Psalm 83

Authorship

This psalm was authored by Asaph.

Outline

(This began as Wendland's Expository Outline, but may be adapted.)

I. Oh God, don’t keep silent. (1-4)

A. Your enemies make a tumult.

B. Those that hate Thee have lifted up their heads.

C. They have taken crafty counsel against Thy people.

D. They have consulted against Thy hidden ones.

E. They have said: Let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance.

F. They are united in purpose: A confederacy against God.

II. They are a confederation against thee: (5-8)

A. Edom.

B. Ishmaelites.

C. Moab.

D. Hagarenes.

E. Gebal.

F. Ammon.

G. Amalek.

H. Philistines.

I. Tyre.

J. Assur.

K. The children of Lot.

III. What he asks God to do. (9-12)

A. Do unto them as You did to the Midianites.

B. Do unto them as You did to Sisera.

C. Do unto them as You did to Jabin (at the brook of Kison) which perished at Endor.

D. Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb.

E. Make their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna, who said, “Let us take to ourselves the houses of God in possession.”

IV. Make them like: (13-14)

A. A wheel.

B. As stubble before the wind.

C. As fire that burns wood.

D. As a flame that sets mountains on fire.

V. Persecute them with: (15-17)

A. Thy tempest.

B. Thy storm.

C. Shame.

D. Confusion.

E. Trouble.

F. Death.

VI. The purpose: That men may know: (18)

A. You are Jehovah.

B. You are the Most High over all the earth.

Textual Criticism

The following is from Barthélemy's Critique textuelle de l’Ancien Testament volume on the Psalms. For a key to the various symbols and abbreviations, click here.

Ps 84,7(6)A מַעְיָן {B} MT, α', σ', Hebr, T // err-graph: G, S clav מעון

Ps 84,7(6)B בְּ֜רָכוֹת {A}

Ps 84,7(6)C יַעְטֶה מוֹרֶה {A} MT, α', σ', ε', ς', Hebr, S, T // exeg: G

Ps 84,8(7)A יֵרָאֶה {A} MT, G, α', S, T // transl: Hebr

Ps 84,8(7)B cor אֵל {B} G, α', S // theol: MT, σ', Hebr, T אֶל

Ps 84,8(7)C אֱלֹהִים {A} MT, G, α', σ', Hebr, S // paraphr: T

Ps 84,11(10) בָּחַרְתִּי {A}