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A song. A psalm of Asaph.

83 God, don’t remain silent.
    Don’t refuse to listen.
    Do something, God.
See how your enemies are growling like dogs.
    See how they are rising up against you.
They make clever plans against your people.
    They make evil plans against those you love.
“Come,” they say. “Let’s destroy that whole nation.
    Then the name of Israel won’t be remembered anymore.”

All of them agree on the evil plans they have made.
    They join forces against you.
Their forces include the people of Edom,
    Ishmael, Moab and Hagar.
They also include the people of Byblos, Ammon, Amalek,
    Philistia and Tyre.
Even Assyria has joined them
    to give strength to the people of Moab and Ammon.

Do to them what you did to the people of Midian.
    Do to them what you did to Sisera and Jabin at the Kishon River.
10 Sisera and Jabin died near the town of Endor.
    Their bodies were left on the ground like human waste.
11 Do to the nobles of your enemies what you did to Oreb and Zeeb.
    Do to all their princes what you did to Zebah and Zalmunna.
12 They said, “Let’s take over
    the grasslands that belong to God.”

13 My God, make them like straw that the wind blows away.
    Make them like tumbleweed.
14 Destroy them as fire burns up a forest.
    Destroy them as a flame sets mountains on fire.
15 Chase them with your mighty winds.
    Terrify them with your storm.
16 Lord, put them to shame
    so that they will seek you.

17 May they always be filled with terror and shame.
    May they die in dishonor.
18 May you, the Lord, let your enemies know who you are.
    You alone are the Most High God over the whole earth.

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.