Read & explore together
O God, Be Not Silent
Psalm 83 is a prayer-song from a time of threat. The singer asks God to act because many enemies are united against God’s people, and the psalm ends by pointing to God’s name above all the earth.
Understanding the passage
Read these words in context
The poem speaks to God about hostile peoples who are plotting against Israel. It lists the alliance, recalls earlier enemy defeats as part of the prayer, and asks God to answer with judgement so that his name will be sought and known.
Psalms 83:1–18Main takeaway
This psalm brings a desperate appeal to God in danger and directs its final goal towards people knowing Yahweh as the Most High.
Explore the poem and its images
Open a card to explore the full explanation and its Bible references.
01An urgent appeal to GodThe psalm begins with repeated cries for God not to be silent or still. The reason is immediate: enemies are stirred up, hate God, and plot against his people, here called his cherished ones.
Explanation
The psalm begins with repeated cries for God not to be silent or still. The reason is immediate: enemies are stirred up, hate God, and plot against his people, here called his cherished ones. The prayer joins danger to God’s people with opposition to God himself.
02A united plan against IsraelThe enemies say they want to destroy Israel as a nation so its name is remembered no more.
Explanation
The enemies say they want to destroy Israel as a nation so its name is remembered no more. The psalm stresses that they act with one mind and in alliance against God. A list of peoples follows to show the scale of the threat described in this song.
03Earlier defeats recalled in prayerThe singer asks God to do as he did to Midian, Sisera, Jabin, Oreb, Zeeb, Zebah, and Zalmunna.
Explanation
The singer asks God to do as he did to Midian, Sisera, Jabin, Oreb, Zeeb, Zebah, and Zalmunna. In this psalm, these names serve as remembered examples inside the prayer. The stated issue is that the enemies want to take possession of God’s pasture lands.
04Judgement images and the final aimThe last part uses strong poetry: tumbleweed, chaff, fire, tempest, storm, confusion, and perishing.
Explanation
The last part uses strong poetry: tumbleweed, chaff, fire, tempest, storm, confusion, and perishing. These are words spoken to God in prayer. Yet the closing purpose reaches beyond defeat alone: that they may seek Yahweh’s name and know that he alone is the Most High over all the earth.
Questions to explore
Pause, look back at the verses and talk together.
01Why does the singer ask God not to be silent?
Look at what the enemies are doing against God and against his cherished ones.
02How does the psalm show that the threat is organised and widespread?
Notice both the shared purpose and the list of peoples in the alliance.
03What final result does the closing prayer aim for?
Read the lines about seeking Yahweh’s name and knowing who he is.
Read the Bible passage
World English Bible ClassicScripture quotation · Public domain
Psalms 83:1–18
1God, don’t keep silent. Don’t keep silent, and don’t be still, God.
2For, behold, your enemies are stirred up. Those who hate you have lifted up their heads.
3They conspire with cunning against your people. They plot against your cherished ones.
4“Come,” they say, “let’s destroy them as a nation, that the name of Israel may be remembered no more.”
5For they have conspired together with one mind. They form an alliance against you.
6The tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites; Moab, and the Hagrites;
7Gebal, Ammon, and Amalek; Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre;
8Assyria also is joined with them. They have helped the children of Lot. Selah.
9Do to them as you did to Midian, as to Sisera, as to Jabin, at the river Kishon;
10who perished at Endor, who became as dung for the earth.
11Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb, yes, all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna,
12who said, “Let’s take possession of God’s pasture lands.”
13My God, make them like tumbleweed, like chaff before the wind.
14As the fire that burns the forest, as the flame that sets the mountains on fire,
15so pursue them with your tempest, and terrify them with your storm.
16Fill their faces with confusion, that they may seek your name, Yahweh.
17Let them be disappointed and dismayed forever. Yes, let them be confounded and perish;
18that they may know that you alone, whose name is Yahweh, are the Most High over all the earth.