1 Keep not thou silence, O God: hold not thy peace, and be not still, O God.
2 For, lo, thine enemies make a tumult: and they that hate thee have lifted up the head.
3 They have taken crafty counsel against thy people, and consulted against thy hidden ones.
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.
5 For they have consulted together with one consent: they are confederate against thee:
6 The tabernacles of Edom, and the Ishmaelites; of Moab, and the Hagarenes;
7 Gebal, and Ammon, and Amalek; the Philistines with the inhabitants of Tyre;
8 Assur also is joined with them: they have holpen the children of Lot. Selah.
9 Do unto them as unto the Midianites; as to Sisera, as to Jabin, at the brook of Kison:
10 Which perished at Endor: they became as dung for the earth.
11 Make their nobles like Oreb, and like Zeeb: yea, all their princes as Zebah, and as Zalmunna:
12 Who said, Let us take to ourselves the houses of God in possession.
13 O my God, make them like a wheel; as the stubble before the wind.
14 As the fire burneth a wood, and as the flame setteth the mountains on fire;
15 So persecute them with thy tempest, and make them afraid with thy storm.
16 Fill their faces with shame; that they may seek thy name, O LORD.
17 Let them be confounded and troubled for ever; yea, let them be put to shame, and perish:
18 That men may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the most high over all the earth.
1 [[A Song H7892 or Psalm H4210 of Asaph.]] H623 Keep not thou silence, H1824 O God: H430 hold not thy peace, H2790 and be not still, H8252 O God. H410
2 For, lo, thine enemies H341 make a tumult: H1993 and they that hate H8130 thee have lifted up H5375 the head. H7218
3 They have taken crafty H6191 counsel H5475 against thy people, H5971 and consulted H3289 against thy hidden ones. H6845
4 They have said, H559 Come, H3212 and let us cut them off H3582 from being a nation; H1471 that the name H8034 of Israel H3478 may be no more in remembrance. H2142
5 For they have consulted H3289 together H3162 with one consent: H3820 they are H3772 confederate H1285 against thee:
6 The tabernacles H168 of Edom, H123 and the Ishmaelites; H3459 of Moab, H4124 and the Hagarenes; H1905
7 Gebal, H1381 and Ammon, H5983 and Amalek; H6002 the Philistines H6429 with the inhabitants H3427 of Tyre; H6865
8 Assur H804 also is joined H3867 with them: they have holpen H2220 the children H1121 of Lot. H3876 Selah. H5542
9 Do H6213 unto them as unto the Midianites; H4080 as to Sisera, H5516 as to Jabin, H2985 at the brook H5158 of Kison: H7028
10 Which perished H8045 at Endor: H5874 they became as dung H1828 for the earth. H127
11 Make H7896 their nobles H5081 like Oreb, H6159 and like Zeeb: H2062 yea, all their princes H5257 as Zebah, H2078 and as Zalmunna: H6759
12 Who said, H559 Let us take to ourselves the houses H4999 of God H430 in possession. H3423
13 O my God, H430 make H7896 them like a wheel; H1534 as the stubble H7179 before H6440 the wind. H7307
14 As the fire H784 burneth H1197 a wood, H3293 and as the flame H3852 setteth H3857 the mountains H2022 on fire; H3857
15 So persecute H7291 them with thy tempest, H5591 and make them afraid H926 with thy storm. H5492
16 Fill H4390 their faces H6440 with shame; H7036 that they may seek H1245 thy name, H8034 O LORD. H3068
17 Let them be confounded H954 and troubled H926 for ever; H5703 yea, let them be put to shame, H2659 and perish: H6
18 That men may know H3045 that thou, whose name H8034 alone is JEHOVAH, H3068 art the most high H5945 over all the earth. H776
1 O God, keep not thou silence: Hold not thy peace, and be not still, O God.
2 For, lo, thine enemies make a tumult; And they that hate thee have lifted up the head.
3 Thy take crafty counsel against thy people, And consult together against thy hidden ones.
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.
