Psalm Chapter 83 (KJV)

Context

The dark background of this psalm of national lament lies in the dangerous alliance of almost all of Israel’s antagonistic neighbors (see verses 5-8).  This unprecedented array of enemies of Israel is not seen anywhere else in the Old Testament. The only other exception to this instance would be the group that opposed Jehoshaphat in 2 Chron. 20:1-12.  The psalmist prays for several things.

1. He makes an initial petition in verse 1.,
2. Then vocalizes his lament in verses 2-8.
3. Next, he goes back to his initial petition for the Lord’s intervention in verses 9-18.
4. He continues by reminding God of his deliverance of his people in the past in verses 9-11.
5. Finally, He reminds YHWH of the fact that his reputation is at stake in the present crisis in verses 16-18.

Today, when Christians find themselves in dire straits, we pray using this same formula. We reach out to God for solutions to our problems, and we remind him that he has helped us in the past, and we believe that we will be supported in the present and on through the future. We are all facing a worldwide pandemic.  If we grasp that term and then whittle it down to personal life-threating experiences that we have had in our lives, we must remind ourselves that

Repeat this scripture over your lives today and every day, my friends.

The plot of the enemy

1 Keep not thou silence, O God: hold not thy peace, and be not still, O God. 

In Psalm of Asaph appeals to God to intervene and save Israel. When God speaks, the world listens. Please note that Asaph is not asking God to send a warrior to lead them back. No, Asaph is absolutely aware that God Himself has the power to bring them back if He would just speak up. How do you feel right now? Do you think that God has control over your current circumstances? Speak his word over the situation, not what you see.

² For, lo, thine enemies make a tumult: and they that hate thee have lifted up the head. ³ They have taken crafty counsel against thy people and consulted against thy hidden ones.

The entire world is facing a deadly enemy. The COVAD19 virus. Remember that God created every cell, nano cell that exists and will ever exist. He, all by himself, will fight this battle for us. Follow the directions of our leaders, but trust God for your total protection.  As we battle against spiritual forces, we must remember that the battle is not ours to win. Fear is not of God. Know that he will make our enemies our footstool. Yes, your enemies will gather against you and plot and scheme. The devil does that continually, but you may also face similar circumstances at work, or even within your own family. Just look at what David endured.

⁴ They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance. ⁵ For they have consulted together with one consent: they are confederate against thee: Now he begins to name the nations who are against him. ⁶ The tabernacles of Edom (Judges 7:25; 8:3), and the Ishmaelites (Judges 8); of Moab,  and the Hagarenes [The Hagarenes were a nomadic tribe living east of the Jordan (1 Chron. 5:10; 19-20).]; ⁷ Gebal, and Ammon, and Amalek; thePhilistines with the inhabitants of Tyre; ⁸ Assur also is joined with them: they have holpen the children of Lot. Selah.

Esau was the father of the Edomites. He thought so little of his birthright, that he sold it for a bowl of soup. He had always hated Israel, even though he was related to them. Ishmael had been the son of Abraham and the bondwoman. The Ishmaelites descended from him. They had always hated the Israelites, because they were Abraham’s children with Sarah. Abraham gave Isaac (Israelite), the right hand (spiritual), blessing and gave Ishmael (son of the bondwoman Hagar), the left hand blessing [which is of the flesh]. It appears that the Hagarenes were the descendants of Hagar. This group of people felt as if they had been cheated, and they all hated Israel. In fact, this feud is still going on today between the Arabs and the Jews. – Cayce 2020.

It is so easy to fall into the pit of self-pity. People will come to you. Sometimes it will be your friends or people who you have helped in the past. It is harder when your friends become your enemy, but remember this-there is nothing new under the sun. Use God’s word to inspire you to continue to do good. Consider the source of the information and attack. Then trust God to fight that battle for you.  When doubt and fear come to your mind, tell the enemy to leave you alone. “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” James 4:7 KJV  When you pray about your situations, name the names of the people who have come against you. David certainly did just that. Romans 12:19 reminds us that we and intercessor who fights for us. “Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.” Remember that “For ye are dead, and your life is hidden with Christ in God (Col. 3:3). The power we have over our life challenges is hidden in Christ.

