Psalms 83 commentary

Sometimes God seems not to be concerned at the unjust treatment of his people. But then we may call upon him, as the psalmist here. All wicked people are God's enemies, especially wicked persecutors. The Lord's people are his hidden one; the world knows them not. He takes them under his special protection. Do the enemies of the church act with one consent to destroy it, and shall not the friends of the church be united? Wicked men wish that there might be no religion among mankind. They would gladly see all its restraints shaken off, and all that preach, profess, or practise it, cut off. This they would bring to pass if it were in their power. The enemies of God's church have always been many: this magnifies the power of the Lord in preserving to himself a church in the world.

All who oppose the kingdom of Christ may here read their doom. God is the same still that ever he was; the same to his people, and the same against his and their enemies. God would make their enemies like a wheel; unsettled in all their counsels and resolves. Not only let them be driven away as stubble, but burnt as stubble. And this will be the end of wicked men. Let them be made to fear thy name, and perhaps that will bring them to seek thy name. We should desire no confusion to our enemies and persecutors but what may forward their conversion. The stormy tempest of Divine vengeance will overtake them, unless they repent and seek the pardoning mercy of their offended Lord. God's triumphs over his enemies, clearly prove that he is, according to his name JEHOVAH, an almighty Being, who has all power and perfection in himself. May we fear his wrath, and yield ourselves to be his willing servants. And let us seek deliverance by the destruction of our fleshly lusts, which war against the soul.

PSALM 83

The prophet implores the divine aid against the enemies of the Church, and, as an argument for obtaining this the more easily, he enumerates the many nations which had conspired together for the express purpose of exterminating the people of Israel, and thereby extinguishing the very name of the Church of God. To stir up himself and others to greater earnestness and confidence in prayer, he shows, by many examples, how mightily God had been wont to succor his servants.

A Song or Psalm of Asaph.

Psalm 83:1-4

1. O God! keep not silence with thyself; hold not thy peace, and be not still, O God! 2. For, behold! Thy enemies are tumultuous: and those who hate thee have lifted up the head. 3. They have formed a crafty design against thy people, and have consulted against thy hidden ones. 4. They have said, Come and let us cut them off from being a nation; and let the name of Israel be no more remembered.

1 O God! hold not thy peace. It is very generally agreed among commentators, that this psalm was composed during the reign of king Jehoshaphat; and in this opinion I readily concur. That godly king, as is well known, had to engage in dreadful wars against multiplied hosts of enemies. Although the Ammonites and Moabites were the originators of the principal war in which he was engaged, yet they mustered forces not only from Syria, but also from distant countries, and the troops thus brought together well nigh overwhelmed Judea with their multitude. It would then appear, from the long list of enemies, here enumerated, who had conspired together to destroy the people of God, that the conjecture is well-founded which refers the composition of this psalm to that occasion; Compare the 6th, 7th, and 8th verses of the psalm with 2 Chronicles 20:1, 10, 22; and the 12th verse of the psalm with the 11th verse of that chapter. and sacred history informs us, that one of the Levites, under the influence of the Spirit of prophecy, gave the king assurance of victory, The name of this Levite was Jahaziel, and he is expressly said to be a prophet of the race of Asaph, 2 Chronicles 20:14. It is not unlikely that he is the same with Asaph, the author of this psalm. and that the Levites sang before the Lord. In the midst of so great dangers, the whole nation, as well as the holy king, must have been involved in the deepest distress; and, accordingly, we have here a prayer full of earnestness and solicitude. These feelings prompted the repetition of the words which occur in the very opening of the psalm, Hold not thy peace, Keep not silence, be not still By this, the faithful would intimate, that if God intended to succor them, it behoved him to make haste, else the opportunity for doing so would be lost. It is unquestionably our duty to wait patiently when God at any time delays his help; but, in condescension to our infirmity, he permits us to supplicate him to make haste. What I have rendered, keep not silence with thyself, is literally keep not silence to thyself, which some translate by the paraphrase, Hold not thy peace in thy own cause, — an exposition which is too refined to be more particularly noticed. This form of expression is equivalent to saying, Hold not thyself in. Perhaps the particle is here superfluous, as it is in many other places.

PSALM 83

Psa 83:1-18. Of Asaph--(See on Psa 74:1, title). The historical occasion is probably that of 2Ch 20:1, 2 (compare Psa 47:1-9; 48:1-14). After a general petition, the craft and rage of the combined enemies are described, God's former dealings recited, and a like summary and speedy destruction on them is invoked.

1. God addressed as indifferent (compare Psa 35:22; 39:12).

be not still--literally, "not quiet," as opposed to action.

2. thine enemies--as well as ours (Psa 74:23; Is 37:23).

3. hidden ones--whom God specially protects (Psa 27:5; 91:1).

4. from being a nation--utter destruction (Is 7:8; 23:1).

Israel--here used for Judah, having been the common name.

5. they have consulted--with heart, or cordially.

together--all alike.

6-8. tabernacles--for people (Psa 78:67).

they--all these united with the children of Lot, or Ammonites and Moabites (compare 2Ch 20:1).

9-11. Compare the similar fate of these (2Ch 20:23) with that of the foes mentioned in Jud 7:22, here referred to. They destroyed one another (Jud 4:6-24; 7:25). Human remains form manure (compare 2Ki 9:37; Jr 9:22).

12. The language of the invaders.

houses--literally, "residences," enclosures, as for flocks (Psa 65:12).

of God--as the proprietors of the land (2Ch 20:11; Is 14:25).

13. like a wheel--or, whirling of any light thing (Is 17:13), as stubble or chaff (Psa 1:4).

14-15. Pursue them to an utter destruction.

16. that they may seek--or as Psa 83:18, supply "men," since Psa 83:17, 18 amplify the sentiment of Psa 83:16, expressing more fully the measure of destruction, and the lesson of God's being and perfections (compare 2Ch 20:29) taught to all men.

Keep not thou silence - A strong appeal to God just as the confederacy was discovered. Do not be inactive, do not be neuter. Thy honor and our existence are both at stake.

Thine enemies make a tumult - They are not merely the enemies of thy people, but they are the enemies of thyself, thy worship, ordinances, and laws: "They make a tumult," they throng together.

They - have lifted up the head - They have made an irruption into the land of Judea, and encamped at En-gedi, by the Dead Sea, 2Chr 20:1, 2Chr 20:2.

Consulted against thy hidden ones - צפוניך tsephuneycha, Thy hidden things; places; persons. "The hidden things in thy treasures." - Chaldee. "Thy holy ones." - Syriac. "Thy saints." - Vulgate and Septuagint; and so the Ethiopic and Arabic. The people of Israel are probably meant. Or perhaps the temple, the ark, and the treasures of the temple, are intended.

Let us cut them off - Let us exterminate the whole race, that there may not be a record of them on the face of the earth. And their scheme was well laid: eight or ten different nations united themselves in a firm bond to do this; and they had kept their purpose so secret that the king of Judah does not appear to have heard of it till his territories were actually invaded, and the different bodies of this coalition had assembled at En-gedi. Never was Judah before in greater danger.

They have consulted together with one consent - With a united heart, לב יחדו leb yachdav, Their heart and soul are in the work.

They are confederate against thee - "They have made a covenant," ברית יכריתו berith yachrithu, "they have cut the covenant sacrifice." They have slain an animal, divided him in twain, and passed between the pieces of the victim; and have thus bound themselves to accomplish their purpose.

The tabernacles of Edom - The tents of these different people are seen in the grand encampment. Tents are probably mentioned because it seas the custom of some of these people, particularly the lshmaelites, to live a migratory or wandering life; having no fixed habitation, but always abiding in tents. Their posterity remain to the present day, and act and live in the same manner.

Hagarenes - These people dwelt on the east of Gilead; and were nearly destroyed in the days of Saul, being totally expelled from their country, 1Chr 5:10, but afterwards recovered some strength and consequence; but where they dwelt after their expulsion by the Israelites is not known.

Gebal - The Giblites, who were probably the persons here designed, were a tribe of the ancient inhabitants of the land of Canaan, and are mentioned as unconquered at the death of Joshua, Jos 13:5. They are called stone-squarers or Giblites, 1Kgs 5:18, and were of considerable assistance to Hiram king of Tyre, in preparing timber and stones for the building of the temple. They appear to have been eminent in the days of Ezekiel, who terms them the "ancients of Gebal, and the wise men - thereof," who were ship-builders, Eze 27:3. What is now called Gibyle, a place on the Mediterranean Sea, between Tripoli and Sidon, is supposed to be the remains of the city of the Giblites.

Ammon and Moab were then descendants of the children of Lot. Their bad origin is sufficiently known. See Gen 19:30, etc. Calmet supposes that Ammon is put here for Men or Maon, the Meonians, a people who lived in the neighborhood of the Amalekites and Idumeans. See the notes on 2Chr 20:1; 2Chr 26:7.

Amalek - The Amalekites are well known as the ancient and inveterate enemies of the Israelites. They were neighbors to the Idumeans.

The Philistines - These were tributaries to Jehoshaphat, 2Chr 17:11; but it seems they took advantage of the present times, to join in the great confederacy against him.

The inhabitants of Tyre - These probably joined the confederacy in hopes of making conquests, and extending their territory on the main land.

Asser also is joined - The Ammonites might have got those auxiliaries from beyond the Euphrates, against Jehosphaphat, as formerly they were brought against David. See 2Sam 10:16.

They have holpen the children of Lot - The Ammonites, who appear to have been the chief instigators in this war.

