Psalm 83:4 - Printer Friendly

ESV: They say, “Come, let us wipe them out as a nation; let the name of Israel be remembered no more!”

NIV: Come,' they say, 'let us destroy them as a nation, so that Israel's name is remembered no more.'

NASB: They have said, 'Come, and let’s wipe them out as a nation, So that the name of Israel will no longer be remembered.'

CSB: They say, "Come, let's wipe them out as a nation so that Israel's name will no longer be remembered."

NLT: 'Come,' they say, 'let us wipe out Israel as a nation. We will destroy the very memory of its existence.'

KJV: 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.

NKJV: They have said, “Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation, That the name of Israel may be remembered no more.”

Asaph recognizes two main goals in Israel's enemies. First, they want to obliterate Israel as a nation. That means conquering their territory and removing all their self-governing or power. Second, these enemies want to erase even the memory of God's chosen people. Asaph notes this as part of a prayer (Psalm 83:1) in the face of a multi-nation coalition against Israel (Psalm 83:6–8).

History demonstrates that the complete destruction of Israel and even her memory has been a goal of her enemies throughout the ages. This will continue until the very end of human history (Revelation 20:7–9). It exists, in various forms, even today. In the modern world, many Arabic nations and groups openly call for the annihilation of the entire Israeli state. But God will not abandon His people. He promised Abram that He will bless those who bless Him and curse those who dishonor him (Genesis 12:3).

Psalm 83:1–8 forms the first half of Asaph's psalm. He urges God to act against Israel's enemies, who plan to wipe Israel from the face of the earth. These aggressors deliberately plan their assault; they agree about annihilating God's people. Asaph lists ten groups, which include many of Israel's historic enemies.

Asaph prays for God to intervene in a conspiracy. Many nations cooperate to erase Israel and her legacy. He asks the Lord for protection, asking Him to repeat the harsh judgments brought on pagan nations in the past. Asaph extends this by asking God to bring destruction, ruin, and humiliation on these opponents. Despite this, Asaph recognizes that the proper goal is for these nations to recognize that God alone is Most High. This is one of several "imprecatory" psalms such as Psalm 5, 10, 17, 109, and 137, which request God to deliver severe harm on some enemy.

This is the last psalm identified with Asaph. It is one of the imprecatory psalms which call for harsh judgment from God. Other such psalms include 5, 10, 35, 109, and 137. The psalm is not explicitly connected to a historical event. It may refer to the attack on Jerusalem during the reign of Jehoshaphat (2 Chronicles 20). Others see this as a general reference to the Gentile world's relentless attacks on Israel. Still others interpret this as a prophecy about a large-scale attack set to occur in the end times.

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.

Accessed 5/3/2024 12:47:08 PM