5 For they have consulted together with one consent; Against thee do they make a covenant:
6 The tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites; Moab, and the Hagarenes;
7 Gebal, and Ammon, and Amalek; Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre:
8 Assyria also is joined with them; They have helped the children of Lot. Selah
9 Do thou unto them as unto Midian, As to Sisera, as to Jabin, at the river Kishon;
10 Who perished at Endor, Who became as dung for the earth.
11 Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb; Yea, all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna;
12 Who said, Let us take to ourselves in possession The habitations of God.
13 O my God, make them like the whirling dust; As stubble before the wind.
14 As the fire that burneth the forest, And as the flame that setteth the mountains on fire,
15 So pursue them with thy tempest, And terrify them with thy storm.
16 Fill their faces with confusion, That they may seek thy name, O Jehovah.
17 Let them be put to shame and dismayed for ever; Yea, let them be confounded and perish;
18 That they may know that thou alone, whose name is Jehovah, Art the Most High over all the earth. Psalm 84 For the Chief Musician; set to the Gittith. A Psalm of the sons of Korah.
1 A Song, -- A Psalm of Asaph. O God, let there be no silence to Thee, Be not silent, nor be quiet, O God.
2 For, lo, Thine enemies do roar, And those hating Thee have lifted up the head,
3 Against Thy people they take crafty counsel, And consult against Thy hidden ones.
4 They have said, `Come, And we cut them off from `being' a nation, And the name of Israel is not remembered any more.'
5 For they consulted in heart together, Against Thee a covenant they make,
6 Tents of Edom, and Ishmaelites, Moab, and the Hagarenes,
7 Gebal, and Ammon, and Amalek, Philistia with inhabitants of Tyre,
8 Asshur also is joined with them, They have been an arm to sons of Lot. Selah.
9 Do to them as `to' Midian, As `to' Sisera, as `to' Jabin, at the stream Kishon.
10 They were destroyed at Endor, They were dung for the ground!
11 Make their nobles as Oreb and as Zeeb, And as Zebah and Zalmunna all their princes,
12 Who have said, `Let us occupy for ourselves The comely places of God.'
13 O my God, make them as a rolling thing, As stubble before wind.
14 As a fire doth burn a forest, And as a flame setteth hills on fire,
15 So dost Thou pursue them with Thy whirlwind, And with Thy hurricane troublest them.
16 Fill their faces `with' shame, And they seek Thy name, O Jehovah.
17 They are ashamed and troubled for ever, Yea, they are confounded and lost.
18 And they know that Thou -- (Thy name `is' Jehovah -- by Thyself,) `Art' the Most High over all the earth!
1 {A Song; a Psalm of Asaph.} O God, keep not silence; hold not thy peace, and be not still, O ùGod:
2 For behold, thine enemies make a tumult; and they that hate thee lift up the head.
3 They take crafty counsel against thy people, and consult against thy hidden ones:
4 They say, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation, and let the name of Israel be mentioned no more.
5 For they have consulted together with one heart: they have made an alliance together against thee.
6 The tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites, Moab and the Hagarites;
7 Gebal, and Ammon, and Amalek; Philistia, with the inhabitants of Tyre;
8 Asshur also is joined with them: they are an arm to the sons of Lot. Selah.
9 Do unto them as to Midian; as to Sisera, as to Jabin, at the torrent of Kishon:
10 Who were destroyed at Endor; they became as dung for the ground.
11 Make their nobles as Oreb and as Zeeb; and all their chiefs as Zebah and as Zalmunna.
12 For they have said, Let us take to ourselves God's dwelling-places in possession.
13 O my God, make them like a whirling thing, like stubble before the wind.
14 As fire burneth a forest, and as the flame setteth the mountains on fire,
15 So pursue them with thy tempest, and terrify them with thy whirlwind.
16 Fill their faces with shame, that they may seek thy name, O Jehovah.
17 Let them be put to shame and be dismayed for ever, and let them be confounded and perish:
18 That they may know that thou alone, whose name is Jehovah, art the Most High over all the earth.
1 > God, don't keep silent. Don't keep silent, And don't be still, God.
2 For, behold, your enemies are stirred up. Those who hate you have lifted up their heads.
3 They conspire with cunning against your people. They plot against your cherished ones.
4 "Come," they say, "and let's destroy them as a nation, That the name of Israel may be remembered no more."