Do unto them as unto the Midianites - Who were utterly defeated by Gideon, Jdg 7:21, Jdg 7:22.

As to Sisera - Captain of the army of Jabin, king of Canaan, who was totally defeated by Deborah and Barak, near Mount Tabor, by the river Kishon; and himself, after having fled from the battle, slain by Jael, the wife of Heber, the Kenite. See Jdg 4:15, etc.

Perished at En-dor - This refers to the defeat of the Midianites by Gideon, who were encamped in the valley of Jezreel, at the foot of Mount Gilboa, and near to Tabor, Jdg 6:33; Jdg 7:1, and consequently in the environs of En-dor. There Gideon attacked and defeated them; and, in various places during their flight, they were destroyed, and left to rot upon the earth. Jdg 7:22-25.

Lake their nobles like Oreb, and like Zeeb - They were two of the chiefs, or generals, of the Midianites; and were slain in the pursuit of the Midianites, by the men of Ephraim; and their heads brought to Gideon on the other side of JorDaniel Jdg 7:24, Jdg 7:25.

Yea, all their princes as Zebah, and as Zalmunna - These were kings of Midian, who were encamped at Karkor with fifteen thoussand men, whom Gideon attacked there, and defeated, and took the kings prisoners; and finding that they had killed his own brothers slew them both. See Jdg 8:10-21. Of the Midianites there fell at this time one hundred and twenty thousand men.

Let us take to ourselves the houses of God in possession - Nearly the words spoken by the confederates when they came to attack Jehoshaphat. They come (says the king in address to God) to cast us out of thy possession which thou hast given us to inherit. See 2Chr 20:11.

O may God, make them like a wheel - Alluding to the manner of threshing corn in the east. A large broad wheel was rolled over the grain on a threshing-floor, which was generally in the open air; and the grain being thrown up by a shovel against the wind the chaff was thus separated from it, in the place where it was threshed.

The flame setteth the mountains on fire - This may refer to the burning of the straw and chaff, after the grain was threshed and winnowed. And as their threshing-floors were situated often on the hills or mountains, to take the advantage of the wind, the setting the mountains on fire may refer to the burning of the chaff, etc., in those places. Let them be like stubble driven away by the wind, and burnt by the fire.

So persecute them - In this and the two following verses we find several awful execrations; and all this seems to be done in reference to that ancient custom, "pouring execrations on an enemy previously to battle." Of this I have already given specimens in this work; and the reader is particularly requested to refer to the case of Balaam being hired by the king of Moab to curse Israel previously to his intended attack: see the note on Num 22:6, where the subject is treated at large.

This custom prevailed much among the Romans, and the ancient Druids of Britain. In all cases the priests were employed to utter the execrations, as they were supposed to have the greatest influence with the gods, in whose name the curses were uttered.

That they may seek thy name - Let them be confounded in all their attempts on Israel; and see, so manifestly, that thou hast done it, that they may invoke thy name, and be converted to thee.

Let them - perish - That is, in their present attempts. Some have objected to the execrations in this Psalm, without due consideration. None of these execrations refer either to their souls or to their eternal state; but merely to their discomfiture on their present attempts. Suppose the continental powers should join together to subjugate Britain, and destroy the Protestant religion; is there a Christian in the land that would not be justified in meeting them with the same or similar execrations? On the knees of my soul would I offer every one of them to God against such invaders. Selah - A. C.

That men may know - That they may acknowledge, and be converted to thee. Here is no malice; all is self-defense.

Hidden ones - Thy people of Israel, who are called God's hidden or secret ones, to intimate the respect which God has to them, as to his peculiar treasure.

The tabernacles - The people dwelling in them. Ishmaelites - Some of the posterity of Ishmael, called by their father's name, as others of them are supposed to be called Hagarens from their grandmother Hagar.

Gebal - An Arabian people so called by ancient writers dwelling in the southern border of Canaan, where most of the people here mentioned had their abode.

Of Lot - Moab and Ammon.

A wheel - Whereas they promise to themselves a sure possession, let them be like a wheel, which is very unstable, and soon removed.

The mountains - The woods upon the mountains, which in those hot countries, when they have once taken fire, burn with irresistible violence.

May seek - May own and worship thee as the only true God.

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

Plead for us, not by words, but by thine Actions.

Or, be not deaf, to our prayers, and to the blasphemies of thine and our Enemies.

(i. e.) Unactive and unconcerned for us.

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

They are not onely enemies to us thy people, but also to thy Will, and Name, and Glory.

Or, make a tumultuous noise both with their tongues reproaching thee, and threatning us, and with their Arms.

Are grown potent, and insolent and scornful.

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

(i. e.) Thy People of Israel, as it is explained in the foregoing words, and in the next Verse; who are called God's hidden or secret ones, to intimate the singular care and respect which God hath to them, as to his peculiar treasure, as they are called Exod. 19. 5. Psal. 135. 4. whom he will hide and preserve in the secret of his presence, and under the shadow of his wings; and withal to note their folly in seeking the destruction of those whom God was ingaged and resolved to protect.

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 .

Whereby they shewed both their implacable rage and malice, and their great assurance of success.

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

They have laid aside all their private quarrels and animosites, and agreed together against thee.

Marginal references: Heb. heart.

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

Put for the People dwelling in them, as Iob 12. 6. Prov. 14. 11. Hab. 3. 7.

Called the children of Seir, 2 Chron. 20.

Some of the posterity of Ishmael, called by their Father's name, as others of them are supposed by divers to be called Hagarens from their Grandmother Hagar. See 1 Chron. 5. 10, 20.

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

Either 1. The Giblites, or G[illegible: 1+ letters]balites dwelling near Zidon, of whom 1 Kings 5. 18. Ezek. 27. 9. Or 2. An Arabian people so called by ancient Writers dwelling in the Southern Border of Canaan, where most of the people here mentioned had their abode. Yet some of these were in the Northern p[illegible: 1+ letters]s, and not far from the other Gebal, as some of the Philistins and the Tyrians.

Marginal references: Jos. 13. 5.

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

In their counsels, and possibly with some of their Forces though not so openly and powerfully, as afterwards.

Moab and Ammon, who were the principal parties in that War. 2 Chron. 20. called here the Children of Lot to intimate their horrible degeneration from their pious Progenitors.

Marginal references: Heb They have been an arm to the children of Lot.

10 Which perished at En-dor: they became as dung for the earth .

Either 1. The Midianites. Or rather, 2. Iabin and S[illegible: 1+ letters]sera, who were overthrown near Taanach and Megiddo, Judg. 5. 19. nigh unto which places was this Endor, as appears from Ios. 17. 11.

They were trodden under foot, and their Carkasses left unburied. Compare 2 Kings 9. 37. Ier. 8. 2. and 16. 4.

12 Who said let us take to our selves the houses of God in possession:

The Houses and Lands of the Israelites which their God, as they pretend, gave them in Canaan, to which they have no rightful Title. For that we see was formerly objected by the Ammonites, Judg. 11. 13. who were a chief party in this War. So they seem to call them houses of God, by way of irony and Derision.

13 O my God, make them like a wheel : as the Stubble before the wind.

Whereas they promise to themselves a sure and firm possession in our Land, let them be like a wheel, or a round ball, which being once tumbled down from the top of an hill, runs down with great force and swiftness, and stays not till it comes to the bottom, and there also is very unstable, and soon removed.

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

Understand by a Metonymy the Woods or Forests upon the Mountains, which in those hot Countries, when they had once taken fire, either by lightning, or by the design of men, or by any accident, did burn with great speed and irresistible violence.

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

That being disappointed of their hopes, and discerning the impotency of their Idols they may own and worship thee as the onely true God.

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

But those of them that will not humble themselves before thee, let them be utterly destroyed.

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

Or, that they may know, to wit, by costly experience, even by their own ruine, what they would know by information for their own good. ‖ The most high God, and the God ‖ not onely of his People Irael, as the Heathen fancied, and as their Gods were confined to their particular and several Territories, but the God and Governor of all the Nations and parts of the earth.

