Nations Conspire Against You
A song. A psalm of Asaph.
A coalition — Edom, Moab, Ammon, Assyria and more — has agreed to erase Israel's name entirely. Asaph names each one, asks for the rout that met Midian, and then asks for a shame that would drive them to seek our Father's name.
83 1O our Father, do not keep silent; do not hold your peace or be still, O our Father. 2For look, your enemies are in an uproar; those who hate you have raised their heads. 3Against your people they plot in secret; they conspire together against those you treasure. 4They say, "Come, let us wipe them out as a nation; let the name of Israel be remembered no more." 5With one mind they conspire; against you they make a covenant, 6the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites, Moab and the Hagrites, 7Gebal and Ammon and Amalek, Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre. 8Assyria too has joined them; they have become the strong arm of the children of Lot.
9Do to them as you did to Midian, as to Sisera and Jabin at the river Kishon, 10who were destroyed at En-dor and became manure for the ground. 11Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb, all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna, 12who said, "Let us take for ourselves the pastures of God." 13O my Father, make them like whirling dust, like chaff before the wind. 14As fire burns through a forest, as a flame sets the mountains ablaze, 15so pursue them with your tempest and terrify them with your storm. 16Cover their faces with shame, that they may seek your name, O our Father. 17Let them be ashamed and dismayed forever; let them perish in disgrace, 18that they may know that you alone, whose name is our Father, are the Most High over all the earth.