5 For they have conspired together with one mind. They form an alliance against you.
6 The tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites; Moab, and the Hagrites;
7 Gebal, Ammon, and Amalek; Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre;
8 Assyria also is joined with them. They have helped the children of Lot. Selah.
9 Do to them as you did to Midian, As to Sisera, as to Jabin, at the river Kishon;
10 Who perished at Endor, Who became as dung for the earth.
11 Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb; Yes, all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna;
12 Who said, "Let us take possession Of God's pasturelands."
13 My God, make them like tumbleweed; Like chaff before the wind.
14 As the fire that burns the forest, As the flame that sets the mountains on fire,
15 So pursue them with your tempest, And terrify them with your storm.
16 Fill their faces with confusion, That they may seek your name, Yahweh.
17 Let them be disappointed and dismayed forever. Yes, let them be confounded and perish;
18 That they may know that you alone, whose name is Yahweh, Are the Most High over all the earth.
1 <A Song. A Psalm. Of Asaph.> O God, do not keep quiet: let your lips be open and take no rest, O God.
2 For see! those who make war on you are out of control; your haters are lifting up their heads.
3 They have made wise designs against your people, talking together against those whom you keep in a secret place.
4 They have said, Come, let us put an end to them as a nation; so that the name of Israel may go out of man's memory.
5 For they have all come to an agreement; they are all joined together against you:
6 The tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites; Moab and the Hagarites;
7 Gebal and Ammon and Amalek; the Philistines and the people of Tyre;
8 Assur is joined with them; they have become the support of the children of Lot. (Selah.)
9 Do to them what you did to the Midianites; what you did to Sisera and Jabin, at the stream of Kishon:
10 Who came to destruction at En-dor; their bodies became dust and waste.
11 Make their chiefs like Oreb and Zeeb; and all their rulers like Zebah and Zalmunna:
12 Who have said, Let us take for our heritage the resting-place of God.
13 O my God, make them like the rolling dust; like dry stems before the wind.
14 As fire burning a wood, and as a flame causing fire on the mountains,
15 So go after them with your strong wind, and let them be full of fear because of your storm.
16 Let their faces be full of shame; so that they may give honour to your name, O Lord.
17 Let them be overcome and troubled for ever; let them be put to shame and come to destruction;
18 So that men may see that you only, whose name is Yahweh, are Most High over all the earth.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » John Gill's Exposition of the Bible » Commentary on Psalms 83
Commentary on Psalms 83 John Gill's Exposition of the Bible
INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 83
A Song cf15I or Psalm of Asaph. This is the last of the psalms that bear the name of Asaph, and some think it was written by him on occasion of David's smiting the Philistines, Moabites, Syrians, Edomites, and others, 2 Samuel 8:1, but these did not conjunctly, but separately, fight with David, and were overcome by him; whereas those this psalm makes mention of were in a confederacy together; and besides, the Tyrians in David's time were in friendship with him; but are here mentioned as joining with others against Israel, Psalm 83:7, others are of opinion that this was prophetic delivered out with respect to future times, either to the conspiracy of the enemies of the Jews against them in the times of the Maccabees,
"Now when the nations round about heard that the altar was built and the sanctuary renewed as before, it displeased them very much. &c.' (1 Maccabees 5:1)
or rather to the confederacy of the Moabites, Ammonites, and others, in the times of Jehoshaphat, 2 Chronicles 20:1, so Kimchi, Arama, and the generality of interpreters: perhaps reference is had to the enemies of God's people, from age to age, both in the Old and in the New Testament; R. Obadiah understands it of the war of Gog and Magog.
Keep not thou silence, O God,.... Which he is thought and said to do, when he does not answer the prayers of his people, nor plead their cause, nor rebuke their enemies; when he does not speak a good word to them, or one for them, or one against those that hate and persecute them;
hold not thy peace; or "be not deaf"F2אל־תחרש "ne obsurdescas", Vatablus; "ne surdum agas", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator; "ne quasi surdus et mutus sis", Michaelis. to the cries and tears of his people, and to the reproaches, menaces, and blasphemies of wicked men:
and be not still, O God; or "quiet"F3אל תשקט "ne quiescas", Pagninus, Montanus, Musculus, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Gejerus; "neque quietus sis", Michaelis. , at rest and ease, inactive and unconcerned, as if he cared not how things went; the reason follows.
