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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.

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.