For those who may wish to ‘study’ this chapter, the following simple resources are provided for you. Each passage has a four-Part approach to help you take in and think further about what you have read.

Passage: Psalm 83

1 O God, do not remain silent;
    do not turn a deaf ear,
    do not stand aloof, O God.
2 See how your enemies growl,
    how your foes rear their heads.
3 With cunning they conspire against your people;
    they plot against those you cherish.
4 ‘Come,’ they say, ‘let us destroy them as a nation,
    so that Israel’s name is remembered no more.’

5 With one mind they plot together;
    they form an alliance against you –
6 the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites,
    of Moab and the Hagrites,
7 Byblos, Ammon and Amalek,
    Philistia, with the people of Tyre.
8 Even Assyria has joined them
    to reinforce Lot’s descendants.

9 Do to them as you did to Midian,
    as you did to Sisera and Jabin at the River Kishon,
10 who perished at Endor
    and became like dung on the ground.
11 Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb,
    all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna,
12 who said, ‘Let us take possession
    of the pasture-lands of God.’

13 Make them like tumble-weed, my God,
    like chaff before the wind.
14 As fire consumes the forest
    or a flame sets the mountains ablaze,
15 so pursue them with your tempest
    and terrify them with your storm.
16 Cover their faces with shame, Lord,
    so that they will seek your name.

17 May they ever be ashamed and dismayed;
    may they perish in disgrace.
18 Let them know that you, whose name is the Lord –
    that you alone are the Most High over all the earth.

A. Find Out:

1. What does the psalmist ask of the Lord? v.1
2. What does he say is happening? v.2-5
3. Who does he say is involved? v.6-8
4. What does he ask the Lord to do? v.9-16
5. What does he want them to feel? v.17
6. What does he want them to know? v.18

B. Think:

1. Who are doing what to Israel ?
2. What does the psalmist remember?
3. So what does he want God to do?

C. Comment:

This is a simple and straight forward psalm that calls to the Lord to deal with the enemies of Israel . It starts with a cry for the Lord to speak and act on their behalf (v.1), a cry to OBSERVE THE ENEMY. The psalmist asks the Lord to take note what their enemies are doing (v.2), how they plot against God’s people (v.3) and plan to destroy them (v.4). Not only do they plot individually but they come together collectively to plot against God and His people (v.5).

He then IDENTIFIES THE ENEMY, he lists them, the people of Edom and Moab (v.6), Ammon, Amalek and the Philistines in the south and the people of Tyre in the north (7) and even Assyria (v.8) plus some lesser known places. These are the neighbours of Israel who again and again come against them.   

He then REMEMBERS THE PAST and asks the Lord to do to them what he did to others who came against Israel in the past, when he rose up and brought them down before Israel (v.9-12).

Finally he ASK FOR THEIR DESTRUCTION. He wants the Lord to come and pursue them like a forest fire (v.14,15) so that they are brought to shame (v.16) and come to repentance and seek God. He want them to be finally dealt with (v.17) so that they will be humbled and will know that the Lord alone is God Almighty (v.18)

D. Application:

1. Being oppressed by then enemy? Call on the Lord?
2. Remember what God has done for you in the past & be strengthened.