PSALMS LESSON 83
We will begin this lesson by giving the 82 chapter of Psalms in
metre.
THE PSALM OF DAVID IN METRE
Chapter 82
Verse 1 "AMONG assembled men of might, The mighty God doth stand:
He stands to order judgement right To judges of the land."
verse 2 "How long will ye, with wrongful aid, Th' oppressor's cause
protect? How long, by gift and favor swayed, The wicked man
respect?"
verse 3 "Protect the fatherless and weak, Defend the poor distressed;
And give deliv'rance to the meek By lawless power oppressed."
verse 4 "They will not know nor understand, In darkness on they go:
Quake all the pillars of the land; That totter to and fro."
verse 5 "True, ye are gods, ye kings, I said; And sons of God most
high; Yet as the sons of men ye fade, And as the princes
die."
verse 6 "Arise, O God, assert thy right, Pronounce thy just decree;
The heritage of earth by right Belongs, O Lord, to thee."
We will now begin the verse by verse study of the 82nd Psalm.
Psalms 82:1 "{A Psalm of Asaph.} God standeth in the congregation of
the mighty; he judgeth among the gods."
God standeth, means God continues to stand. The congregation, in
the Old Testament, are the Israelites. The congregation of the mighty,
perhaps, would be speaking of the high priest and the priests, because
they were mighty among their people. They were elevated up as gods by
their people. They actually said who was allowed to enter the temple,
and who could not. They made many judgements of the people. They
really were a government in a government. The high priest was set up,
at first, to represent God to the people, and the people to God. They
started out just fine, but by the time that Jesus was ministering on
the earth, the priesthood had gone down to the point that they were
buying and selling the position of high priest. The presence of God
was over the mercy seat in the tabernacle in the wilderness.
Psalms 82:2 "How long will ye judge unjustly, and accept the
persons of the wicked? Selah."
We find that justice did not prevail. God had given these
Israelites the most complete set of laws and ordinances known to man.
They covered the civil laws, as well as the religious laws. There was
no excuse for judging unjustly. God had given them the way to judge
every situation. This does not exactly say so, but favoritism was
probably being practiced. The priesthood had really gone down. Of
course, Selah means stop and think about this.
Psalms 82:3 "Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the
afflicted and needy."
From this Scripture, it seems their favors had been done for the
wealthy, perhaps, for a bribe. They were doing the very opposite of
what the Lord had taught them to do. He reminds them, again here, that
they must defend the fatherless and the widow. They must help the
needy. This, of course, would not get them any bribes on the earth.
Psalms 82:4 "Deliver the poor and needy: rid [them] out of the
hand of the wicked."
If they are to be a good judge, then they must help those who are
not able to help themselves. The wicked seem to pick on the poor and
needy, because they cannot help themselves. These judges need to
remember that their time is coming. They will have to stand before the
Lord Jesus on judgement day. They will be judged in the same manner
they judged others.
Psalms 82:5 "They know not, neither will they understand; they
walk on in darkness: all the foundations of the earth are out of
course."
How dark and full of sin can the world get? The very ones, who
are supposed to be upholding that which is right, have gone bad
themselves. If those who are supposed to uphold righteousness are gone
bad, then it seems that there is great darkness. Matthew 15:14 "Let
them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead
the blind, both shall fall into the ditch." Matthew 6:23 "But if
thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If
therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great [is] that
darkness!"
Psalms 82:6 "I have said, Ye [are] gods; and all of you [are]
children of the most High."
Notice, that gods is not capitalized. They are false gods. They
are gods in their own sight. This calling them gods is a mocking of
the real Word. They were acting with great authority given them by
God. It is such a shame that they abused that authority. God had set
up a ruling authority of which they were, but they had misused their
office. These were Israelites {children of the most High}.
Psalms 82:7 "But ye shall die like men, and fall like one of the
princes."
They will be judged more harshly, because they sinned in full
knowledge. Even though they had a high office on this earth, they were
but men, and would die as men. The statement like princes, means that
their death will be first. God judges the house of God first.
Psalms 82:8 "Arise, O God, judge the earth: for thou shalt
inherit all nations."
He is calling for Messiah who will rule all the earth justly. We
would say, come quickly Lord Jesus. Jesus will rule as King of kings
and Lord of lords. Jesus is the Righteous Judge who all will stand
before in judgement. Philippians 2:10 "That at the name of Jesus every
knee should bow, of [things] in heaven, and [things] in earth, and
[things] under the earth;"
Chapter 83
verse 1 "Keep not, O God, we thee entreat, O keep not silence now;
Hold not thy peace, O Mighty God, And still be no more thou."
verse 2 "For lo! what tumults, in their rage, Thy enemies have made!
