Psalm 83:1

Psalm 83:1

When the world is against us

We’re continuing our musical journey with Asaph, or in this case, one of his descendants. You will remember that Asaph was a Levite with extraordinary musical and poetic talents who lived at the time of David. This Psalm was written at least after the reign of Solomon, and so we conclude that songs written by Asaph’s descendants were added to the family catalogue and attributed to the “Asaph” name.

Clearly, Psalm 83 is set against a background of trouble and the threatening activities of many enemies. However, it’s a job to date it exactly as some of those mentioned did not come against Israel all at the same time. Maybe then, the Psalm is meant to be an overview of the trials and threats over a period of time, at least up until the Assyrian invasion and the destruction of the 10 northern tribes. 

 

V1        This verse is a common plea from the lips of a beleaguered nation. Israel constantly faced incursions from the surrounding countries. They were troubled by endless alliances among their neighbours who threatened their very existence. Occasionally they suffered invasion, and, in the case of the Assyrian and Babylonian empires, they were taken off into captivity. The land was always under threat and very little has changed over the centuries, so the Psalm could be written for any age, especially now when the Jews are once more in occupation of Israel. 

Thus, this heart cry to God is relevant today and there are Jewish people who pray in this manner, “O God, do not remain silent; do not turn a deaf ear, do not stand aloof, O God.” If they can pray this way, so can we! There are times when we are engulfed by troubles, when enemy cohorts are lined up against us. If we do not know how to pray in such moments, let’s borrow these words from the family of Asaph!

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