Battle-Cry to God against Allied Peoples

The close of this Psalm is in accord with the close of the preceding Psalm. It is the last of the twelve Psalms of Asaph of the Psalter. The poet supplicates help against the many nations which have allied themselves with the descendants of Lot, i.e., Moab and Ammon, to entirely root out Israel as a nation. Those who are fond of Maccabaean Psalms (Hitzig and Olshausen), after the precedent of van Til and von Bengel, find the circumstances of the time of the Psalm in 1 Macc. 5, and Grimm is also inclined to regard this as correct; and in point of fact the deadly hostility of the ἔθνη κυκλόθεν which we there see breaking forth on all sides,Concerning the υίοὶ Βαΐάν (Benı̂ Baijân), 1 Macc. 5:4, the difficulty respecting which is to the present time unsolved, vid., Wetzstein’s Excursus II, pp. 559f.. as it were at a given signal, against the Jewish people, who have become again independent, and after the dedication of the Temple doubly self-conscious, is far better suited to explain the Psalm than the hostile efforts of Sanballat, Tobiah, and others to hinder the rebuilding of Jerusalem, in the time of Nehemiah (Vaihinger, Ewald, and Dillmann). There is, however, still another incident beside that recorded in 1 Macc. 5 to which the Psalm may be referred, viz., the confederation of the nations for the extinction of Judah in the time of Jehoshaphat (2 Chr. 20), and, as it seems to us, with comparatively speaking less constraint. For the Psalm speaks of a real league, whilst in 1 Macc. 5 the several nations made the attack without being allied and not jointly; then, as the Psalm assumes in Psa 83:9, the sons of Lot, i.e., the Moabites and Ammonites, actually were at the head at that time, whilst in 1 Macc. 5 the sons of Esau occupy the most prominent place; and thirdly, at that time, in the time of Jehoshaphat, as is recorded, an Asaphite, viz., Jahaziël, did actually interpose in the course of events, a circumstance which coincides remarkably with the לאסף. The league of that period consisted, according to 2Ch 20:1, of Moabites, Ammonites, and a part of the מעוּנים (as it is to be read after the lxx). But 2Ch 20:2 (where without any doubt מאדם is to be read instead of מארם) adds the Edomites to their number, for it is expressly stated further on (2Ch 20:10, 2Ch 20:22, 2Ch 20:23) that the inhabitants of Mount Seïr were with them. Also, supposing of course that the “Ishmaelites” and “Hagarenes” of the Psalm may be regarded as an unfolding of the מעונים, which is confirmed by Josephus, Antiq. ix. 1. 2; and that Gebäl is to be understood by the Mount Seïr of the chronicler, which is confirmed by the Arab. jibâl still in use at the present day, there always remains a difficulty in the fact that the Psalm also names Amalek , Philistia , Tyre, and Asshur, of which we find no mention there in the reign of Jehoshaphat. But these difficulties are counter-balanced by others that beset the reference to 1 Macc. 5, viz., that in the time of the Seleucidae the Amalekites no longer existed, and consequently, as might be expected, are not mentioned at all in 1 Macc. 5; further, that there the Moabites, too, are no longer spoken of, although some formerly Moabitish cities of Gileaditis are mentioned; and thirdly, that אשׁור = Syria (a certainly possible usage of the word) appears in a subordinate position, whereas it was, however, the dominant power. On the other hand, the mention of Amalek is intelligible in connection with the reference to 2 Chr. 20, and the absence of its express mention in the chronicler does not make itself particularly felt in consideration of Gen 36:12. Philistia, Tyre, and Asshur, however, stand at the end in the Psalm, and might also even be mentioned with the others if they rendered aid to the confederates of the south-east without taking part with them in the campaign, as being a succour to the actual leaders of the enterprise, the sons of Lot. We therefore agree with the reference of Psalms 83 (as also of Psa 48:1-14) to the alliance of the neighbouring nations against Judah in the reign of Jehoshaphat, which has been already recognised by Kimchi and allowed by Keil, Hengstenberg, and Movers.

Psa 83:1-4

The poet prays, may God not remain an inactive looker-on in connection with the danger of destruction that threatens His people. דּמי (with which יהי is to be supplied) is the opposite of alertness; חרשׁ the opposite of speaking (in connection with which it is assumed that God’s word is at the same time deed); שׁקט the opposite of being agitated and activity. The energetic future jehemajûn gives outward emphasis to the confirmation of the petition, and the fact that Israel’s foes are the foes of God gives inward emphasis to it. On נשׂא ראשׁ, cf. Psa 110:7. סוד is here a secret agreement; and יערימוּ, elsewhere to deal craftily, here signifies to craftily plot, devise, bring a thing about. צפוּניך is to be understood according to Psa 27:5; Psa 31:21. The Hithpa. התיעץ alternates here with the more ancient Niph. (Psa 83:6). The design of the enemies in this instance has reference to the total extirpation of Israel, of the separatist-people who exclude themselves from the life of the world and condemn it. מגּוי, from being a people = so that it may no longer be a people or nation, as in Isa 7:8; Isa 17:1; Isa 25:2; Jer 48:42. In the borrowed passage, Jer 48:2, by an interchange of a letter it is נכריתנּה. This Asaph Psalm is to be discerned in not a few passages of the prophets; cf. Isa 62:6. with Psa 83:2, Isa 17:12 with Psa 83:3.

Psa 83:5-8

Instead of לב אחד,    1Ch 12:38, it is deliberant corde unâ, inasmuch as יחדּו on the one hand gives intensity to the reciprocal signification of the verb, and on the other lends the adjectival notion to לב. Of the confederate peoples the chronicler (2 Chr. 20) mentions the Moabites, the Ammonites, the inhabitants of Mount Seïr, and the Me(unim, instead of which Josephus, Antiq. ix. 1. 2, says: a great body of Arabians. This crowd of peoples comes from the other side of the Dead Sea, מאדם (as it is to be read in Psa 83:2 in the chronicler instead of מארם, cf. on Psa 60:2); the territory of Edom, which is mentioned first by the poet, was therefore the rendezvous. The tents of Edom and of the Ishmaelites are (cf. Arab. ahl, people) the people themselves who live in tents. Moreover, too, the poet ranges the hostile nations according to their geographical position. The seven first named from Edom to Amalek, which still existed at the time of the psalmist (for the final destruction of the Amalekites by the Simeonites, 1Ch 4:42., falls at an indeterminate period prior to the Exile), are those out of the regions east and south-east of the Dead Sea. According to Gen 25:18, the Ishmaelites had spread from Higâz through the peninsula of Sinai beyond the eastern and southern deserts as far up as the countries under the dominion of Assyria. The Hagarenes dwelt in tents from the Persian Gulf as far as the east of Gilead (1Ch 5:10) towards the Euphrates. גּבל, Arab. jbâl, is the name of the people inhabiting the mountains situated in the south of the Dead Sea, that is to say, the northern Seïritish mountains. Both Gebâl and also, as it appears, the Amalek intended here according to Gen 36:12 (cf. Josephus, Antiq. ii. 1. 2: Ἀμαληκῖτις, a part of Idumaea), belong to the wide circuit of Edom. Then follow the Philistines and Phoenicians, the two nations of the coast of the Mediterranean, which also appear in Amo 1:1-15 (cf. Joel 3) as making common cause with the Edomites against Israel. Finally Asshur, the nation of the distant north-east, here not as yet appearing as a principal power, but strengthening (vid., concerning זרוע, an arm = assistance, succour, Gesenius, Thesaurus, p. 433 b) the sons of Lot, i.e., the Moabites and Ammonites, with whom the enterprise started, and forming a powerful reserve for them. The music bursts forth angrily at the close of this enumeration, and imprecations discharge themselves in the following strophe.

Psa 83:9-12

With כּמדין reference is made to Gideon’s victory over the Midianites, which belongs to the most glorious recollections of Israel, and to which in other instances, too, national hopes are attached, Isa 9:3 [4], Isa 10:26, cf. Hab 3:7; and with the asyndeton כּסיסרא כיבין (כּסיסרא, as Norzi states, who does not rightly understand the placing of the Metheg) to the victory of Barak and Deborah over Sisera and the Canaanitish king Jabin, whose general he was. The Beth of בּנחל is like the Beth of בּדּרך in Psa 110:7 : according to Jdg 5:21 the Kishon carried away the corpses of the slain army. ‛Endôr, near Tabor, and therefore situated not far distant from Taanach and Megiddo (Jdg 5:19), belonged to the battle-field. אדמה, starting from the radical notion of that which flatly covers anything, which lies in דם, signifying the covering of earth lying flat over the globe, therefore humus (like ארץ, terra, and תבל, tellus), is here (cf. 2Ki 9:37) in accord with דּמן (from דמן), which is in substance akin to it. In Psa 83:12 we have a retrospective glance at Gideon’s victory. ‛Oreb and Zeēb were שׂרים of the Midianites, Jdg 7:25; Zebach and Tsalmunna‛, their kings, Jdg 8:5.The Syriac Hexapla has (Hos 10:14) צלמנע instead of שׁלמן, a substitution which is accepted by Geiger, Deutsch. Morgenländ. Zeitschr. 1862, S. 729f. Concerning the signification of the above names of Midianitish princes, vid., Nöldeke, Ueber die Amalekiter, S. 9.

The pronoun precedes the word itself in שׁיתמו, as in Exo 2:6; the heaped-up suffixes ēmo(êmo)give to the imprecation a rhythm and sound as of rolling thunder. Concerning נסיך, vid., on Psa 2:6. So far as the matter is concerned, 2Ch 20:11 harmonizes with Psa 83:13. Canaan, the land which is God’s and which He has given to His people, is called נאות אלהים (cf. Psa 74:20).

Psa 83:13-16

With the אלהי, which constrains God in faith, the “thundering down” begins afresh. גּלגּל signifies a wheel and a whirling motion, such as usually arises when the wind changes suddenly, then also whatever is driven about in the whirling, Isa 17:13.Saadia, who renders the גּלגּל in Psa 77:19 as an astronomical expression with Arab. 'l - frk, the sphere of the heavens, here has professedly Arab. kâlgrâblt, which would be a plural from expanded out of Arab. grâbı̂l, “sieves” or “tambourines;” it is, however, to be read, as in Isa 17:13, Codex Oxon., Arab. kâlgirbâlt. The verb Arab. garbala, “to sift,” is transferred to the wind, e.g., in Mutanabbi (edited with Wahidi’s commentary by Dieterici), p. 29, l. 5 and 6: “it is as though the dust of this region, when the winds chase one another therein, were sifted,” Arab. mugarbalu (i.e., caught up and whirled round); and with other notional and constructional applications in Makkarı̂, i. p. 102, l. 18: “it is as though its soil had been cleansed from dust by sifting,” Arab. gurbilat (i.e., the dust thereof swept away by a whirlwind). Accordingly Arab. girbâlat signifies first, as a nom. vicis, a whirling about (of dust by the wind), then in a concrete sense a whirlwind, as Saadia uses it, inasmuch as he makes use of it twice for גּלגּל. So Fleischer in opposition to Ewald, who renders “like the sweepings or rubbish.” קשׁ (from קשׁשׁ, Arab. qšš , aridum esse) is the cry corn-talks, whether as left standing or, as in this instance, as straw upon the threshing-floor or upon the field. Like a fire that spreads rapidly, laying hold of everything, which burns up the forest and singes off the wooded mountain so that only a bare cone is left standing, so is God to drive them before Him in the raging tempest of His wrath and take them unawares. The figure in Psa 83:15 is fully worked up by Isaiah, Isa 10:16-19; לחט as in Deu 32:22. In the apodosis, Psa 83:16, the figure is changed into a kindred one: wrath is a glowing heat (חרון) and a breath (נשׁמה, Isa 30:33) at the same time. In Psa 83:17 it becomes clear what is the final purpose towards which this language of cursing tends: to the end that all, whether willingly or reluctantly, may give the glory to the God of revelation. Directed towards this end the earnest prayer is repeated once more in the tetrastichic closing strain.

