Psalms 83

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[1]The Psalmist complaineth to God of a powerful confederacy among the enemies of Israel: [9]he prayeth against them.

A Song or Psalm of Asaph.

1. Keep not thou silence, O God: hold not thy peace, and be not still, O God.

2. For, lo, thine enemies make a tumult: and they that hate thee have lifted up the head.

3. They have taken crafty counsel against thy people, and consulted against thy hidden ones.

4. 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.

5. For they have consulted together with one consent: they are confederate against thee:

6. The tabernacles of Edom, and the Ishmaelites; of Moab, and the Hagarenes;

7. Gebal, and Ammon, and Amalek; the Philistines with the inhabitants of Tyre;

8. Assur also is joined with them: they have holpen the children of Lot. Selah.

9. Do unto them as unto the Midianites; as to Sisera, as to Jabin, at the brook of Kison:

10. Which perished at Endor: they became as dung for the earth.

11. Make their nobles like Oreb, and like Zeeb: yea, all their princes as Zebah, and as Zalmunna:

12. Who said, Let us take to ourselves the houses of God in possession.

13. O my God, make them like a wheel; as the stubble before the wind.

14. As the fire burneth a wood, and as the flame setteth the mountains on fire;

15. So persecute them with thy tempest, and make them afraid with thy storm.

16. Fill their faces with shame; that they may seek thy name, O LORD.

17. Let them be confounded and troubled for ever; yea, let them be put to shame, and perish:

18. That men may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the most high over all the earth.

Metrical version

Psalm 83

C.M. Wigtown

Keep not, O God, we thee entreat,
O keep not silence now:
Do thou not hold thy peace, O God,
and still no more be thou.

For, lo, thine enemies a noise
tumultuously have made;
And they that haters are of thee
have lifted up the head.

Against thy chosen people they
do crafty counsel take:
And they against thy hidden ones
do consultations make.

Come, let us cut them off, said they,
from being a nation,
That of the name of Isr'el may
no more be mention.

For with joint heart they plot, in league
against thee they combine.
The tents of Edom, Ishm'elites,
Moab's and Hagar's line;

Gebal, and Ammon, Amalek,
Philistines, those of Tyre;
And Assur joined with them, to help
Lot's children they conspire.

Do to them as to Midian,
Jabin at Kison strand;
And Sis'ra, which at En-dor fell,
as dung to fat the land.

Like Oreb and like Zeeb make
their noble men to fall;
Like Zeba and Zalmunna like,
make thou their princes all;

Who said, For our possession
let us God's houses take.
My God, them like a wheel, as chaff
before the wind, them make.

As fire consumes the wood, as flame
doth mountains set on fire,
Chase and affright them with the storm
and tempest of thine ire.

Their faces fill with shame, O LORD,
that they may seek thy name.
Let them confounded be, and vexed,
and perish in their shame:

That men may know that thou, to whom
alone doth appertain
The name JEHOVAH, dost most high
o'er all the earth remain.