Psalms 83
What Happens in This Chapter
This is a prayer song asking God to act when many nations join together against His people. The singer lists the nations that have made a plan to wipe out Israel. He asks God to stop them the way God stopped enemies long ago. He ends by asking that everyone learn that the LORD rules over the whole earth.
Plain reading written for kids. Short sentences, everyday words, one idea at a time.
Keep not thou silence, O God: hold not thy peace, and be not still, O God.
1God, please do not stay quiet. Do not say nothing. Do not sit still, God.
2For, lo, thine enemies make a tumult: and they that hate thee have lifted up the head.
2Look, the people who fight You are loud and angry. The people who hate You are acting proud.
3They have taken crafty counsel against thy people, and consulted against thy hidden ones.
3They are making sneaky plans against Your people. They are plotting against the ones You love and keep safe.
4They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance.
4They say, "Come on. Let us wipe them out as a country. Then no one will ever say the name Israel again."
5For they have consulted together with one consent: they are confederate against thee:
5They all agreed on the same plan. They joined together as one group against You.
6The tabernacles of Edom, and the Ishmaelites; of Moab, and the Hagarenes;
6The people of Edom are there, and the Ishmaelites. So are the people of Moab and the Hagrites.
7Gebal, and Ammon, and Amalek; the Philistines with the inhabitants of Tyre;
7Gebal is there, and Ammon, and Amalek. The Philistines are there, and the people of the city of Tyre.
8Assur also is joined with them: they have holpen the children of Lot. Selah.
8Even Assyria has joined them. They are helping the family of Lot grow strong. (Selah)
"Selah" is a music word in the Psalms. No one is sure what it meant. It may have marked a pause in the song.
9Do unto them as unto the Midianites; as to Sisera, as to Jabin, at the brook of Kison:
9Do to them what You did to Midian long ago. Do what You did to Sisera and Jabin at the Kishon River.
10Which perished at Endor: they became as dung for the earth.
10Those enemies died at Endor. Their bodies lay on the ground like waste in a field.
11Make their nobles like Oreb, and like Zeeb: yea, all their princes as Zebah, and as Zalmunna:
11Make their leaders end up like Oreb and Zeeb. Make all their rulers end up like Zebah and Zalmunna.
12Who said, Let us take to ourselves the houses of God in possession.
12Those men said, "Let us take God's land and keep it for ourselves."
The KJV says "the houses of God," but the word means open land where animals graze. The enemies wanted to take God's land for themselves.
13O my God, make them like a wheel; as the stubble before the wind.
13My God, blow them away like a rolling weed. Blow them like dry bits of straw in the wind.
The KJV says "make them like a wheel." This means a dry, round plant that the wind rolls across the ground.
14As the fire burneth a wood, and as the flame setteth the mountains on fire;
14Fire burns up a whole forest. Flames set a mountain blazing.
15So persecute them with thy tempest, and make them afraid with thy storm.
15Chase them like that with Your strong wind. Scare them with Your storm.
16Fill their faces with shame; that they may seek thy name, O LORD.
16Cover their faces with shame. Then they will look for You, LORD.
17Let them be confounded and troubled for ever; yea, let them be put to shame, and perish:
17Let them be ashamed and afraid always. Let them be shamed and come to an end.
The old word "confounded" does not mean confused here. It means put to shame.
18That men may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the most high over all the earth.
18Then people will know Your name is the LORD. You alone are the Most High over all the earth.
← → to turn the page · P for plain English · click a verse to sit with it