Psa 83:17-18

The aim of the wish is that they in the midst of their downfall may lay hold upon the mercy of Jahve as their only deliverance: first they must come to nought, and only by giving Jahve the glory will they not be utterly destroyed. Side by side with אתּה, v. 19 a, is placed שׁמך as a second subject (cf. Psa 44:3; Psa 69:11). In view of Psa 83:17 וידעוּ (as in Psa 59:14) has not merely the sense of perceiving so far as the justice of the punishment is concerned; the knowledge which is unto salvation is not excluded. The end of the matter which the poet wishes to see brought about is this, that Jahve, that the God of revelation (שׁמך), may become the All-exalted One in the consciousness of the nations.

Complaints against Enemies.

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.

The Israel of God were now in danger, and fear, and great distress, and yet their prayer is called, A song or psalm; for singing psalms is not unseasonable, no, not when the harps are hung upon the willow-trees.

I. The psalmist here begs of God to appear on the behalf of his injured threatened people (v. 1): "Keep not thou silence, O God! but give judgment for us against those that do us an apparent wrong." Thus Jehoshaphat prayed upon occasion of that invasion (2 Chron. xx. 11), Behold, how they reward us, to come to cast us out of thy possession. Sometimes God seems to connive at the unjust treatment which is given to his people; he keeps silence, as one that either did not observe it or did not concern himself in it; he holds his peace, as if he would observe an exact neutrality, and let them fight it out; he is still, and gives not the enemies of his people any disturbance or opposition, but seems to sit by as a man astonished, or as a mighty man that cannot save. Then he gives us leave to call upon him, as here, "Keep not thou silence, O God! Lord, speak to us by the prophets for our encouragement against our fears" (as he did in reference to that invasion, 2 Chron. xx. 14, &c.); "Lord, speak for us by the providence and speak against our enemies; speak deliverance to us and disappointment to them." God's speaking is his acting; for with him saying and doing are the same thing.

II. He here gives an account of the grand alliance of the neighbouring nations against Israel, which he begs of God to break, and blast the projects of. Now observe here,

1. Against whom this confederacy is formed; it is against the Israel of God, and so, in effect, against the God of Israel. Thus the psalmist takes care to interest God in their cause, not doubting but that, if it appeared that they were for God, God would make it to appear that he was for them, and then they might set all their enemies at defiance; for whom then could be against them? "Lord," says he, "they are thy enemies, and they hate thee." All wicked people are God's enemies (the carnal mind is enmity against God), but especially wicked persecutors; they hated the religious worshippers of God, because they hated God's holy religion and the worship of him. This was that which made God's people so zealous against them—that they fought against God: They are confederate against thee, v. 5. Were our interest only concerned, we could the better bear it; but, when God himself is struck at, it is time to cry, Help, Lord. Keep not thou silence, O God! He proves that they are confederate against God, for they are so against the people of God, who are near and dear to him, his son, his first-born, his portion, and the lot of his inheritance; he may truly be said to fight against me that endeavours to destroy my children, to root out my family, and to ruin my estate. "Lord," says the psalmist, "they are thy enemies, for they consult against thy hidden ones." Note, God's people are his hidden ones, hidden, (1.) In respect of secresy. Their life is hid with Christ in God; the world knows them not; if they knew them, they would not hate them as they do. (2.) In respect of safety. God takes them under his special protection, hides them in the hollow of his hand; and yet, in defiance of God and his power and promise to secure his people, they will consult to ruin them and cast them down from their excellency (Ps. lxii. 4), and to make a prey of those whom the Lord has set apart for himself, Ps. iv. 3. They resolve to destroy those whom God resolves to preserve.

2. How this confederacy is managed. The devil is at the bottom of it, and therefore it is carried on, (1.) With a great deal of heat and violence: Thy enemies make a tumult, v. 2. The heathen rage, Ps. ii. 1. The nations are angry, Rev. xi. 18. They are noisy in their clamours against the people whom they hope to run down with their loud calumnies. This comes in as a reason why God should not keep silence: "The enemies talk big and talk much; Lord, let them not talk all, but do thou speak to them in thy wrath," Ps. ii. 5. (2.) With a great deal of pride and insolence: They have lifted up the head. In confidence of their success, they are so elevated as if they could over-top the Most High and overpower the Almighty. (3.) With a great deal of art and policy: They have taken crafty counsel, v. 3. The subtlety of the old serpent appears in their management, and they contrive by all possible means, though ever so base, ever so bad, to gain their point. They are profound to make slaughter (Hos. v. 2), as if they could outwit Infinite Wisdom. (4.) With a great deal of unanimity. Whatever separate clashing interest they have among themselves, against the people of God they consult with one consent (v. 5), nor is Satan's kingdom divided against itself. To push on this unholy war, they lay their heads together, and their horns, and their hearts too. Fas est et ab hoste doceri—Even an enemy may instruct. Do the enemies of the church act with one consent to destroy it? Are the kings of the earth of one mind to give their power and honour to the beast? And shall not the church's friends be unanimous in serving her interests? If Herod and Pilate are made friends, that they may join in crucifying Christ, surely Paul and Barnabas, Paul and Peter, will soon be made friends, that they may join in preaching Christ.

3. What it is that is aimed at in this confederacy. They consult not like the Gibeonites to make a league with Israel, that they might strengthen themselves by such a desirable alliance, which would have been their wisdom. They consult, not only to clip the wings of Israel, to recover their new conquests, and check the progress of their victorious arms, not only to keep the balance even between them and Israel, and to prevent their power from growing exorbitant; this will not serve. It is no less than the utter ruin and extirpation of Israel that they design (v. 4): "Come, let us cut them off from being a nation, as they cut off the seven nations of Canaan; let us leave them neither root nor branch, but lay their country so perfectly waste that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance, no, not in history;" for with them they would destroy their Bibles and burn all their records. Such is the enmity of the serpent's seed against the seed of the woman. It is the secret wish of many wicked men that the church of God might not have a being in the world, that there might be no such thing as religion among mankind. Having banished the sense of it out of their own hearts, they would gladly see the whole earth as well rid of it, all its laws and ordinances abolished, all its restraints and obligations shaken off, and all that preach, profess, or practise it cut off. This they would bring it to if it were in their power; but he that sits in heaven shall laugh at them.

4. Who they are that are drawn into this confederacy. The nations that entered into this alliance are here mentioned (v. 6-8); the Edomites and Ishmaelites, both descendants from Abraham, lead the van; for apostates from the church have been its most bitter and spiteful enemies, witness Julian. These were allied to Israel in blood and yet in alliance against Israel. There are no bonds of nature so strong but the spirit of persecution has broken through them. The brother shall betray the brother to death. Moab and Ammon were the children of righteous Lot; but, as an incestuous, so a degenerate race. The Philistines were long a thorn in Israel's side, and very vexatious. How the inhabitants of Tyre, who in David's time were Israel's firm allies, come in among their enemies, I know not; but that Assur (that is, the Assyrian) also is joined with them is not strange, or that (as the word is) they were an arm to the children of Lot. See how numerous the enemies of God's church have always been. Lord, how are those increased that trouble it! God's heritage was as a speckled bird; all the birds round about were against her (Jer. xii. 9), which highly magnifies the power of God in preserving to himself a church in the world, in spite of the combined force of earth and hell.

Prophetic Imprecations.

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.

The psalmist here, in the name of the church, prays for the destruction of those confederate forces, and, in God's name, foretels it; for this prayer that it might be so amounts to a prophecy that it shall be so, and this prophecy reaches to all the enemies of the gospel-church; whoever they be that oppose the kingdom of Christ, here they may read their doom. The prayer is, in short, that these enemies, who were confederate against Israel, might be defeated in all their attempts, and that they might prove their own ruin, and so God's Israel might be preserved and perpetuated. Now this is here illustrated,

I. By some precedents. Let that be their punishment which has been the fate of others who have formerly set themselves against God's Israel. The defeat and discomfiture of former combinations may be pleaded in prayer to God and improved for the encouragement of our own faith and hope, because God is the same still that ever he was, the same to his people and the same against his and their enemies; with him is no variableness. 1. He prays that their armies might be destroyed as the armies of former enemies had been (v. 9, 10): Do to them as to the Midianites; let them be routed by their own fears, for so the Midianites were, more than by Gideon's 300 men. Do to them as to the army under the command of Sisera (who was general under Jabin king of Canaan) which God discomfited (Judg. iv. 15) at the brook Kishon, near to which was Endor. They became as dung on the earth; their dead bodies were thrown like dung laid in heaps, or spread, to fatten the ground; they were trodden to dirt by Barak's small but victorious army; and this was fitly made a precedent here, because Deborah made it so to aftertimes when it was fresh. Judg. v. 31, So let all thy enemies perish, O Lord! that is, So they shall perish. 2. He prays that their leaders might be destroyed as they had been formerly. The common people would not have been so mischievous if their princes had not set them on, and therefore they are particularly prayed against, v. 11, 12. Observe, (1.) What their malice was against the Israel of God. They said, Let us take to ourselves the houses of God in possession (v. 12), the pleasant places of God (so the word is), by which we may understand the land of Canaan, which was a pleasant land and was Immanuel's land, or the temple, which was indeed God's pleasant place (Isa. lxiv. 11), or (as Dr. Hammond suggests) the pleasant pastures, which these Arabians, who traded in cattle, did in a particular manner seek after. The princes and nobles aimed to enrich themselves by this war; and their armies must be made as dung for the earth, to serve their covetousness and their ambition. (2.) What their lot should be. They shall be made like Oreb and Zeeb (two princes of the Midianites, who, when their forces were routed, were taken in their flight by the Ephraimites and slain, Judg. vii. 25), and like Zeba and Zalmunna, whom Gideon himself slew, Judg. viii. 21. "Let these enemies of ours be made as easy a prey to us as they were to the conquerors then." We may not prescribe to God, but we may pray to God that he will deal with the enemies of his church in our days as he did with those in the days of our fathers.

