Psalms 83

Ps 83 This community lament asks God for rescue and victory. The terse poetry suggests difficult times. A powerful coalition desires to destroy Israel (83:1-4) and allies itself against God (83:5-8). Recalling the fate of others who came against Israel (83:9-12), the psalmist prays that the same will happen to these enemies (83:13-16) so that God will receive honor among them (83:17-18). It is unclear whether this psalm arose out of a specific historical instance of opposition by these nations, or if it is a poetic collage of nations representing Israel’s enemies.83:1-4 The enemy has successfully intimidated God’s people, so the poet prays that the Lord will hear and act.

83:5-8 signed a treaty: The allies agreed to fight against God and his people. The nations that are named in the alliance were situated around Israel and Judah.

83:6-7 The Edomites, descendants of Esau, were located to the southeast of Judah (see Gen 25:30; 32:3; 36:1-8). • Ishmaelites were desert-dwelling descendants of Hagar. • Moabites and Ammonites descended from Lot; both were located to the east of Israel and Judah. • The Hagrites were possibly located north of the Ammonites (1 Chr 5:10).

83:7 The Gebalites probably came from Gebal/Byblos on the coast of Lebanon. • The Amalekites were located south of Israel in the Negev. • Philistia was southwest of Judah, by the Mediterranean Sea. • Tyre was a port city on the Mediterranean, northwest of Israel.

83:8 Assyria was northeast of Israel and north of the Persian Gulf. • The descendants of Lot were the Moabites and the Ammonites (83:6-7).

83:9-18 The psalmist prays that God will miraculously destroy the new coalition as he did three other enemies; doing so would bring him glory.83:9-11 The Midianites, ruled by Zebah and Zalmunna and led by Oreb and Zeeb, were Israel’s enemy in the days of Gideon (Judg 7:1–8:5). Barak’s coalition defeated Sisera and Jabin (Judg 4).

83:12 The coalition’s motivation for wiping out Israel was to acquire the land (see Jer 3:19).

83:13 tumbleweed . . . chaff: This dry plant material easily blows away (see Isa 17:13).

83:14-15 fire . . . fierce storm . . . tempest: These are images of God’s manifestation in judgment (see Isa 29:6).