For, lo, thine enemies make a tumult,.... Or "a noise"F4יהמיון "sonuerunt", V. L. "perstrepunt", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Cocceius; "strepunt", Gejerus. : wicked men are commonly noisy, roaring out their blasphemies against God, belching out oaths and curses, and breathing threatenings and slaughter against the saints; especially a numerous army of them, consisting of many people and nations, as this did; who are called the Lord's "enemies", being the enemies of his people, and their cause and his are one and the same; and besides, all wicked men are enemies to God, and all that is good, in their minds, and which appears by their actions; yea, they are enmity itself unto him:
and they that hate thee have lift up the head; are haughty, proud, and arrogant; speak loftily, and with a stiff neck; set their mouth against heaven, and God in it; and their tongue walks through the earth, and spares none; they exult and rejoice, as sure of victory, before the battle is fought; such then were, and such there are, who are haters of God, hate his being, perfections, purposes, and providences; hate his Son without a cause, and even do despite unto the Spirit of grace; hate the law and its precepts, the Gospel and its doctrines and ordinances, and the ways, worship, and people of God, as appears by what follows.
They have taken crafty counsel against thy people,.... The people of Israel, hereafter named, whom God had chosen and avouched to be his people; these they dealt subtlety with, as the king of Egypt had done with their forefathers; and this, agreeably to their character, being the seed of the old serpent, more subtle than any of the beasts of the field; these devised cunning devices, formed crafty schemes for the destruction of the Lord's people; but often so it is, that the wise are taken in their own craftiness, and their counsel is carried headlong:
and consulted against thy hidden ones; not hidden from the Lord, and unknown unto him, though from their enemies, and unknown by them, and so the object of their hatred and persecution; but hidden by him as his jewels and peculiar treasure, which he takes care of; hidden under the shadow of his wings, in the secret of his presence and tabernacle, as in a pavilion; and therefore it was a daring piece of insolence in their enemies to attack them: so the life of saints is said to be hid with Christ in God, which denotes both its secrecy and safety; see Colossians 3:3, the Targum is,
"against the things hidden in thy treasures;'
meaning the riches of the temple.
They have said,.... Secretly in their hearts, or openly to one another, and gave it out in the most public manner, as what they had consulted and determined upon; see Psalm 74:8,
come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; they were not content to invade their country, take their cities, plunder them of their substance, and carry them captives, but utterly to destroy them, root and branch; so that they might be no more a body politic, under rule and government, in their own land, nor have so much as a name and place in others; this was Haman's scheme, Esther 3:8.
that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance; but this desperate and dreadful scheme, and wretched design of theirs, took not effect; but, on the contrary, the several nations hereafter mentioned, who were in this conspiracy, are no more, and have not had a name in the world for many hundreds of years; while the Jews are still a people, and are preserved, in order to be called and saved, as all Israel will be in the latter day, Romans 11:25. So Dioclesian thought to have rooted the Christian name out of the world; but in vain: the name of Christ, the name of Christianity, the name of a Christian church, will endure to the end of the world; see Psalm 72:17. Compare with this Jeremiah 11:19.
For they have consulted together with one consent,.... Or "heart"F5לב "corde", Pagninus, Montanus; "ex corde", Tigurine version, Musculus, Gejerus; "cordicitus", Cocceius. ; wicked men are cordial to one another, and united in their counsels against the people of God, and his interest: whatever things they may disagree in, they agree in this, to oppose the cause and interest of true religion, or to persecute the church and people of God: Herod and Pontius Pilate are instances of this:
they are confederate against thee; or have made a covenant against theeF6עליך ברית יכרתו "foedus adversus te icerunt", Tigurine version; "contra te foedus pepigerunt", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Gejerus; so Musculus, Cocceius, Michaelis. ; the covenant they had entered into among themselves, being against the Lord's people, was against him; and such a covenant and agreement can never stand; for there is no wisdom, nor understanding, nor counsel against the Lord, Proverbs 21:30. This the psalmist mentions to engage the Lord in the quarrel of his people, and not be still, and act a neutral part; since those were his enemies, and confederates against him, and they are next particularly named.
