The Message of the Psalms

PSALM 83: THE HATRED OF THE WORLD

This Psalm is not identified with any one point of history but
shows the continual abhorrence and aggression which the
world has for the Church in general and the private spiritual
struggles of the Lord’s people in particular. While the actors
might change and the scenes be altered, the drama is the
age-old enmity of the Devil (Genesis 3:15; 4:4; John 15:19).

1. A Malignant Enemy (Vs. 1-8)

The malignancy of the world and sin is highlighted by the
fact of the continued effects of previous sin (Vs. 6-7,
Ishmael [Genesis 16:3ff, 11], Moab and Ammon [Genesis
19:36-37] cf. II Samuel 12:13-14). While the enemy of the
Christian is the enemy of the Lord (Vs. 2), the complaint is
that the Lord seems to be deaf to the cry of those who are
His “hidden ones” (Vs. 3). That these confederate forces of
the world which “raise their heads” are intent on the
destruction of the believer (Vs. 4) makes this prayer all the
more urgent.

2. A Confident Entreaty (Vs. 9-12)

The prayer that the psalmist makes here is motivated by
the knowledge that the Lord can save because He has
previously showed His strength (Judges 4:9; 7:19ff).
Animated by faith in the God of history, the psalmist turns
to prayer (Psalm 52:9). It is this same faith that induces
comfort and resilience in the heart of the Christian today
(Cf. Hebrews 13:1ff).

3. A God Exalted (Vs. 13-18)

The prayer of faith recognizes that the fury and fortunes of
the world are mutable (it is like “whiling dust” [wheel],
“stubble” cf. Ps. 1:4). The Lord can turn wicked fury into
godly faith (Vs. 16) and conceited fortune into frustration
(Vs. 17). It is this thought of human mutability that governs
the imprecations of the prayer (see separate study on the
Imprecatory Psalms). The prayer is that God might be
exalted. It is punishment inflicted by God and not man so
that God in his merciful severity might get the glory. It is
punishment with purpose; to shame them in their own

2010, Victoria Free Presbyterian Church

 The Message of the Psalms

conceit and warn them of the power of God (Vs. 18). Those
who do not seek the Lord’s face will one day bow at His feet
(Vs. 18 cf. Romans 14:11).

2010, Victoria Free Presbyterian Church