What does Psalm 83:15 mean?

This completes a thought begun in the prior verse (Psalm 83:14). Asaph began by praying that God would defeat a conspiracy of nations who sought to destroy Israel (Psalm 83:4–8). He then mentioned examples of divine vengeance from history, hoping the Lord would repeat those (Psalm 83:9–12). In this segment, Asaph is asking for specific punishments and calling on God's power to use nature for His purposes (Psalm 83:13–14). So far, this has compared the enemy to dust or chaff which are blown away, and God's justice to a raging forest fire.

Here, Asaph depicts the incredible power of the "tempest" and the "hurricane." The first Hebrew term is from sa'ar which can also be translated as "whirlwind" or "storm." The second is derived from supāh, which has similar meanings. The words are paired here more for poetic effect than as references to some exact weather event. For this reason, translations vary in which words are used to translate each term. The Mediterranean Sea experiences a version of hurricanes, and most places on earth can experience a true tornado; all the possible meanings of these words are weather patterns Asaph may have seen in person.

God often uses His control over nature to emphasize His power and ability. Jonah experienced a major storm as part of God's correction for disobedience (Jonah 1:4). Jesus calmed a raging sea storm with just a word (Mark 4:35–41).