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Psalms 83

The psalmist cries out to God to not remain silent in the face of enemies who have formed a conspiracy against Israel, seeking to destroy the nation and erase its name. The enemies, a confederation of various nations, are compared to past foes who were defeated by God. The psalmist asks God to similarly defeat these enemies, filling them with shame and causing them to seek God's name, ultimately that God's power and name may be known over all the earth.

1Keep not thou silence, O God: hold not thy peace, and be not still, O God.2For, lo, thine enemies make a tumult: and they that hate thee have lifted up the head.3They have taken crafty counsel against thy people, and consulted against thy hidden ones.4They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance.5For they have consulted together with one consent: they are confederate against thee:6The tabernacles of Edom, and the Ishmaelites; of Moab, and the Hagarenes;7Gebal, and Ammon, and Amalek; the Philistines with the inhabitants of Tyre;8Assur also is joined with them: they have holpen the children of Lot. Selah.9Do unto them as unto the Midianites; as to Sisera, as to Jabin, at the brook of Kison:10Which perished at Endor: they became as dung for the earth.11Make their nobles like Oreb, and like Zeeb: yea, all their princes as Zebah, and as Zalmunna:12Who said, Let us take to ourselves the houses of God in possession.13O my God, make them like a wheel; as the stubble before the wind.14As the fire burneth a wood, and as the flame setteth the mountains on fire;15So persecute them with thy tempest, and make them afraid with thy storm.16Fill their faces with shame; that they may seek thy name, O LORD.17Let them be confounded and troubled for ever; yea, let them be put to shame, and perish:18That men may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the most high over all the earth.
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