United Commentaries

Ps.83.1-18

This community lament asks God for rescue and victory. The terse poetry suggests difficult times. A powerful coalition desires to destroy Israel (83:1-4) and allies itself against God (83:5-8). Recalling the fate of others who came against Israel (83:9-12), the psalmist prays that the same will happen to these enemies (83:13-16) so that God will receive honor among them (83:17-18). It is unclear whether this psalm arose out of a specific historical instance of opposition by these nations, or if it is a poetic collage of nations representing Israel’s enemies.

Ps.83.1-4

The enemy has successfully intimidated God’s people, so the poet prays that the Lord will hear and act.

Ps.83.5-8

signed a treaty: The allies agreed to fight against God and his people. The nations that are named in the alliance were situated around Israel and Judah.

Ps.83.6-7

The Edomites, descendants of Esau, were located to the southeast of Judah (see Gen 25:30; 32:3; 36:1-8).

Ishmaelites were desert-dwelling descendants of Hagar.

Moabites and Ammonites descended from Lot; both were located to the east of Israel and Judah.

The Hagrites were possibly located north of the Ammonites (1 Chr 5:10).

Ps.83.7

The Gebalites probably came from Gebal/Byblos on the coast of Lebanon.

The Amalekites were located south of Israel in the Negev.

Philistia was southwest of Judah, by the Mediterranean Sea.

Tyre was a port city on the Mediterranean, northwest of Israel.

Ps.83.8

Assyria was northeast of Israel and north of the Persian Gulf.

The descendants of Lot were the Moabites and the Ammonites (83:6-7).

Ps.83.9-18

The psalmist prays that God will miraculously destroy the new coalition as he did three other enemies; doing so would bring him glory.

Ps.83.9-11

The Midianites, ruled by Zebah and Zalmunna and led by Oreb and Zeeb, were Israel’s enemy in the days of Gideon (Judg 7:1–8:5). Barak’s coalition defeated Sisera and Jabin (Judg 4).

Ps.83.12

The coalition’s motivation for wiping out Israel was to acquire the land (see Jer 3:19).

Ps.83.13

tumbleweed . . . chaff: This dry plant material easily blows away (see Isa 17:13).

Ps.83.14-15

fire . . . fierce storm . . . tempest: These are images of God’s manifestation in judgment (see Isa 29:6).