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Psalm 83
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Psalm 83
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Psalm 83[a]
Prayer Against a Hostile Alliance
1 A song; a psalm of Asaph.
I
2 God, do not be silent;
God, do not be deaf or remain unmoved!(A)
3 See how your enemies rage;
your foes proudly raise their heads.
4 They conspire against your people,
plot against those you protect.(B)
5 They say, “Come, let us wipe them out as a nation;
let Israel’s name be remembered no more!”
6 They scheme with one mind,
they have entered into a covenant against you:(C)
7 [b]The tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites,
of Moab and the Hagrites,(D)
8 Gebal, Ammon, and Amalek,(E)
Philistia and the inhabitants of Tyre.(F)
9 Assyria, too, in league with them,
backs the descendants of Lot.
Selah
II
10 [c]Deal with them as with Midian;
as with Sisera and Jabin at the wadi Kishon,(G)
11 Those destroyed at Endor,
who became dung for the ground.(H)
12 Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb,
all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna,
13 Who made a plan together,
“Let us take for ourselves the pastures of God.”
14 My God, make them like tumbleweed,
into chaff flying before the wind.(I)
15 As a fire raging through a forest,
a flame setting mountains ablaze,(J)
16 Pursue them with your tempest;
terrify them with your storm-wind.
17 Cover their faces with shame,
till they seek your name,[d] Lord.
18 Let them be ashamed and terrified forever;
let them perish in disgrace.
19 Let them know that your name is Lord,
you alone are the Most High over all the earth.(K)
Footnotes
- Psalm 83 The community lament complains to God of the nations’ attempts to wipe out the name of Israel (Ps 83:1–8). The psalmist sees all Israel’s enemies throughout its history united in a conspiracy (Ps 83:2–8). May God destroy the current crop of enemies as the enemies of old were destroyed (Ps 83:9–12), and may they be pursued until they acknowledge the name of Israel’s God (Ps 83:13–18).
- 83:7–9 Apart from the Assyrians, all the nations listed here were neighbors of Israel. The Hagrites are a tribe of the desert regions east of Ammon and Moab (1 Chr 5:10, 19–22). Gebal is the Phoenician city of Byblos or perhaps a mountain region south of the Dead Sea. The descendants of Lot are Moab and Edom (Gn 19:36–38 and Dt 2:9). These nations were never united against Israel in the same period; the Psalm has lumped them all together.
- 83:10–13 For the historical events, see Jgs 4–8.
- 83:17 Seek your name: a variant of the more typical phrase “to seek the face of God” (Ps 24:6; 27:8; 105:4). Seeking the face of God refers to the worshiper having recourse to a temple or sanctuary where in non-Jewish contexts a statue embodies the physical presence of the Deity. In Israel’s aniconic tradition no visible image or statue can represent God. This understanding is conveyed here concretely by use of the term “your name” rather than the more typical “your face.”
Psalm 83
Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
Psalm 83
Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
Prayer for Judgment on Israel’s Foes
A Song. A Psalm of Asaph.
83 O God, do not keep silence;
do not hold thy peace or be still, O God!
2 For lo, thy enemies are in tumult;
those who hate thee have raised their heads.
3 They lay crafty plans against thy people;
they consult together against thy protected ones.
4 They say, “Come, let us wipe them out as a nation;
let the name of Israel be remembered no more!”
5 Yea, they conspire with one accord;
against thee they make a covenant—
6 the tents of Edom and the Ish′maelites,
Moab and the Hagrites,
7 Gebal and Ammon and Am′alek,
Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre;
8 Assyria also has joined them;
they are the strong arm of the children of Lot.Selah
9 Do to them as thou didst to Mid′ian,
as to Sis′era and Jabin at the river Kishon,
10 who were destroyed at En-dor,
who became dung for the ground.
11 Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb,
all their princes like Zebah and Zalmun′na,
12 who said, “Let us take possession for ourselves
of the pastures of God.”
13 O my God, make them like whirling dust,[a]
like chaff before the wind.
14 As fire consumes the forest,
as the flame sets the mountains ablaze,
15 so do thou pursue them with thy tempest
and terrify them with thy hurricane!
16 Fill their faces with shame,
that they may seek thy name, O Lord.
17 Let them be put to shame and dismayed for ever;
let them perish in disgrace.
18 Let them know that thou alone,
whose name is the Lord,
art the Most High over all the earth.
Footnotes
- Psalm 83:13 Or a tumbleweed
Psalm 83
Good News Translation
Psalm 83
Good News Translation
A Prayer for the Defeat of Israel's Enemies[a]
83 O God, do not keep silent;
do not be still, do not be quiet!
2 Look! Your enemies are in revolt,
and those who hate you are rebelling.
3 They are making secret plans against your people;
they are plotting against those you protect.