II. He illustrates it by some similitudes, and prays, 1. That God would make them like a wheel (v. 13), that they might be in continual motion, unquiet, unsettled, and giddy in all their counsels and resolves, that they might roll down easily and speedily to their own ruin. Or, as some think, that they might be broken by the judgments of God, as the corn is broken, or beaten out, by the wheel which was then used in threshing. Thus, when a wise king scatters the wicked, he is said to bring the wheel over them, Prov. xx. 26. Those that trust in God have their hearts fixed; those that fight against him are unfixed, like a wheel. 2. That they might be chased as stubble, or chaff, before the fierce wind. "The wheel, though it continually turn round, is fixed on its own axis; but let them have no more fixation than the light stubble has, which the wind hurries away, and nobody desires to save it, but is willing it should go," Ps. i. 4. Thus shall the wicked be driven away in his wickedness, and chased out of the world. 3. That they might be consumed, as wood by the fire, or as briers and thorns, as fern or furze, upon the mountains, by the flames, v. 14. When the stubble is driven by the wind it will rest, at last, under some hedge, in some ditch or other; but he prays that they might not only be driven away as stubble, but burnt up as stubble. And this will be the end of wicked men (Heb. vi. 8) and particularly of all the enemies of God's church. The application of these comparisons we have (v. 15): So persecute them with thy tempest, persecute them to their utter ruin, and make them afraid with thy storm. See how sinners are made miserable; the storm of God's wrath raises terrors in their own hearts, and so they are made completely miserable. God can deal with the proudest and most daring sinner that has bidden defiance to his justice, and can make him afraid as a grasshopper. It is the torment of devils that they tremble.

III. He illustrates it by the good consequences of their confusion, v. 16-18. He prays here that God, having filled their hearts with terror, would thereby fill their faces with shame, that they might be ashamed of their enmity to the people of God (Isa. xxvi. 11), ashamed of their folly in acting both against Omnipotence itself and their own true interest. They did what they could to put God's people to shame, but the shame will at length return upon themselves. Now, 1. The beginning of this shame might be a means of their conversion: "Let them be broken and baffled in their attempts, that they may seek thy name, O Lord! Let them be put to a stand, that they may have both leisure and reason to pause a little, and consider who it is that they are fighting against and what an unequal match they are for him, and may therefore humble and submit themselves and desire conditions of peace. Let them be made to fear thy name, and perhaps that will bring them to seek thy name." Note, That which we should earnestly desire and beg of God for our enemies and persecutors is that God would bring them to repentance, and we should desire their abasement in order to this, no other confusion to them than what may be a step towards their conversion. 2. If it did not prove a means of their conversion, the perfecting of it would redound greatly to the honour of God. If they will not be ashamed and repent, let them be put to shame and perish; if they will not be troubled and turned, which would soon put an end to all their trouble, a happy end, let them be troubled for ever, and never have peace: this will be for God's glory (v. 18), that other men may know and own, if they themselves will not, that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH (that incommunicable, though not ineffable name) art the Most High over all the earth. God's triumphs over his and his church's enemies will be incontestable proofs, (1.) That he is, according to his name JEHOVAH, a self-existent self-sufficient Being, that has all power and perfection in himself. (2.) That he is the most high God, sovereign Lord of all, above all gods, above all kings, above all that exalt themselves and pretend to be high. (3.) That he is so, not only over the land of Israel, but over all the earth, even those nations of the earth that do not know him or own him; for his kingdom rules over all. These are great and unquestionable truths, but men will hardly be persuaded to know and believe them; therefore the psalmist prays that the destruction of some might be the conviction of others. The final ruin of all God's enemies, in the great day, will be the effectual proof of this, before angels and men, when the everlasting shame and contempt to which sinners shall rise (Dan. xii. 2) shall redound to the everlasting honour and praise of that God to whom vengeance belongs.

PSAL. LXXXIII.

A Song, a Psalme of Asaph.

O God, keepe not thou silence, cease not as dease, and be not still, O God. For loe, thine enemies make a tumultuous noise, and thy haters lift up the head. Against thy people they have craftily taken secret counsell, and consulted against thine hidden ones. They have said, Come and let us cut them off from being a nation, that the name of Israel may be remembred no more. For they have consulted in heart together, against thee they have stricken a covenant. The tents of Edom, and the Ismaelites; Moab and the Hagarens. Gebal, and Ammon, and Amalek: the Philistines, with them that dwell in Tyrus. Also Ashshur is joyned with them: they have been an arme to the sonnes of Lot Selah. Do thou to them as to Midian, as to Sisera, as to Iabin, at the brooke of Kishon. Which were abolished in Endor, they became dung for the earth. Put them even their Nobles, as Oreb and as Zeeb, and as Zebach, and as Salmunnah, all their authorized Princes. Who said, Let us possesse to our selves the habitations of God. My God, set them as a rolling thing, as stubble before the wind. As the fire burneth a wood, and as the flame seareth the mountaines; So pursue them with thy tempest, and suddenly trouble them with thy storme. Fill their faces with shame, that they may seeke thy name Iehovah. Let them be abashed and suddenly troubled unto perpetuity; and let them be ashamed and perish. That they may know that thou whose name is IEHOVAH, onely thou art the most high over all the earth.