Oh God, please destroy our enemies

⁹ Do unto them as unto the Midianites (see Judges 4 and 5); as to Sisera, as to Jabin (Judges 5:19), at the brook of Kison: ¹⁰ Which perished at Endor: they became as dung for the earth (see Jer. 8:2).¹¹ Make their nobles like Oreb, and like Zeeb: yea, all their princes as Zebah, and as Zalmunna (compare Judges chapters 6-8):¹² Who said, Let us take to ourselves the houses of God in possession. A similiar claim like was made by the Ammonites in the times of Jephthah (Judges 11:13). Another instance was when the Ammonites and Moabites intended to dispossess Israel “ And now, behold, the children of Ammon and Moab and mount Seir, whom thou wouldest not let Israel invade, when they came out of the land of Egypt, but they turned from them, and destroyed them not;” (2 Chron. 20:10).

Have you experienced an occasion when you have prayed this prayer? You will most likely find yourself praying this when some form of betrayal has occurred in your life. You will pray this prayer when you are treated in a partial manner compared with someone else. You will pray this prayer when you just want your dissenters to disappear. Don’t be aghast. It is human to want your enemies destroyed. However, hatred can never be a part of this conundrum. David was just fed up with his enemies. He wanted peace. So he as YHWH to make them “they became as dung for the earth.” You know that dung just disappears into the ground eventually, right?  

¹³ O my God, make them like a wheel; as the stubble before the wind. He continues with his request. Just make them like tumbleweed and blow them out into the desert God, you have the power to do that. Read this thread very carefully. He is not asking God to do these things for David’s glory. ¹⁴ As the fire burneth a wood, and as the flame setteth the mountains on fire; ¹⁵ So persecute them with thy tempest, and make them afraid with thy storm. And here it is!  ¹⁶ Fill their faces with shame; WHY?  “that they may seek thy name, O Lord.” When we pray for our enemies to change, it should be for God’s glory. It should be for their benefit. Yes, it will bring peace in our minds and in our lives, but we don’t wnat them to be destroyed without them coming to the knowledge of the Lord.  I will say this. I am not one of those people who will plaster social media wil a million pretty scriptures, or holy sounding words.  Yes, they will appeal to the senses of others. But isn’t the ultimate goal of our posts to show people that they are lost without Jesus? Isn’t the goal to teach them how to speak into existence what God has instore for them and not what their circumstances dictate?

You alone are The Most High God.

¹⁷ Let them be confounded and troubled for ever; yea, let them be put to shame and perish: 18 That man may know that thou, whose name alone is Jehovah, art the most high over all the earth.

Finally, David asks God to put his enemies to shame. Why? Well, they won’t listen. They will not change their course of action. They are hell-bent on destroying him. SO, just get rid of them God.  Not for my glory but for your name’s sake. That they may know who is really God. Baal could not save them from their destruction. You see friends, as you face, what may appear to be, uncertainty, know that it is guaranteed. Your God has never failed. So, during this time of uncertainty, like David . . .

Prayer: Father in Heaven, you sit high above the heavens. You alone are God. You alone hold the universe in your hands.  Father, I am reminded that by Psalm 91:1-3  (KJV) He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.  ^Therefore,  I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. ^{I can truthfully and faithfully state that “}Surely he shall deliver [me] from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.” You are the God who heals, seals, delivers, and protects. You are my loving, Father, who never fails. Thank you for the assurance that you are always there when I need you. I pray protection over your children all over the world, Father. I pray that the power and force of your Holy Spirit will flood the souls of men this day and bring the kind of calm and peace that we all need to navigate this da. Lord, I pray that you will remind us that it is in your presence that we find peace – selah.

References

Cayce, Ken. Psalm 83. https://www.bible-studys.org/Bible%20Books/Psalms/Psalm%2083.html

Longman, Tremper, III. Psalms: An Introduction and Commentary, InterVarsity Press, 2014. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/liberty/detail.action?docID=2033987.
Created from liberty on 2020-03-11 10:03:11.