The tabernacles of Edom, &c. Or the Idumeans, as the Targum; the posterity of Esau, who, with the rest that joined with them, hereafter mentioned, and made the confederate army, brought their tents with them, pitched them, and encamped in them against Israel:
and the Ishmaelites; or Arabians, as the Targum, who descended from Ishmael, the son of Abraham:
of Moab, and the Hagarenes; the Moabites, who sprung from Lot by one of his daughters, in an incestuous way; and the Hagarenes are the same with the Hagarites, 1 Chronicles 5:10 who dwelt to the east of the land of Israel, so called from Hagar, the handmaid of Abraham, but not by him, but by another husband, after sent away from him, as Aben Ezra and Kimchi think, or by him, supposing Hagar to be the same with Keturah, as some do: the Targum calls them Hungarians; the Syriac version renders it Gadareans, or Gadarenes; of which see Mark 5:1.
Gebal,.... Gubleans, or Gebalites, as the Targum; the same with Giblites, Joshua 23:5, or men of Gebal, Ezekiel 27:9 the same with Byblus: these dwelt in Phoenicia, near Tyre, where PlinyF7Nat. Hist. l. 5. c. 20. makes mention of a place called Gabale: the Syriac version joins it with Ammon, and renders it "the border of Ammon":
and Ammon and Amalek, the Philistines, with the inhabitants of Tyre; these are well known in Scripture, and as the enemies of Israel.
Assur also is joined with them,.... Before mentioned, or Assyria, though at so great a distance from Israel, and unprovoked by them: according to R. Joseph Kimchi, the sense is, that the Assyrians joined them, continuing in their wickedness, though their army had been destroyed by an angel in Hezekiah's time, of which they were unmindful; but this, as his son observes, makes this confederacy and war to be after the times of Hezekiah; whereas it was long before it: the Targum is,
"Sennacherib, king of Syria, is joined with them;'
and so some refer this to his invasion of Judea, and besieging Jerusalem, with an army consisting of many nations, in Hezekiah's time; but he was the principal there, and not an auxiliary, as here:
they have holpen the children of Lot; or were "an arm"F8היו זרוע "fuerunt brachium", Pagniuus, Montanus; "sunt brachium", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, &c. unto them, assisted and strengthened them: these were the Moabites and Ammonites, who were the principals in the war, and the rest auxiliaries, as it appears they were in the times of Jehoshaphat, 2 Chronicles 20:1, here were ten different nations, which joined in confederacy against the people of Israel; to which answer the ten horns of the beast, or ten antichristian kings, who agreed to give their kingdom to the beast, and to make war with the Lamb and his followers, Revelation 17:12, and it may be observed, that these were on all sides of the land of Israel; the Edomites, Ishmaelites, and Amalekites, were on the south; the Moabites, Ammonites, and Hagarenes, were on the east; the Assyrians on the north; and the Philistines, Gebalites, and Tyrians, on the west: so that Israel was surrounded on all sides with enemies, as the Lord's people are troubled on every side, 2 Corinthians 4:8, and so the Gog and Magog army, of which some understand this, will encompass the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city, Revelation 20:9.
Selah. See Gill on Psalm 3:2.
Do unto them as unto the Midianites,.... In the times of Gideon, who destroyed one another, trod in whose destruction the hand of the Lord was very visible, Judges 7:20, and much in the same manner was the confederate army of the Moabites, Ammonites, and others, destroyed in the times of Jehoshaphat, 2 Chronicles 20:20,
as to Sisera, as to Jabin: Jabin was a king of Canaan, who oppressed Israel, and Sisera was his general; the latter was slain by a woman, Jael, the wife of Heber; and the former the hand of Israel prevailed against, until they destroyed him, Judges 4:2, the great victory which they obtained over them was
at the brook of Kison, or "Kishon", Judges 4:7 with this compare 2 Chronicles 20:16.
Which perished at Endor,.... Aben Ezra and Kimchi understand this of the Midianites; but rather it is to be understood of Jabin and Sisera, and the army under them, who perished at this place, which is mentioned along with Taanach and Megiddo, Joshua 17:11, which are the very places where the battle was fought between Jabin and Israel, Judges 5:19 according to JeromF9De locis Hebraicis, fol. 88. L. and 91. E. , it was four miles from Mount Tabor to the south, and was a large village in his days, and was near to Nain, the place where Christ raised the widow's son from the dead, Luke 7:11.
they became as dung for the earth; being unburied, they lay and rotted on the earth, and became dung for it; see Jeremiah 8:2, or were trodden under foot, as dung upon the earth; so the Targum,
"they became as dung trodden to the earth.'