And they that haters are of thee Have lifted up the head."
verse 3 "Against thy chosen people they Do crafty counsel take;
And they against thy hidden ones Do consultations make."
verse 4 "Come on, we'll cut their nation off, We'll blot them out,
and they; And thus shall Isr'el's race and name From mem'ry
pass away."
verse 5 "With one consent they have conspired, Against thee they
combined; With Edom's tents, the Ishma'lites, With Moab,
Hagar joined."
verse 6 "Gebal, and Ammon, Amalek, Philistia, those of Tyre,
And Assur, joined with them; to help Lot's children they
conspire."
verse 7 "To them as unto Midian do, Jabin at Kison strand;
And Sis'ra, which at Endor fell, To fertilize the land."
verse 8 "Like Oreb and like Zeeb make Their noble men to fall;
Like Zeba and Zalmunna make their noble princes all."
verse 9 "Who said, for our inheritance Let us God's houses take.
My God, them like a wheel, as chaff Before the wind them
make."
verse 10 "As fire consumes the wood, as flame Doth mountains set on
fire, O chase and frighten them with storm And tempest of
thine ire."
verse 11 "With shame their faces fill, O Lord, That they may seek thy
name. Let them confounded be, and vexed, Yea perish in their
shame."
verse 12 "That men may know, that thou, whose name Jehovah is alone.
As God Most High, O'er all the earth, Art seated on thy
throne."
We will begin the verse by verse study of Psalms chapter 83 now.
Psalms 83:1 "{A Song [or] Psalm of Asaph.} Keep not thou silence, O
God: hold not thy peace, and be not still, O God."
This Psalm of Asaph is an appeal to God to intervene and save
Israel. When God speaks, the world listens. Asaph is not asking God to
send a warrior to lead them back. Asaph is fully aware that God
Himself could bring them back, if He would speak up.
Psalms 83:2 "For, lo, thine enemies make a tumult: and they that
hate thee have lifted up the head."
It appears to me that, these enemies of God and God's people are
taking advantage of the fact that God is letting them fight their own
battles. This is the chance for the enemy to come in and destroy
Israel. They have even begun to brag about the conquest.
Psalms 83:3 "They have taken crafty counsel against thy people,
and consulted against thy hidden ones."
We have discussed before how the enemies of God try to destroy
God's people. This is the case here. God will stop them from
destroying them. The hidden ones are hidden by God.
Psalms 83:4 "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."
The Israel that they would like to stop are two-fold. They would
like to stop the nation of Israel. They want to stop spiritual Israel
{the church}, as well. There is just One standing between them and
victory, and that is God. Jesus has actually set up habitation in the
church. Their memories of Israel are frightening. They knew that in
the past they could not overcome Israel, because Israel's God would
fight for them. Now that they feel that Israel's God has forsaken
them, they think they can whip Israel.
Psalms 83:5 "For they have consulted together with one consent:
they are confederate against thee:"
The enemies of the nation of Israel are many. All of the
countries driven out before them are enemies of Israel. It appears
from this, that a group of nations have come together against Israel.
The main thing they have in common is that they hate Israel. They are
a confederacy, not only against Israel, but against Almighty God.
Psalms 83:6 "The tabernacles of Edom, and the Ishmaelites; of
Moab, and the Hagarenes;"
Esau was the father of the Edomites. He thought so little of his
birthright, that he sold it for a bowl of soup. He had always hated
Israel, even though he was related to them. Ishmael had been the son
of Abraham and the bondwoman. The Ishmaelites descended from him. They
had always hated the Israelites, because they were Abraham's children
with Sarah. Abraham gave Isaac {Israelite} the right hand {spiritual}
blessing and gave Ishmael {son of the bondwoman, Hagar} the left hand
blessing [which is of the flesh]. It appears that the Hagarenes were
the descendants by Hagar. This group of people felt as if they had
been cheated, and they all hated Israel. In fact, this feud is still
going on today between the Arabs and the Jews.
Psalms 83:7 "Gebal, and Ammon, and Amalek; the Philistines with
the inhabitants of Tyre;"
Gebal, Ammon, and Amalek were all foes of Israel and had been for
years. We know the Philistines were off and on in war with Israel all
the time. The Philistines had blinded Samson, they were, also, the
group that captured and desecrated the ark. David had killed the giant
from the Philistines. Tyre had many men who worked on the tabernacle,
but that was for money. They were really never friends with Israel.
Psalms 83:8 "Assur also is joined with them: they have holpen the
children of Lot. Selah."
Assur was just one more evil group to come against Israel. The
children of Lot were the nations that formed from Lot practicing
incest with his daughters. Genesis 19:36 "Thus were both the daughters
of Lot with child by their father." Genesis 19:37 "And the firstborn
bare a son, and called his name Moab: the same [is] the father of the
Moabites unto this day." Genesis 19:38 "And the younger, she also bare
a son, and called his name Ben-ammi: the same [is] the father of the
children of Ammon unto this day." The nations of Moab and Ammon are
part of this evil conspiracy. Selah; it is time to pause and think of
the evil of all these nations coming against Israel. This battle {in a
sense} has never stopped. This is the battle of good and evil.
Psalms 83:9 "Do unto them as [unto] the Midianites; as [to]
Sisera, as [to] Jabin, at the brook of Kison:"
We see Asaph looking back at the miraculous destruction God had
brought about in the past against those who opposed Israel. Asaph is
saying, do the same thing to these enemies.
