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A song. A Psalm by Asaph.

83 God, don’t keep silent.
    Don’t keep silent,
    and don’t be still, God.
For, behold, your enemies are stirred up.
    Those who hate you have lifted up their heads.
They conspire with cunning against your people.
    They plot against your cherished ones.
“Come,” they say, “let’s destroy them as a nation,
    that the name of Israel may be remembered no more.”
For they have conspired together with one mind.
    They form an alliance against you.
The tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites;
    Moab, and the Hagrites;
Gebal, Ammon, and Amalek;
    Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre;
Assyria also is joined with them.
    They have helped the children of Lot. Selah.
Do to them as you did to Midian,
    as to Sisera, as to Jabin, at the river Kishon;
10 who perished at Endor,
    who became as dung for the earth.
11 Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb,
    yes, all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna,
12     who said, “Let’s take possession of God’s pasture lands.”
13 My God, make them like tumbleweed,
    like chaff before the wind.
14 As the fire that burns the forest,
    as the flame that sets the mountains on fire,
15     so pursue them with your tempest,
    and terrify them with your storm.
16 Fill their faces with confusion,
    that they may seek your name, Yahweh.
17 Let them be disappointed and dismayed forever.
    Yes, let them be confounded and perish;
18 that they may know that you alone, whose name is Yahweh,
    are the Most High over all the earth.

Psalm 83

Prayer against Enemies

A song. A psalm of Asaph.(A)

God, do not keep silent.
Do not be deaf, God; do not be quiet.(B)
See how your enemies make an uproar;
those who hate you have acted arrogantly.[a](C)
They devise clever schemes against your people;
they conspire against your treasured ones.(D)
They say, “Come, let’s wipe them out as a nation
so that Israel’s name will no longer be remembered.”(E)
For they have conspired with one mind;
they form an alliance[b] against you(F)
the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites,(G)
Moab and the Hagrites,(H)
Gebal, Ammon, and Amalek,(I)
Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre.(J)
Even Assyria has joined them;
they lend support[c] to the sons of Lot.[d](K)Selah

Deal with them as you did with Midian,(L)
as you did with Sisera
and Jabin at the Kishon River.(M)
10 They were destroyed at En-dor;
they became manure for the ground.(N)
11 Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb,(O)
and all their tribal leaders like Zebah and Zalmunna,(P)
12 who said, “Let’s seize God’s pastures for ourselves.”(Q)

13 Make them like tumbleweed, my God,
like straw before the wind.(R)
14 As fire burns a forest,
as a flame blazes through mountains,(S)
15 so pursue them with your tempest
and terrify them with your storm.(T)
16 Cover their faces with shame
so that they will seek your name, Lord.(U)
17 Let them be put to shame and terrified forever;
let them perish in disgrace.(V)
18 May they know that you alone—
whose name is the Lord
are the Most High over the whole earth.(W)

Footnotes

  1. 83:2 Lit have lifted their head
  2. 83:5 Lit they cut a covenant
  3. 83:8 Lit they are an arm
  4. 83:8 = Moab and Ammon

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)

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.