4 “Come,” they say, “let us destroy their nation,
so that Israel will be forgotten forever.”
5 They agree on their plan
and form an alliance against you:
6 the people of Edom and the Ishmaelites;
the people of Moab and the Hagrites;
7 the people of Gebal, Ammon, and Amalek,
and of Philistia and Tyre.
8 Assyria has also joined them
as a strong ally of the Ammonites and Moabites, the descendants of Lot.
9 (A)Do to them what you did to the Midianites,
and to Sisera and Jabin at the Kishon River.
10 You defeated them at Endor,
and their bodies rotted on the ground.
11 (B)Do to their leaders what you did to Oreb and Zeeb;
defeat all their rulers as you did Zebah and Zalmunna,
12 who said, “We will take for our own
the land that belongs to God.”
13 Scatter them like dust, O God,
like straw blown away by the wind.
14 As fire burns the forest,
as flames set the hills on fire,
15 chase them away with your storm
and terrify them with your fierce winds.
16 Cover their faces with shame, O Lord,
and make them acknowledge your power.
17 May they be defeated and terrified forever;
may they die in complete disgrace.
18 May they know that you alone are the Lord,
supreme ruler over all the earth.
Footnotes
- Psalm 83:1 HEBREW TITLE: A psalm by Asaph; a song.
Psalm 83
New American Standard Bible
Psalm 83
New American Standard Bible
God Implored to Confound His Enemies.
A Song, a Psalm of Asaph.
83 God, (A)do not remain quiet;
(B)Do not be silent and, God, do not be still.
2 For behold, Your enemies (C)make an uproar,
And (D)those who hate You have [a](E)exalted themselves.
3 They (F)make shrewd plans against Your people,
And [b]conspire together against (G)Your [c]treasured ones.
4 They have said, “Come, and (H)let’s wipe them out [d]as a nation,
So that the (I)name of Israel will no longer be remembered.”
5 For they have [e](J)conspired together with one mind;
They make a covenant against You:
6 The tents of (K)Edom and the (L)Ishmaelites,
(M)Moab and the (N)Hagrites;
7 (O)Gebal, (P)Ammon, and (Q)Amalek,
(R)Philistia with the inhabitants of (S)Tyre;
8 (T)Assyria also has joined them;
They have become [f]a help to the (U)children of Lot. Selah
9 Deal with them (V)as with Midian,
As (W)with Sisera and Jabin at the river of Kishon,
10 Who were destroyed at En-dor,
Who (X)became like dung for the ground.
11 Make their nobles like (Y)Oreb and Zeeb,
And all their leaders like (Z)Zebah and Zalmunna,
12 Who said, “(AA)Let’s possess for ourselves
The (AB)pastures of God.”
13 My God, make them like the [g](AC)whirling dust,
Like (AD)chaff before the wind.
14 Like (AE)fire that burns the forest,
And like a flame that (AF)sets the mountains on fire,
15 So pursue them (AG)with Your heavy gale,
And terrify them with Your storm.
16 (AH)Fill their faces with dishonor,
So that they will seek Your name, Lord.
17 May they be (AI)ashamed and dismayed forever,
And may they be humiliated and perish,
18 So that they will (AJ)know that (AK)You alone, whose name is the Lord,
Are the (AL)Most High over all the earth.
Footnotes
- Psalm 83:2 Lit lifted up the head
- Psalm 83:3 Or consult
- Psalm 83:3 Or hidden ones
- Psalm 83:4 Lit from
- Psalm 83:5 Or consulted
- Psalm 83:8 Lit an arm
- Psalm 83:13 Or tumbleweed
Psalm 83
New International Version
Psalm 83
New International Version
Psalm 83[a]
A song. A psalm of Asaph.
1 O God, do not remain silent;(A)
do not turn a deaf ear,
do not stand aloof, O God.
2 See how your enemies growl,(B)
how your foes rear their heads.(C)
3 With cunning they conspire(D) against your people;
they plot against those you cherish.(E)
4 “Come,” they say, “let us destroy(F) them as a nation,(G)
so that Israel’s name is remembered(H) no more.”
5 With one mind they plot together;(I)
they form an alliance against you—
6 the tents of Edom(J) and the Ishmaelites,
of Moab(K) and the Hagrites,(L)
7 Byblos,(M) Ammon(N) and Amalek,(O)
Philistia,(P) with the people of Tyre.(Q)
8 Even Assyria(R) has joined them
to reinforce Lot’s descendants.[b](S)
9 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.”
Footnotes
- Psalm 83:1 In Hebrew texts 83:1-18 is numbered 83:2-19.
- Psalm 83:8 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.
New American Bible (Revised Edition) (NABRE)
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Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)
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Good News Translation (GNT) 
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New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
New International Version (NIV) 
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