A song. A psalm of Asaph.
The psalms of Asaph usually deal with scenes of the nation of Israel after the time of David. Since some of the psalms describe events of various times in the history of Judah, it is likely that some of them were written by a descendant of Asaph. This song is a plea for victory, a plea that may date to the reign of Jehoshaphat a century after David, when a descendant of Asaph prophesied victory for Israel.
Psalm 83, 1-4, Do not keep silent!
O God, do not keep silent;
be not quiet, O God,
be not still.
See how your enemies are astir,
how your foes rear their heads.
With cunning they conspire against your people;
they plot against those you cherish.
"Come," they say, "let us destroy them as a nation,
that the name of Israel be remembered no more."
Israel's enemies gather round. The psalmist calls for help, asking God to no longer be silent but to intervene as the other nations plan to annihilate the people of Israel.
Who are these enemies of Israel? Could the psalm go back to the time of the judges? Or is this a psalm of Judah during the divided kingdoms, as Egypt, Assyria, Aram-Damascus raid the borders?
Psalm 83, 5-8, Edom, Ishmael, Moab,...
With one mind they plot together;
they form an alliance against you--
the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites,
of Moab and the Hagrites,
Gebal, Ammon and Amalek,
Philistia, with the people ofTyre.
Even Assyria has joined them to lend strength to the descendants of Lot.
Selah.
Here we have list of the enemies of Israel. Edom, Ishmael, Moab, Ammon, Philistia bring one back to the time of the judges. The original version of this psalm could date to that time, rewritten by the descendants of Asaph for a similar worry after the reign of David. Or the psalm could have been written after the time of David, with a reminder of past history when old enemies were attacking. Kidner suggests that this psalm might date to the time of Jehoshaphat (2 Chronicles 20) when Judah is attacked by Moab and Ammon, with Edom (Seir) in the background.
Psalm 83, 9-12, Like Sisera and Oreb
Do to them as you did to Midian,
as you did to Sisera and Jabin at the river Kishon,
who perished at Endor
and became like refuse on the ground.
Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb,
all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna,
who said, "Let us take possession of the pasturelands of God."
The psalmist recalls Deborah's victory over Sisera and Jabin in Judges 4 and Gideon's victory over Oreb, Zeeb, Zebah and Zalmunna in Judges 7-8. If this psalm is written during the time of Jehoshaphat, it might be comparing the dramatic victory of that time, when the enemy tribes killed each other, with the old victories of Deborah and Gideon over similar tribes. Indeed, Kidner points out that in 2 Chronicles 20:14-17, it is a descendant of Asaph who prophesies the destruction of the enemy.
Psalm 83, 13-15, Tumbleweed
Make them like tumbleweed, O my God,
like chaff before the wind.
As fire consumes the forest
or a flame sets the mountains ablaze,
so pursue them with your tempest
and terrify them with your storm.
The psalmist envisions his powerful enemies as mere lightweight, fragile tumbleweeds or chaff, in the presence of God. God can easily blow them away, sweep them away with a storm.
Psalm 83, 16-18, Who alone is over all the earth?
Cover their faces with shame
so that men will seek your name, O LORD.
May they ever be ashamed and dismayed;
may they perish in disgrace.
Let them know that you, whose name is the LORD--
that you alone are the Most High over all the earth.
This is the final psalm by "Asaph" in Book III of the psalter.
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