Psalm LXXXIII

A Song or Psalm of Asapli.

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

God.

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.

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.

For they have consulted together with one consent: they are confederate against thee:

6 The tabernacles of Edom, and the Ishmaelites; of Moab and the Hagarenes;

7 Gebal, and Ammon, and Amalek; the Philistines with the inhabitants of

Tyre;

8 Assur also is joined with them: they have holpen the children of Lot.

Selah.

9 Do unto them as to the Midianites; as to Sisera, as to Jabin, at the

brook of Kison,

10 Which perished at En-dor: they became as dung for the earth.

11 Make their nobles like Oreb, and like Zeeb:
Yea, all their princes as Zebah, and as Zalmunna:

12 Who said, Let us take to ourselves the houses of God in possession.

13 O my God, make them like a wheel! as the stubble before the wind!

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.

16 Fill their faces with shame; that they may seek thy name, 0 Lord.

17 Let them be confounded and troubled for ever; yea, let them be put to

shame, and perish:

18 That men may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH,

Art the Most High over all the earth.

tiic’tim’^ “”’* son(/ and psahn by Asaph; lively, yet solemn; for there is in it both victory and vengeance. The appeal of last Psalm to the Judge, by Asaph in the name of Messiah and his people, is of the same spirit with this more lengthened and full prayer by the same Asaph. The times are the same. Whatever were the circumstances of the Psalmist that furnished an appropriate season in the view of the Spirit of God for giving it to the Church — whether such as those of Jehoshaphat’s reign (2 Chron. xx. 14) or not — it seems probable that He who knew men’s hearts saw more than once this same hatred to Israel taking the form of a combined conspiracy of all the nations round. Even thus has it been more than once in regard to Britain, the retreat of God’s hidden ones; and even thus, were the vail lifted up, might it be found to be true at this hour of the foes of Protestant truth. And yet more shall the Latter Day bring to view a combination of kings and people against the Lamb and his faithful few — a combination which shall meet with extinction on the plains of Megiddo, most fully realising the prayer and anticipations of this Psalm, verses 9, 1 0, ] L What a song for days when Antichrist shall be wondered at by all the earth! It is pervaded by a tone of astonishment at the Lord’s long-suffering.

From verses 1 to 8, where “Selah” introduces the pause, the prayer ascends, spreading before the Lord like (Acts iv. 29) the threatening aspect of his foes, who direct their malice against “his hidden ones” (ver. 3) — that is, his people, not unknown or obscure, but hid as his treasure. (See Psa. xxvii. 5.) They who were all jealous of each other, like Pilate and Herod, are friends now —

“They consult from the heart with one accord “(ver. 5). Tfiey rnahe a covevMnt against Thee!”

A circle seems drawn round Israel’s land; the hunters have inclosed their prey — Edom and Ishmael on the south; Moab and the Hagarenes who dwelt near Gilead (1 Chron. iv. 18), to the east, along with Gebal (i. e., Oebalene, which means the mountainous region, from the Arabic Djebel, the district whose capital wasPetra, or Sela), and Ammon, and old Amalek; and on the west Philistia and Tyre — all these call Assyria to their aid, to pour down from the noiih his resistless bands! “The children of Lot,” the nations who, because of the relationship of their ancestors, might have been expected to befidend Israel, take the lead against Israel in this unbrotherly covenant.

But faith sees this armada scattered, as surely as was that of Spain on our shores.

“Treat them as Midian!
As Sisera! as Jahiu!
At the torrent ofKishon!
At Endor they ham perished!
They Mve become dung for the soil! (Ver. 9, 10.)

All this, at the veiy time when they are saying, “We will take possession of these habitations of God” (ver. 15), the cities of Israel, protected by their God.* The Lord answers their prayers — “Make them like a iv/ieei” that threshes the com and beats the straw to pieces (Phillips), or like the thistle-down in the whirl of the storm.

The end is like the issue of judgment so often declared by Ezekiel, e. g. xxx. 26, xxxv. 1 5, xxxviii. 23, xxxix. 28.

“Men seek thy name, 0 Jehovah! (Ver. 16.)
And again —

“And they know that Thou — tluj name alone is Jelwvah! Most high over all the eaiih!”

The Armageddon of the Last Days, ended by the Lord’s appearing, when his feet stand on the Mount of Olives, and he recapitulates (so to speak) all the victories of ancient days in that one, shall result in the fame of the Lord being spread over earth, and his one name acknowledged. What a glorious answer to

The prayer of the Bidden Ones against the crafty counsel of Messiah’s foes.