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 song. A psalm of Asaph.

83 God, don’t be silent!
    Don’t be quiet or sit still, God,
    because—look!—your enemies are growling;
    those who hate you are acting arrogantly.
They concoct crafty plans against your own people;
    they plot against the people you favor.
“Come on,” they say, “let’s wipe them out as a nation!
    Let the name Israel be remembered no more!”
They plot with a single-minded heart;
    they make a covenant against you.
They are the clans of Edom and the Ishmaelites,
    Moab and the Hagrites,
    Gebal, Ammon, Amalek,
    Philistia along with the citizens of Tyre.
Assyria too has joined them—
    they are the strong arm for Lot’s children. Selah

Do to them what you did to Midian,
    to Sisera, and to Jabin at the Kishon River.
10 They were destroyed at Endor;
    they became fertilizer for the ground.
11 Make their officials like Oreb and Zeeb,
    all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna—
12     those who said, “Let’s take God’s pastures for ourselves.”
13 My God, make them like tumbleweeds,
    like chaff blown by wind.
14 Just like a fire consumes a forest,
    just like flames set mountains ablaze,
15         pursue them with your storm,
        terrify them with your hurricane.
16 Cover their faces with shame, Lord, so that they might seek your name.
17 Let them be shamed and terrified forever.
    Let them die in disgrace.
18     Let them know that you—
        your name is the Lord!—
    you alone are Most High over all the earth.