Psalms 83:10 "[Which] perished at En-dor: they became [as] dung
for the earth."
This is speaking of the brook suddenly overflowing its banks and
drowning the enemy of Israel
Psalms 83:11 "Make their nobles like Oreb, and like Zeeb: yea,
all their princes as Zebah, and as Zalmunna:"
This is just saying, kill the ruler as same as the footsoldier.
Gideon captured and killed Zeba and Zalmunna.
Psalms 83:12 "Who said, Let us take to ourselves the houses of
God in possession."
The houses of God had great possessions of silver and gold. Their
eyes were on the wealth they could loot. They did not realize, to rob
God is a fatal mistake. We have people, now, who are breaking into
churches and stealing things they can use or sell. This is a very
dangerous thing to do. The curse this type of action would bring would
be an eternal curse.
Psalms 83:13 "O my God, make them like a wheel; as the stubble
before the wind."
Perhaps, this wheel means that they will turn over and over and
never stop. The stubble of the field blows away with the wind. This
unattached wheel would be like the stubble, it would roll over by the
slightest wind, but never get anywhere.
Psalms 83:14 "As the fire burneth a wood, and as the flame
setteth the mountains on fire;"
Fire burns the wood and leaves nothing but ashes. Lightning
striking a tree in the forest can destroy a large area of trees.
Sometimes forest fires look as if the whole world is on fire.
Psalms 83:15 "So persecute them with thy tempest, and make them
afraid with thy storm."
Asaph is asking God to let His vengeance come upon these evil
people. God really controls the wind, sea, the lightning, and all
other things of nature. God could send whatever problem He desired
upon them.
Psalms 83:16 "Fill their faces with shame; that they may seek thy
name, O LORD."
I guess one of the best examples in all the Bible, about someone
being shamed for what they had done, was Paul. He had actually
persecuted the Christians. When he came face to face with the Light of
this world, he repented and changed. Asaph is saying here, show them
your face and make them ashamed for what they have done.
Psalms 83:17 "Let them be confounded and troubled for ever; yea,
let them be put to shame, and perish:"
He is saying, here, that since they will not change, bring your
everlasting judgement upon them. He is asking the Lord to destroy
them, before they destroy Israel.
Psalms 83:18 "That [men] may know that thou, whose name alone
[is] JEHOVAH, [art] the most high over all the earth."
So many times in prayer, I have said, Lord, show them who You
are. This is what Asaph is saying here. Asaph says to God, defeat
these mighty nations that have come against Israel, and all of the
nations will glorify your name. We do know that the incident at the
Red Sea made many a country reluctant to come against Israel, because
of the Mighty God that had done the miracle for them. When this was
written a good amount of time had passed since God had brought Israel
out of Egypt with His mighty Hand, and these nations around Israel had
forgotten that God fights for Israel. If God were to do this for
Israel here, Asaph says, all the nations around would know the power
of JEHOVAH the Almighty God. JEHOVAH, THE SELF EXISTING ONE, THE
ETERNAL ONE, whatever you choose to call Him, there is no greater. He
is Supreme Ruler of the universe.
Questions 83
1. God standeth in the ___________ of the mighty.
2. What does standeth mean?
3. Who were the congregation in the Old Testament?
4. Who were mighty among the people?
5. They were a government in a ___________.
6. What was the purpose of the high priest in the beginning?
7. What terrible condition had the priesthood dropped to, in Jesus'
time?
8. Where was the presence of God in the tabernacle?
9. God had given these Israelites the most complete set of ______ and
_________ known to man.
10. Verse three says, Defend the _____ and __________.
11. What had the priesthood been doing that was opposite to the
teachings of God?
12. Who do the wicked seem to pick on?
13. What should these earthly judges remember?
14. How dark and how full of sin can the world get?
15. Quote Matthew chapter 15 verse 14.
16. Quote Matthew chapter 6 verse 23.
17. What are the gods in verse 6?
18. Who are the children of the Most High in verse 6?
19. Even though they had a high office in this world they would die
like ________.
20. Who is Asaph calling for in verse 8?
21. What does the Christian cry now?
22. Quote Philippians chapter 2 verse 10.
23. What is the 83rd Psalm asking?
24. The hidden ones, in verse 3, are whom?
25. What Israel are they trying to destroy in verse 4?
26. This group of nations that have come against Israel have one thing
in common, what is it?
27. Who was the founder of the Edomites?
28. Who are the Ishmaelites?
29. Who were the Hagarenes?
30. What were two terrible things the Philistines did to Israel?
31. What had Israel done to the Philistines?
32. What were the two evil countries that came from Lot and his two
daughters?
33. What happens to those who rob God's house?
34. What happens to wood that is burned?
35. Which natural elements does God control?
36. Who is the best example in the Bible of someone, who was ashamed
of what he had done, and then came to Christ?
37. What is God called by in verse 18?
38. What are some other names He goes by, just as powerful?
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