Bird's-eye view
Psalm 83 is the last of the Asaphite psalms, and it is a community lament, a corporate cry for help. But it is more than just a lament; it is a righteous appeal to the God of the covenant, asking Him to act in accordance with His own character and promises. The nation of Israel is facing a confederacy of enemies, a whole host of nations united by one central animosity: they hate God, and by extension, they hate God's people. Their goal is not mere subjugation but annihilation. They want to wipe the name of Israel off the map entirely. This is therefore an imprecatory psalm, a prayer that calls upon God to bring judgment down upon His enemies. And because they are His enemies, and not just our personal rivals, we are right to pray this way. This is not a prayer for settling petty scores. This is a prayer for the vindication of God's holy name in the sight of the nations.
The psalm teaches us how to pray when the world organizes itself against the Church. It shows us that our first resort is not to political maneuvering or military strategy, but to the throne of God. We are to appeal to God on the basis of His own reputation. The central issue is not our comfort or even our survival, but God's glory. When God's enemies conspire, they are ultimately conspiring against Him. And so, the psalmist's prayer is that God would arise and defend His own cause, for in defending His cause, He defends His people.
Outline
- 1. The Plea for Divine Action (Ps. 83:1)
- a. An Appeal Against Silence (Ps. 83:1a)
- b. An Appeal Against Inactivity (Ps. 83:1b)
- 2. The Reason for the Plea (Ps. 83:2-4)
- a. The Uproar of God's Enemies (Ps. 83:2)
- b. The Conspiracy Against God's People (Ps. 83:3)
- c. The Genocidal Ambition of the Ungodly (Ps. 83:4)
Context In The Psalms
Psalm 83 stands as a powerful conclusion to the collection of psalms attributed to Asaph (Psalms 73-83). These psalms often wrestle with the problem of evil, the prosperity of the wicked, and the suffering of the righteous. Psalm 73 famously begins with the psalmist nearly stumbling when he sees the wicked prosper, but he finds his footing again in the sanctuary of God. This final psalm of Asaph takes that struggle to a national and international level. It is not just one wicked man who is prospering, but a whole league of nations. Their conspiracy is not subtle; it is a loud, roaring, and arrogant rebellion. This psalm is what you pray when the United Nations of Ungodliness convenes to plot the demise of the people of God. It is a stark reminder that the battle is the Lord's, and that the prayers of the saints are the primary vehicle through which God accomplishes His purposes on earth.
Key Issues
- Imprecatory Prayer
- The Enemies of God
- God's Treasured Ones
- The Name of Israel
- Divine Silence and Action
A Song. A Psalm of Asaph.
The superscription tells us this is both a song and a psalm, meant for corporate worship. It is from Asaph, who was one of David's chief musicians. This is not just a private journal entry; it is inspired liturgy. It is a song that God gave to His people to sing in times of great distress. This is important. God does not want us to pretend everything is fine when it is not. He gives us the words to cry out to Him when His enemies are at the gates. He teaches us how to frame our complaints righteously. We are not just venting; we are praying in line with the revealed will of God. This is a sanctioned, God-breathed complaint.
Verse 1
O God, do not remain at rest; Do not be silent and, O God, do not be quiet.
The prayer begins with a threefold plea for God to act. The psalmist is looking at the world, seeing the storm gathering, and he appeals to God to break His apparent silence. "Do not remain at rest" is a cry against divine inactivity. It can feel, from our limited vantage point, as though God is sitting things out. The enemies of God are busy, they are plotting and roaring, and God seems to be still. The psalmist is asking God to rise up from His throne and intervene.
"Do not be silent" and "do not be quiet" are parallel requests. The silence of God in the face of wickedness is one of the great trials of faith. But this is not the silence of indifference. It is the silence of a king who is allowing the plot to ripen, so that His judgment will be all the more decisive and glorious. The psalmist is not rebuking God; he is appealing to God's known character. He knows God is a God who speaks, who acts, who judges. He is simply asking God to do what He has always done. This is the prayer of a child pulling on his father's sleeve, saying, "Father, are you seeing this?"
Verse 2
For behold, Your enemies roar, And those who hate You have lifted up their heads.
Now the psalmist gives the reason for his urgent plea. The word "For" connects this verse directly to the first. Why should God act? "For behold, Your enemies roar." Notice whose enemies they are. They are not first and foremost Israel's enemies; they are God's enemies. This is the fundamental basis for all righteous imprecation. We are not asking God to settle our personal scores. We are asking God to vindicate His own name against those who have set themselves against Him. Their roaring is the sound of chaos, the tumult of rebellion. It is the sound of the creature defying the Creator.
"And those who hate You have lifted up their heads." This is a picture of arrogance and pride. To lift up the head is to act in insolent defiance. Think of Pharaoh. Think of Goliath. Think of Sennacherib. This is the posture of all who refuse to bow the knee to God. They are not merely mistaken; they are filled with hatred for the living God. And their hatred manifests itself in this proud, defiant posture. They believe they are getting away with it. They believe their moment has come. The psalmist sees this pride, and he knows that God opposes the proud. He is essentially saying, "Lord, look at this arrogance. This is an affront to Your majesty. It is time to act."
Verse 3
They make shrewd plans against Your people, And conspire together against Your treasured ones.
The rebellion is not just noisy and arrogant; it is also cunning. "They make shrewd plans." The Hebrew word here implies craftiness, subtlety. This is not a mindless mob; this is a calculated conspiracy. The enemies of God are not fools in the intellectual sense. They are often very clever. They scheme, they plot, they hold their secret councils. And the target of their shrewd plans is "Your people." Again, the psalmist emphasizes the relationship. We are His people. An attack on us is an attack on Him.
"And conspire together against Your treasured ones." The word for "treasured ones" refers to those whom God hides, protects, and values. We are God's hidden treasure. This is a term of endearment and possession. The world may see the church as insignificant, disposable, a nuisance. But in the eyes of God, we are His treasure. The conspiracy of the wicked is ultimately an attempt to plunder God's treasure chest. They are trying to steal what is most precious to Him. This is why their plot is doomed to fail. A man will go to great lengths to protect his treasure. How much more will the living God protect the people He has purchased with the blood of His own Son?
Verse 4
They have said, “Come, and let us wipe them out as a nation, That the name of Israel be remembered no more.”
Here the psalmist quotes the enemy, revealing the depths of their malice. Their goal is not mere conquest or political domination. Their goal is extermination. "Come, and let us wipe them out as a nation." This is the language of genocide. This is the spirit of Haman, of Herod, of Hitler. The ultimate goal of the world's hatred for the church is to see it utterly destroyed, erased from existence.
"That the name of Israel be remembered no more." This is the heart of the matter. The name of Israel represents the covenant people of God. It represents God's election, His promises, His redemptive plan for the world. To erase the name of Israel is to attempt to nullify the promises of God. It is an attempt to prove that God is unfaithful, that His word has failed. In the new covenant, the church is the Israel of God (Gal. 6:16). And the world still rages against that name. They want the name of Christ, the name of His people, to be forgotten. But they are attempting the impossible. They are trying to blot out a name that God has sworn to preserve forever. Their conspiracy is not just against a people; it is against the very memory and legacy of God in the world. And that is a fight they can never win.