Psalm 83 and the Hatred of God’s Covenant People
Psalm 83 is not merely about nations opposing Israel. It is about nations opposing the covenant purposes of God. The hatred is directed against His people, but the rebellion is against the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
Arab nations, Gentile nations, global powers — and now even the United States of America — are turning against Israel.
The world is gathering behind closed doors, speaking the language of “peace and security,” but their true aim is not peace. It is pressure. Isolation. Division. And ultimately, Israel’s destruction.
The nations have come together.
As Psalm 83 says:
“Yes, they devise a unified strategy;
they form an alliance against you.”
You cannot miss it.
It is impossible not to see it.
The nations of the world are not hiding their intent anymore. By their words, their votes, their policies, their threats, and their alliances, they are saying exactly what Scripture said they would say:
“Come, let us wipe them out as a nation.”
That is the spirit of the age.
That is the hatred of the nations.
That is the same ancient hostility against the covenant purposes of God.
But there is one problem for the nations:
Israel does not belong to them.
Jerusalem does not belong to them.
The covenant promises do not belong to them.
And history does not end with the schemes of kings, presidents, diplomats, or global institutions.
The nations may plot.
The rulers may scheme.
The world may rage against Israel.
But their rebellion will not stand.
The final word belongs to the LORD.
And the LORD alone is “the Most High over all the earth.”
Take a few minutes to read Psalms 83
1 O God, do not be silent.
Do not ignore us.
Do not be inactive, O God.
2 For look, your enemies are making a commotion;
those who hate you are hostile.
3 They carefully plot against your people,
and make plans to harm the ones you cherish.
4 They say,
“Come on, let’s annihilate them
so they are no longer a nation.
Then the name of Israel
will be remembered no more.”
5 Yes, they devise a unified strategy;
they form an alliance against you.
6 It includes the tents of Edom
and the Ishmaelites,
Moab and the Hagrites,
7 Gebal, Ammon, and Amalek,
Philistia and the inhabitants of Tyre.
8 Even Assyria has allied with them,
lending its strength
to the descendants of Lot.
Selah.
9 Do to them as you did to Midian—
as you did to Sisera and Jabin
at the Kishon River.
10 They were destroyed at Endor;
their corpses were like manure
on the ground.
11 Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb,
and all their rulers
like Zebah and Zalmunna,
12 who said,
“Let’s take over
the pastures of God.”
13 O my God,
make them like dead thistles,
like dead weeds blown away by the wind.
14 Like the fire that burns down the forest,
or the flames that consume the mountainsides,
15 chase them with your gale winds,
and terrify them with your windstorm.
16 Cover their faces with shame,
so they might seek you,
O LORD.
17 May they be humiliated
and continually terrified.
May they die in shame.
18 Then they will know
that you alone are the LORD,
the Most High over all the earth.
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