Annotations. KEepe not silence, &c.] Hebr. let not silen[illegible: 1 letter]e (or stilnesse) be to thee, that is, sit not still, but stir up thy selfe to help and avenge us on our enemies. So silence is used for sitting still, Iudg. 18. 9. Vers. 3. lift up the head] insolently and boldly, vaunting themselves, and warring against us. So Iudg. 8. 28. On the contrary, Gods people shall lift up their heads, that is, be of good comfort and courage, when their redemption draweth neere, Luk. 21. 28. Vers. 4. thine hidden ones] that is, as the Greek explaineth it, thy Saints, which are hidden of God in his tabernacle in the day of evill, from the strife of tongues, Psal. 27. 5. and 31. 21. whose life is hid with Christ in God, Col. 3. 3. Vers. 5. from being] or, that they be no more a nation; Moab and others consult thus against Israel; after, the like is against Moab, and effected, Ier. 48. 2. Vers. 6. in heart together] this noteth their earnestnesse, craftinesse, and joint consent in evill. Vers. 7. the tents] that is, armies with their Kings and Captaines, Iudg. 7. 13, 15. 2 Kings 7 7 10. Ier. 6. 3. Hab. 3. 7. Edom] the Edomites, or Idumeans, which were the sonnes of Esau, named Aedom: the brother of Israel; see the Notes on Psal. 60. 10. the Ismaelites] children of Ismael. the sonne of Abraham, who was (with the bond-woman Hagar his mother,) cast out of his fathers house for persecuting his brother Isaak, in whose evill wayes his children here walke, Gen, 16. 1. 15. and 21. 9 10. 14. Gal. 4. 22, 29, 30. Moab] the Moabites, the posteritie of Lot; see Psal. 60. 10. the Hagarens] the Chaldee Paraphrast calleth them Hungarians. They were the posteritie of Ietur, Maphish, and other like children of Ismael, son of Hagar, of whom came twelve Princes of their nations, Gen. 25. 12, 15, 16. some of which were called by their fathers name Ismaelites, (as before) some by their grandmothers name Hagarens, and dwelt in Arabia, Eastward from Gilead, neare to the Israelites, 1 Chron. 5. 10, 19. The word Hagarims, signifieth fugitives, or strangers, (as the Greeke turneth them, paroikous, 1 Chron. 5. 10.) they were after called Saracens, which in the Arabick tongue is theeves. Vers. 8. Gebal] that is, the Gebalites, or Gibleans, that dwelt in the Province or Citie Gebal (or Gabala) in Phoenicia neere Sidon, whence Solomon had Masons, or stone-hewers, 1 Kings 5. 18. Ezek. 27. 9. Ammon] the Ammonites, that came of Lot, as did the Moabites, Gen. 19. 37. 38. These nations which were neerest allied unto Israel, and whom God would not suffer the Israelites to molest, when they came out of Egypt, Deut. 2. 4 5. 9, 19. combine here together against Israel to cast them out of Gods inheritance, so evill did they reward them, as King Iehoshaphat complained, 2 Chron. 20. 10, 11, 12. Amalek] the Amalekites which were of Eliphaz the son of Esau, the brother of Israel, Gen. 36. 12, 16. they dwelt in the South countrey neere Ganaan, Num. 13. 30. were the first that fought against Israel, Exod. 17. 8. &c. for which God would have had their remēbrance put out frō under heaven, Deut. 25. 17, 18, 19. and King Saul was sent to performe it, but did it not fully, 1 Sam. 15. 2, 3, 9. and 28. 18. and was himself slain by an Amalekite, 2 Sā. 1. 8, 9, 10. the Philistines] or Palestina: see the Note on Ps. 60. 10. Tyrus] the Tyrians, wch remembred not the brotherly covenant that had bin between thē & Israel, Amos 1. 9. See the Note on Ps. 45. 13. Vers. 9. Ashur] the Assyrians, the posteritie of Shem the son of Noah, Gen. 10. 22. This nation was the rod of Gods wrath against Israel, who in the end captived ten tribes, Esai. 10. 5, 6. 2 King. 15. 29. and 18. 9, 11, 13. &c. The Chaldee paraphraseth, Senacherib also the King of Ashur, &c. an arme] that is, an helpe, (as the Greeke saith,) & a strength to Lots sons, the Moabites & Ammonites. Thus were here ten peoples, confederates against God & his people. So in Gen. 15. 19. 20. 21. there are ten wicked nations, whose land is given upon conquest to Abrahams seed. Vers. 10. as to Midian] the Midianites, the posteritie of Abraham, by his concubine Keturah, 1 Chron. 1. 32. who being turned I do laters, drew Israel to sin in the wildernesse, for which Moses revenged the Israelites of them, by the slaughter of all their males, and their five Kings, and a wonderfull great spoile, Nū. 31. 1, 7, 8, 16. 32, &c. but after that recovering and oppressing Israel in their own land, were by Gedeon and 300 men, vanquished, when they lay in the valley like grashoppers in multitude, Iudg. 6. 1. and 7. 7. 12. 22. &c. and to this victory hath the Psalmist here reference. as to Sisera] the Captaine in the host of Iabin, King of the Canaanites; he had nine hundred chariots of Iron, and vexed Israel sore, but by Deborah a Prophetesse, and Barak a Captaine of Naphtali, the Lord destroyed Sisera, with all his host and chariots; there was not a man left, and Sisera flying, was killed by Iael, Hebers wife, who drove a naile into the temples of his head, Iudg. 4 2, 3,—21. Iabin] the King of Canaan, who upon the death of his Captaine Sisera forementioned, was subdued and destroyed before the Israelites, Iudg. 4. 23, 24. at the brooke] or in the bourn, that is, the valley of Kishon: the Hebrew Nachal (as our English bourn,) signifieth both a valley and a river running in it. Kishon was a river at the foot of mount Carmel; by it Sisera & the Kings of Canaan fought, & were vanquished; and the bourn Kishon swept them away, Iudg. 4. 13. and 5. 19. 21. Endor] a citie by Kishon, neere unto Taanach and Megiddo, where the Canaanites perished, Iosh. 17. 11. Iudg. 5. 19. dung for the earth] that is, lay rotting above ground unburied, as is explained, Ier. 8. 2. and 16. 4. Vers. 12. Put them] or him, that is, every one of their nobles, and all jointly. See the Notes on Psal. 2. 3. Oreb and Zeeb] two Princes of the Madianites whom Gedeon slew, Iudg. 7. 25. Zebach and Salmunach] two kings of the Madianites, whom Gedeon also pursued and killed, Iudg. 8. 12, 21. authorised] or anointed, that is, Princes, as the Greeke expresseth, and the Chaldee translateth them Kings. See the Notes on Psal. 2. 6. Vers. 14. as a rolling thing] or wheele; but here is meant a light thing, as chaffe or straw, that rolleth or turneth round before the whirlewind, as the next words shew, and a like speech in Isa. 17. 13. plainly manifest. Elsewhere the word signifieth also a wheele, Isa. 28. 28: and the sphere or round orbe of the aire, Psal. 77. 19. Vers. 15. seare] or burne up. See the like similitudes, Deut. 32. 22. Vers. 17. with shame] or dishonour, contempt: the Hebrew word properly signifieth lightnesse; as the contrary honour is so called of weightinesse, Psa. 3. 4. that they may seeke] or, and let them seeke: it may be meant of the enemies forementioned, forced to seeke and call on God, as Psal. 18. 42. or indefinitly, that men may seeke. So after in verse 19. Vers. 19. Iehovah] This is the chiefest name of the eternall and most blessed God, so called of his essence, being or existence, which is simply one, Deut. 6. 4. The force of this name the holy Ghost openeth by He that is, that was, & that will be, or, is to come, Rev. 1. 4. 8. and 4. 8. & 11. 17. and 16. 5. and the forme of the Hebrew name implieth so much; Ie, being a signe of the time to come, Iehevah, he will be, [illegible: 1 word], of the time present; Hoveh, he that is; and vah, of the time past; Havah, he was. It importeth that God Is, & hath his being of himself frō before all worlds, Isa. 44. 6. that he giveth being or existēce unto all things, and in him all are and consist, Act. 17. 25. that he giveth being unto his word, effecting whatsoever he hath spoken, whether promises, Exod. 6. 3. Isa. 45. 2, 3. or threanings, Ezek. 5. 17. and 7. 27. It is in effect the same that Ehjeh, I will be, or I am, as God calleth himselfe, Exod. 3. 14. Of this the Gentiles named the greatest God, love, and Iu-piter, that is, Iah father, (of the shorter name Iah, mentioned Psal. 68. 5.) and Varro the learnedest of the Romanes, thought love to be the god of the Iewes. August. l. 1. de consens. evan. c. 22. Hereof also in Greeke writers he is called Iao, Diodor. Sicul. l. 2. c. 5. Clem. Alex. strom. l. 5. Macrob. l. 1. Saturnal. c. 18. But in the Greeke tongue the name Iehovah cannot righly be pronounced; and for it the Greeke Bibles haue Lord, which the new Testament followeth, as Mark. 12. 29. from Deut. 6. 4. and elsewhere usually; and the Hebrew Text sometime putteth Adonai, Lord, or Aelohim, God, for Iehovah; as Psal. 57. 10. compared with Psal. 108. 4. 2 Chron. 25. 24. with 2 King. 14. 14. When Adonai, Lord, is joyned with it. it is written Iehovih, as Psal. 68. 21. then the Iewes read it Aelohim, God, as at other times they read it Adonai, Lord; and pronounce not Iehovah at all at this day; though in ancient dayes it appeareth to be otherwise. The Greeke history of Baruch, seemeth to use in stead of it, Aionios, that is, the eternall, or, everlasting, Bar. 4. 10, 14, 20, 32, 24, 35. and 5. 2. See the Annotations on Gen. 2. 4. onely thou] or, onely thine, that is, which onely hast Iehovah for thy name; for the true God hath onely being, and Idols are nothing in the world, 1 Cor. 8. 4. and Angels, and Magistrates are called Elohim Gods, Psal. 8. and 82. but Iehovah is peculiar to very God alone. And this is that name (I suppose) which the authour of the booke of Wisedome calleth incommunicable, Wisd. 14. 21. Yet this is the name of Christ, called Iehovah our justice, Ier. 23. 6. for Gods name is in him, Exod. 23. 21. and he is very God, and eternall life, 1 Ioh. 5. 20.

PSAL. LXXXIII.

VErſ. 1. Keep not thou ſilence O God] Ter idem dicit ad vehementiam, He ſaith the ſame thing thrice to ſhew his earneſtneſs. The Hebrew is, Be not ſilent to thee, that is, in thine own cauſe, as verſe 5. The Septuagint and Vulgar have it, O God, who is like unto thee? Concurrunt magno impetu, conatu, & ardore.

Verſ. 2. For let thine enemies make a tumult] Thine, becauſe ours; for there is a league offenſive, and defenſive betwixt God and his people; the Church muſt therefore needs bee invincible, becauſe God is ſo.

Have left up the head] Being inſolent and confident,Kimchi. they bear their noſes high in the air, uttering loud and lofty language; as did Rabſhaketh, ſent by Sonnacherib, 2 King. 18. to which times ſome referre this Pſalm, as others to thoſe of Jehoſaphat, 2 Chron. 20.

Verſ. 3. They have taken crafty counſel, &c.] They have negotiated this league with much ſubtiltie and ſolicitation, conferunt & captant confilia, they are cruel-crafties. Malignaverunt conſilium, ſaith the Vulgar.

And conſulted againſt thy hidden ones] Hidden under the hollow of thy hand, under the ſhaddow of thy wing; and therefore ſafe from ſtrife of tongues or force of hands, Pſal. 27.5. & 31.21. Commodum inſtituto epithetum. The Greek rendreth it, Thy Saints, ſuch as whoſe life is hid with Chriſt in God. Col. 3.3. 1 John 3.2. The ſame Hebrew word is uſed for the inward oracle of the Temple, Ezek. 7.22. a type of Heaven, the Saints Country.

Verſ. 4. They have ſaid come, &c.] The wicked have their Come, Prov. 1.11. as well as the Saints, Iſa. 2.3, 5. Zach. 8.21. but for a worſe purpoſe.

Let us cut them off] Them, by way of contempt, as not worth naming, they were ſo baſe. The Devill and his Imps would utterly root out the Church; but that cannot bee, Jer. 31.36. Mat. 16.18.

That the name of Iſrael, &c.] But Iſrael hath ſtill a name, when Moab, Ammon, Edom, &c. live but by fame only See Jer. 48.2.

