering what God has done. And we can pray.

2. So that men will seek your name (9-18)

The psalmist remembers how God fought for his people in the past. He raised up one man Gideon to destroy the Midianites (Jdg 7,8). He saved his people from Sisera through Deborah and Barak (Jdg 4). He prays that God would make his enemies like tumbleweed, that he would terrify them with his storm, and cover their faces with shame so that they would turn and seek God.

Prayer: Lord, you have heard our prayers and rescued us from Satan's grip; again have mercy on us. Grant us repentance and faith, and heal our land.

One Word: Let all men know that God alone is God