Psalm 83

A Song. A Psalm of Asaph.
O God, do not keep silence;
  do not hold your peace or be still, O God!
Even now your enemies are in tumult;
  those who hate you have raised their heads.
They lay crafty plans against your people;
  they consult together against those you protect.
They say, ‘Come, let us wipe them out as a nation;
  let the name of Israel be remembered no more.’
They conspire with one accord;
  against you they make a covenant—
the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites,
  Moab and the Hagrites,
Gebal and Ammon and Amalek,
  Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre;
Assyria also has joined them;
  they are the strong arm of the children of Lot.
     Selah
Do to them as you did to Midian,
  as to Sisera and Jabin at the Wadi Kishon,
who were destroyed at En-dor,
  who became dung for the ground.
Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb,
  all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna,
who said, ‘Let us take the pastures of God
  for our own possession.’
O my God, make them like whirling dust,
  like chaff before the wind.
As fire consumes the forest,
  as the flame sets the mountains ablaze,
so pursue them with your tempest
  and terrify them with your hurricane.
Fill their faces with shame,
  so that they may seek your name, O Lord.
Let them be put to shame and dismayed for ever;
  let them perish in disgrace.
Let them know that you alone,
  whose name is the Lord,
  are the Most High over all the earth.
 

Question:

When I was last at the Village, the wind blew my Bible open to this. I was moved and also confused. I'm working on an interpretation myself, but I'm hoping for guidance on this.

Comment:

The 83rd Psalm is essentially a prayer for the Hebrews to be delivered from their enemies, who are challenging not just their lands and goods, but also challenging their monotheistic belief in one God—one Presence, one Power. The enemies worshipped many gods, and scoffed at the God of the Israelites. So, according to the psalmist, the request is for a military victory that will prove the might of the Hebrew God and His dominance over all things. We are often challenged today, I think, by people who worship many gods—money, power, fame, lust. We struggle, as the psalmist did, to stay focused on the One Presence and One Power we recognize in ourselves and in all of life.   Blessings!

Rev. Ed