Verſ. 5. They have conſulted together with one conſent] Heb. With one heart, concorditor, as if they had all but one heart. This was not unity but conſpiracie; ſuch as is that of Papiſts, Rev. 17.13, 14.

They are confederate againſt thee] Heb. They have ſtricken a Covenant, viz. with oaths and ſolemn ceremonies, cutting the Sacrifice in twain,Virg. Aeneid. 8. and paſſing between the parts thereof, as Jer. 34.18. — caeſa jungebant faedera porca.

Verſ. 6. The Tabernacles of Edom, and the Iſhmaelites, &c.] Exercitu ex variis gentibus couflato, at odds amongſt themſelves, and yet well agreed for a miſchief to the Church, who might ever well ſay as the Hare in Martiall. In me omnis terrae que avium que mariſ que rapina eſt; Forſitan & caeli, ſi canis astra tenet.

As Dogs fighting and intertearing one another, can give over and joyn together to follow the harmleſſe Hare that paſſeth by them; ſo here! If Manaſſeh be againſt Ephraim, and Ephraim againſt Manaſſeh, yet they will be both againſt Judah.

And the Hagarens] Who came alſo of Hagar, as well as the Iſamaelites; but were a diſtinct people, and would be called Saracens, Saracens in Arabick is Theeves. from Sarah the freewoman: for honour ſake, as if the Promiſes made to Abraham and Sarah had belonged to them. Ptolomy maketh mention of the Saracens, and placeth in Arabia the ſeat of the Hagarens; where there is alſo a City called Agra, of Hagar, likely. Aben-Ezra ſaith they came of Agar, by another husband. The Chaldee calleth them Hungarians.

Verſ. 7. Gebal and Ammon and Amalec] Sic enarrae & enumerat inimieos decem conglobatos. Anſwerable whereunto were the ten Kings of Chriſtendome,Ezek. 27.9. who gave their power to the beaſt. Gebal might be the inhabitants of Gabel, a City of Phenicia ſaith Stephanus, or of Syria, ſaith Strabo, which Ʋolaterran ſaith was called Gibel, in his time, but anciently Biblus, See Joſh. 13.5.

Verſ. 8. Aſſur alſo is joyned with them] The Chaldee paraphraſeth Sennacherib, alſo the King of Aſhur, &c. So doth the Turk, with the Churches enemies; howbeit Italy is the mark he ſhooteth at; and the Proteſtants have the happineſs (as alſo America) to be further out of his way, and no part of his preſent aim, for the greateſt part of them.

Verſ. 9. Do unto them as unto the Medianites] And how that was, ſee Judg. 7. & 8. & Judg. 4. Preces ſunt bombar de & inſtrumenta bellica Chriſtianorum, ſaith Luther.

Verſ. 10. Who periſhed at Endor] A place in the Tribe of Manaſſeh near unto that ancient River, the River Kiſon, Judg. 17.1 Sam. 28.

They became as dung] They lay unburied, rotted above ground, and were ſpred as compoſt upon ſoil.

Verſ. 11. Make their Nobles like Oreb and like Zee[illegible: 1 letter]] Oreb ſignifieth a Crow, Zeeb a Wolf, Zeboh a cut-throat, Zalmunna a forbidder of ſhadow, or quiet to his ſubjects; fit names for Tyrants, and perſecuters of Gods people.

Verſ. 12. Let us take to our ſelves the houſes of God] Covetous Impropriatours and Oppreſſours have learned this language. Poſſidebant Papiſtae, poſſident Rapiſtae, ſaith One wittily.

Verſ. 13.Captia card [illegible: 1 letter]orum. O my God, make them like a wheel] Heb. Like a rouling thing, ſuch as is thiſtle-down, ſaith R. Solomon. Gr. like a top, Tor que illos in modum trochi, whirle them about as boyes do their tops.

As the ſtubble] As before he had brought examples, ſo here ſimilitudes to ſhew what he would have done to the enemy.

Verſ. 14. As the fire burneth a wood] Maxime quando à vento flabellatur, when blown up by a feirce wind, it ſoon turneth a wood into a waſte.

And as the flame ſetteth the mountains on fire] Thoſe ſulphury mountains, ſuch as Aetna, Veſuvius, Peitramala, a mountain in the higheſt part of the Apennines, which perpetually burneth,Il Mercu[illegible: 1 letter]io Ialico 178. ſay travellers.

Verſ. 15. So perſecute them with thy tempeſt] Turbina cos, that they may ſtand or ſtay no where.

And make them afraid, &c.] So fright them with thy heavy judgements, that all their wit and courage wherewith they ſhould help themſelves, may bee expectorated.

Verſ. 16. Fill their faces with ſhame] By confounding their confidences, and blaſting their deſigns. They promiſed themſelves a triumph, but let them have the canvaſs.

That they may ſeek thy name O Lord] Ut in viti cogantur quis ſit tam potens Jehovah rogitare, that they may even in deſpight of their heads, be compelled to inquire after thee. It is ſtoried of Sennacherib, that after the deſtruction of his huge army at Jeruſalem, demanding of ſome about him what might be the reaſon that the unreſiſtable God of Heaven ſo favoured the Jewiſh Nation as he had found by ſad experience?Bib. Caſtal, Tabul. anſwer was given that Abraham from whom they defended, ſacrificed unto him his only Son, which purchaſed this Protection to his poſterity. If that will win him, ſaith Hee, I will ſpare him two of my ſons, to procure him to be on my ſide; which Sharezer and Adrammelech his ſons hearing of, prevented their own deaths by his.

Verſ. 17. Let them be confounded, &c.] This and the following verſe, are an expoſition of the former verſe. The Rabbines have a ſaying nulla eſt objectio in Lege, que non habet ſolutionem in latere. The Scripture is its own interpreter.

Verſ. 18. That men may know that thou whoſe name alone is Jehovah] The Eſſentiator, Iſa. 44.6. with Act. 17.25. Rev. 1.4.8. The Jews pronounce not this name at all, but uſe Adonai or Elohim for it. The firſt among the Chriſtians that pronounced it was Petrus Galatinus, following the pronunciation of the Syriacks and Greeks. Genebrard will have it pronounced Jahue, and bitterly enveyeth againſt Beza, and others as prophaners of Gods name, who call God Jova, or Jehova, vocabulo novo, ſaith he, barbaro, fictitio, irreligioſo & Jovem Gentilium redolen[illegible: 1 letter]e. It is very likely that of this holy and reverend name of God, the Gentiles called their greateſt God Jove and Jupiter, Aug. de conſe[illegible: 1 letter]ſ. Evang. l. 1. c. 22. that is, Jah-pater. Pauſanias alſo telleth us that the Poets thus ſang unto him, [non-Latin text not transcribed]. And Varro the learnedſt of the Romans thought. Jove to be the God of the Jews. But he and all men ſhould have known, as here, that Jehovah is God alone; and ſo have ſought to the Jews (of whom alone was ſalvation, Joh. 4.22.) for better underſtanding in the things of Gods Kingdome; acknowledging him to be the moſt High above all the earth, and contemning minutulos iſtos deos modo Jovem ſibi propitium haberet, as another heathen ſaid.

Keep not thou silence, O God. Man is clamorous, be not thou speechless. He rails and reviles, wilt not thou reply? On word of thine can deliver thy people; therefore, O Lord, break thy quiet and let thy voice be heard. Hold not thy peace, and be not still, O God. Here the appeal is to EL., the Mighty One. He is entreated to act and speak, because his nation suffers and is in great jeopardy. How entirely the psalmist looks to God; he asks not for "a leader bold and brave, "or for any form of human force, but casts his burden upon the Lord, being well assured that his eternal power and Godhead could meet every difficulty of the case.

For, lo, thine enemies make a tumult. They are by no means sparing of their words, they are like a hungry pack of dogs, all giving tongue at once. So sure are they of devouring thy people that they already shout over the feast. And they that hate thee have lifted up the head. Confident of conquest, they carry themselves proudly and exalt themselves as if their anticipated victories were already obtained. These enemies of Israel were also God's enemies, and are here described as such by way of adding intensity to the argument of the intercession. The adversaries of the church are usually a noisy and a boastful crew. Their pride is a brass which always sounds, a cymbal which is ever tinkling.

They have taken crafty counsel against thy people. Whatever we may do, our enemies use their wits and lay their heads together; in united conclave they discourse upon the demands and plans of the campaign, using much treachery and serpentine cunning in arranging their schemes. Malice is cold blooded enough to plot with deliberation; and pride, though it be never wise, is often allied with craft. And consulted against thy hidden ones. Hidden away from all harm are the Lord's chosen; their enemies think not so, but hope to smite them; they might as well attempt to destroy the angels before the throne of God.

They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation. Easier said than done. Yet it shows how thorough going are the foes of the church. Theirs was the policy of extermination. They laid the axe at the root of the matter. Rome has always loved this method of warfare, and hence she has gloated over the massacre of Bartholomew, and the murders of the Inquisition. That the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance. They would blot them out of history as well as out of existence. Evil is intolerant of good. If Israel would let Edom alone yet Edom cannot be quiet, but seeks like its ancestor to kill the chosen of the Lord. Men would be glad to cast the church out of the world because it rebukes them, and is thus a standing menace to their sinful peace.

For they have consulted together with one consent. They are hearty and unanimous in their designs. They seem to have but one heart, and that a fierce one, against the chosen people and their God. They are confederate against thee. At the Lord himself they aim through the sides of his saints. They make a covenant, and ratify it with blood, resolutely banding themselves together to war with the Mighty God.

