Seventh-day Adventist Bible CommentaryPsalms 83

Keep not thou silence. See Ps. 28:1; cf. Isa. 62:7. The psalmist knows that if God’s people are to be saved in the crisis, God must not be still. The impetuous succession of brief clauses is the language of entreaty in time of extremity.

That hate thee. Compare Ps. 81:15.

Cut them off. The verse indicates the presence of a well-conceived plot on the part of the surrounding nations to blot out Israel from among the nations, probably with the intention of partitioning her land among themselves (see 2 Chron. 20:11; Ps. 138:7). No more in remembrance. Compare Deut. 32:26; Ps. 34:16; 109:13. It has always been Satan’s desire to destroy the church of God. To the enemy, the words “Christ” and “Christian” are objects of supreme contempt.

Together. See Ps. 2:2.

Tabernacles. Literally, “tents,” here meaning “tent dwellers” (by the figure of metonymy). The word well describes the nomadic life of the Arabian tribes. Verses 6–8 mention the conspiring nations. Since there is no historical evidence that all those nations were confederated against Israel at any one time, it may be best to understand the catalogue of peoples as serving the purpose of poetry. The aggregation of such a formidable array of enemies heightens the color of the crisis, giving great emphasis to Israel’s danger at the hands of border enemies. Israel, surrounded by enemy nations, has no recourse but to God. Sometimes God cuts men off from all material aid that they may learn to rely on Him. Hagarenes. A nomadic people who lived east of Gilead and fought the Israelites in the time of Saul (see 1 Chron. 5:10, 19–22). Israel defeated them and occupied their land.

Gebal. Probably the mountain country in the northern part of Edom (see Josephus Antiquities ii. 1. 2). Amalek. A people living south of Palestine between Idumaea and Egypt. They were an ancient people, inveterate foes of Israel. Contrary to God’s command utterly to destroy the Amalekites. Saul spared Agag, their king (see 1 Sam. 15:8–23), and on that account was rejected from being king.

Assur. The Assyrians, who occupied the central part of the Tigris valley (see on Gen. 10:22). Holpen. This word is an obsolete past participle of the verb “help.”

Children of Lot. Moab and Ammon (see Gen. 19:37, 38; Deut. 2:9, 19). These nations made use of the “arm” of the other nations to carry out their nefarious plan to exterminate Israel. Selah. See p. 629.

Midianites. The reference is to Gideon’s victory over the Midianites (see Judges 7; 8), which was regarded as one of the most glorious victories in the history of Israel (see Isa. 9:4; 10:26). Sisera. The story of the defeat of Jabin’s armies and the death of Sisera at the hands of Deborah is told in Judges 4, and celebrated in the sublime poetry of Judges 5. Kison. Or, “Kishon” (see on Judges 4:13).

Perished at En-dor. See on 1 Sam. 28:7. As dung. Their dead bodies fertilized the soil (see 2 Kings 9:37).

Oreb. Oreb and Zeeb were princes of Midian slain by the Ephraimites under Gideon (see Judges 7:25). Zebah. Zebah and Zalmunna were kings of Midian, slain by Gideon (see Judges 8:5, 21). The slaughter of Midian must have been surpassingly awful, for Isaiah mentions it along with the destruction of the Egyptians at the Red Sea as typical of the destruction to be visited on the hosts of Sennacherib (Isa. 10:26).

Houses. Heb. ne’oth, either “abodes,” or “pasturelands.” The conspiring enemy nations plotted to get possession of the land where God dwelt among His people.

A wheel. Heb. galgal, generally “wheel,” although galgal seems also to have been used of the wheel-shaped dried calyx of a thistle (see Isa. 17:13). The prayer is that the enemy may be driven away in utter destruction, as our modern tumbleweed is driven before the wind. Stubble. Or, “chaff” (see Ps. 1:4). These objects describe that which is utterly light and valueless (Job 13:25; Mal. 4:1), fit only for destruction.

As the flame. Compare Isa. 9:18; 10:17, 18; Zech. 12:6. Mountains. That is, the vegetation growing on the mountains.

Persecute them. Compare Ps. 35:4–6.

Fill their faces. Disappointment and confusion usually show on the face. Seek thy name. See on Ps. 5:11; 7:17. The psalmist’s prayer is not that the enemies of Israel may be made to suffer, but that, through the events God permits to come upon them, they may be led to acknowledge Him and turn to Him as their God. The psalmist would have their humiliation result in submission to God’s will.

Let them be confounded. The psalmist prays that the enemies of Israel may be humiliated and brought even to the verge of destruction, that they may turn to God in sincerity and truth (see Isa. 37:20).

Men. Rather, “they,” in reference to the confederate nations. Jehovah. See on Ex. 6:3. The most high. The psalmist prays for the destruction or near destruction of Israel’s enemies, not in personal vindictiveness, but to show that Jehovah is the supreme ruler of the world. The purpose of judgment is that men may know God! On this sublime note the psalm closes.