The tabernacles of Edom. Nearest of kin, yet first in enmity. Their sire despised the birthright, and they despise the possessors of it. Leaving their rock built mansions for the tents of war, the Edomites invaded the land of Israel. And the Ishmaelites. A persecuting spirit ran in their blood, they perpetuated the old grudge between the child of the bondwoman and the son of the freewoman. Of Moab. Born of incest, but yet a near kinsman, the feud of Moab against Israel was very bitter. Little could righteous Lot have dreamed that his unhallowed seed would be such unrelenting enemies of his uncle Abraham's posterity. And the Hagarenes —perhaps descendants of Hagar by a second husband. Whoever they may have been, they cast their power into the wrong scale, and with all their might sought the ruin of Israel. Children of Hagar, and all others who dwell around Mount Sinai, which is in Arabia, are of the seed which gendereth to bondage, and hence they hate the seed according to promise.

Gebal was probably a near neighbour of Edom, though there was a Gebal in the region of Tyre and Sidon. And Ammon, and Amalek. Two other hereditary foes of Israel, fierce and remorseless as ravening wolves. In the roll of infamy let these names remain detestably immortalised. How thick they stand. Their name is legion, for they are many. Alas, poor Israel, how art thou to stand against such a Bloody League? Nor is this all. Here comes another tribe of ancient foemen, the Philistines; who once blinded Samson, and captured the ark of the Lord; and here are old allies become new enemies; the builders of the temple conspiring to pull it down, even the inhabitants of Tyre. These last were mercenaries who cared not at whose bidding they drew sword, so long as they carved something for their own advantage. True religion has had its quarrel with merchants and craftsmen, and because it has interfered with their gains, they have conspired against it.

Assur is also joined with them. It was then a rising power, anxious for growth, and it thus early distinguished itself for evil. What a motley group they were; a league against Israel is always attractive, and gathers whole nations within its bonds. Herod and Pilate are friends, if Jesus is to be crucified. Romanism and Ritualism make common cause against the gospel. They have holpen the children of Lot. All these have come to the aid of Moab and Ammon, which two nations were among the fiercest in the conspiracy. There were ten to one against Israel, and yet she overcame all her enemies. Her name is not blotted out; but many, nay, most of her adversaries are now a name only, their power and their excellence are alike gone. Selah. There was good reason for a pause when the nation was in such jeopardy: and yet it needs faith to make a pause, for unbelief is always in a hurry.

Do unto them as unto the Midianites. Faith delights to light upon precedents, and quote them before the Lord; in the present instance, Asaph found a very appropriate one, for the nations in both cases were very much the same, and the plight of the Israelites very similar. Yet Midian perished, and the psalmist trusted that Israel's present foes would meet with the like overthrow from the hand of the Lord. As to Sisera, as to Jabin, at the brook of Kison. The hosts were swept away by the suddenly swollen torrent, and utterly perished; which was a second instance of divine vengeance upon confederated enemies of Israel. When God wills it, a brook can be as deadly as a sea. Kishon was as terrible to Jabin as was the Red Sea to Pharaoh. How easily can the Lord smite the enemies of his people. God of Gideon and of Barak, wilt thou not again avenge thine heritage of their bloodthirsty foes?

Which perished at Endor. There was the centre of the carnage, where the heaps of the slain lay thickest. They became as dung for the earth, manuring it with man; making the earth, like Saturn, feed on its own children. War is cruel, butt in this case it avengements were most just, —those who would not give Israel a place above ground are themselves denied a hiding place under the ground; they counted God's people to be as dung, and they became dung themselves. Asaph would have the same fate befell other enemies of Israel; and his prayer was a prophecy, for so it happened to them.

Make their nobles like Oreb, and like Zeeb. Smite the great ones as well as the common ruck. Suffer not the ringleaders to escape. As Oreb fell at the rock and Zeeb at the winepress, so do thou mete out vengeance to Zion's foes wherever thou mayest overtake them. They boastfully compare themselves to ravens and wolves; let them receive the fate which is due to such wild beasts. Yea, all their princes as Zebah, and as Zalmunnua. These were captured and slain by Gideon, despite their claiming to have been anointed to the kingdom. Zebah became a sacrifice, and Zalmunna was sent to those shadowy images from which his name is derived. The psalmist seeing these four culprits hanging in history upon a lofty gallows, earnestly asks that others of a like character may, for truth and righteousness' sake, share their fate.

Who said, Let us take to ourselves the houses of God in possession. Viewing the temple, and also the dwellings of the tribes, as all belonging to God, these greedy plunderers determined to push out the inhabitants, slay them, and become themselves landlords and tenants of the whole. These were large words and dark designs, but God could bring them all to nothing. It is in vain for men to say "Let us take, "if God does not give. He who robs God's house will find that he has a property reeking with a curse; it will plague him and his seed for ever. "Will a man rob God?" Let him try it, and he will find it hot and heavy work.

O my God, make them like a wheel; like a rolling thing which cannot rest, but is made to move with every breath. Let them have no quiet. May their minds eternally revolve and never come to peace. Blow them away like thistle down, as the stubble before the wind. Scatter them, chase them, drive them to destruction. Every patriot prays thus against the enemies of his country, he would be no better than a traitor if he did not.

As the fire burneth a wood. Long years have strewn the ground with deep deposits of leaves; these being dried in the sun are very apt to take fire, and when they do so the burning in terrific. The underwood and the ferns blaze, the bushes crackle, the great trees kindle and to their very tops are wrapped in fire, while the ground is all red as a furnace. In this way, O Lord, mete out destruction to thy foes, and bring all of them to an end. The flame setteth the mountains on fire. Up the hill sides the hanging woods glow like a great sacrifice, and the forests on the mountain's crown smoke towards heaven. Even thus, O Lord, do thou conspicuously and terribly overthrow the enemies of thine Israel.

So persecute them with thy tempest, and make them afraid with thy storm. The Lord will follow up his enemies, alarm them, and chase them till they are put to a hopeless rout. He did this, according to the prayer of the present Psalm, for his servant Jehoshaphat; and in like manner will he come to the rescue of any or all of his chosen.

Fill their faces with shame; that they may seek thy name, O Lord. Shame has often weaned men from their idols, and set them upon seeking the Lord. If this was not the happy result, in the present instance, with the Lord's enemies, yet it would be so with his people who were so prone to err. They would be humbled by his mercy, and ashamed of themselves because of his grace; and then they would with sincerity return to the earnest worship of Jehovah their God, who had delivered them.

Where no good result followed, and the men remained as fierce and obstinate as ever, justice was invoked to carry out the capital sentence. Let them be confounded and troubled for ever; yea, let them be put to shame, and perish. What else could be done with them? It was better that they perished than that Israel should be rooted up. What a terrible doom it will be to the enemies of God to be "confounded, and troubled for ever, "to see all their schemes and hopes defeated, and their bodies and souls full of anguish without end: from such a shameful perishing may our souls be delivered.

That men may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the most high over all the earth. Hearing of the Lord's marvellous deeds in defeating such a numerous confederacy, the very heathen would be compelled to acknowledge the greatness of Jehovah. We read in 2Ch 20:30, that the fear of God was on all the neighbouring kingdoms when they heard that Jehovah fought against the enemies of Israel. Jehovah is essentially the Most High. He who is self existent is infinitely above all creatures, all the earth is but his footstool. The godless race of man disregards this, and yet at times the wonderful works of the Lord compel the most unwilling to adore his majesty. Thus has this soul stirring lyric risen from the words of complaint to those of adoration; let us in our worship always seek to do the same. National trouble called out the nation's poet laureate, and well did he discourse at once of her sorrows, and prayers, and hopes. Sacred literature thus owes much to sorrow and distress. How enriching is the hand of adversity! The following attempt to verify the Psalm, and tune it to gospel purposes, is submitted with great diffidence.

O God, be thou no longer still,

Thy foes are leagued against thy law;

Make bare thine arm on Zion's hill,

Great Captain of our Holy War.

As Amalek and Ishmael

Had war for ever with thy seed,

So all the hosts of Rome and hell

Against the Son their armies led.

Though they are agreed in nought beside,

Against thy truth they all unite;

They rave against the Crucified,

And hate the gospel's growing might.

By Kishon's brook all Jabin's band

At thy rebuke were swept away;

O Lord, display thy mighty hand,

A single stroke shall win the day.

Come, rushing wind, the stubble chase!

Come, sacred fire, the forests burn!

Come, Lord, with all thy conquering grace,

Rebellious hearts to Jesus turn!

That men may know at once that thou,

Jehovah, lovest truth right well;

And that thy church shall never bow

Before the boastful gates of hell.

The long silence of God, the reasons for it, and our reasons for desiring him to end it.

Thy hidden ones.

1. Hidden as to their new nature, which is an enigma to men.

2. Hidden for protection, as precious things.

3. Hidden, for solace and rest.

4. Hidden, because not yet fully revealed.

The immortality of the church.

The confederacies of evils against the saints.

Verses 13-15. The instability, restlessness and impotence of the wicked; their horror when God deals with them in justice.

A prayer for the Pope and his priests.

The righteous fate of persecutors, and troublers.

The Golden Lesson: how taught, to whom, by whom, through whom?

WORK UPON THE EIGHTY-THIRD PSALM

"Expositions and Observations on Psalm LXXXIII., "in "Divine Drops distilled from the Fountain of Holy Scriptures: delivered in several Exercises before Sermons, upon Twenty and Three Texts of Scripture. By that worthy Gospel Preacher, GUALTER CRADOCK, late Preacher at All Hallows Great in London... 1650."