Make their nobles like Oreb, and like Zeeb,.... Two princes of Midian, who were slain, the one at the rock Oreb, and the other at the winepress of Zeeb, so called after their names, Judges 7:25,
yea, all their princes as Zebah, and as Zalmunna; kings of Midian, slain by Gideon, Judges 8:21.
Who said,.... Not the kings and princes of Midian just mentioned, but the confederate enemies of Israel, named Psalm 83:6, to whom the like things are wished as to the Midianites and others, because they said what follows:
let us take to ourselves the houses of God in possession; not only the temple, which was eminently the house of God, but all the habitations of the Israelites in Jerusalem, and other places, where the Lord vouchsafed to dwell; unless this should be ironically spoken by their enemies calling them so, because they pretended, as they reckoned it, to have and to hold them by the gift of God; whereas, of right, they belonged to them, at least some of them: such a claim was made by the Ammonites in the times of Jephthah, Judges 11:13, and to dispossess the Israelites was the intention of the Ammonites and Moabites in the times of Jehoshaphat, 2 Chronicles 20:10.
O my God, make them like a wheel,.... Which, as the Targum adds, is rolled, and goes on, and rests not in a declivity; let them be as fickle and inconstant as a wheel; being in high, let them be in slippery places, and brought down to desolation in a moment; like a wheel set running down hill, so let them swiftly and suddenly come to ruin; or be in all kind of calamities, and continual troublesF11"Vide Suidam in voce" τροχου. as the wheel is always turning: some think there is an allusion to the wheel by which bread corn was bruised; see Isaiah 28:28, but the wordF12כגלגל "rem in levem quae turbine circumagitur", some in Amama; "pappos", i.e. "lanuginem carduorum", so some in Grotius; "as a rolling thing", Ainsworth. signifies a rolling thing before the wind, as a wisp of straw or stubble, which is easily carried away with it: Jarchi interprets it of the tops or down of thistles, which fly off from them, and roll up, and are scattered by the wind; see Isaiah 17:13, and which agrees with what follows:
as the stubble before the wind; which cannot stand before it, but is driven about by it here and there; and so wicked men are, as chaff and stubble, driven away in their wickedness, with the stormy wind of divine wrath and vengeance, and chased out of the world, which is here imprecated.
As the fire burneth the wood,.... Or "forest"F13יער "sylvam", Montanus, Tigurine version, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, &c. ; which is sometimes done purposely, and sometimes through carelessness, as VirgilF14Georgic. l. 2. v. 310. observes; and which is done very easily and swiftly, when fire is set to it; even all the trees of it, great and small, to which an army is sometimes compared, Isaiah 10:18, and as the flame setteth the mountains on fire; either the mountains themselves, as Etna, Vesuvius, and others; or rather the grass and trees that grow upon them, smitten by lightning from heaven, which may be meant by the flame: in like manner it is wished that the fire and flame of divine wrath would consume the confederate enemies of Israel, above mentioned; as wicked men are but as trees of the forest, and the grass of the mountains, or as thorns and briers, to the wrath of God, which is poured out as fire, and is signified by everlasting burnings.
So persecute them with thy tempest,.... Pursue them with thy fury, follow them with thy vengeance; cause it to fall upon them like a mighty tempest:
and make them afraid with thy storm; God has his storms and tempests of wrath and vengeance, which he sometimes causes to fall upon wicked men in this life, to their inexpressible terror, and with which he takes them out of this world; and he has still more horrible ones to rain upon them hereafter: see Job 27:20.
Fill their faces with shame,.... For their sins, or rather through disappointment, not being able to put their desperate and deep laid schemes into execution: or "with lightness"F15קלון Heb. "levitate", Piscator; so Ainsworth. ; instead of a weight of honour and glory upon them, let them be despised. R. Joseph Kimchi renders it, "fill their faces with fire"; let their faces be as if they were on fire, as men's faces are, who are put to an exceeding great blush, or are most sadly confounded and ashamed:
that they may seek thy name, O Lord; not they themselves, who are filled with shame; for it is imprecated, that they be ashamed, and troubled for ever, and so as to perish, Psalm 83:17 but others; for the words may be supplied, as in Psalm 83:18 "that men may seek thy name, or that thy name may be sought": the judgments of God upon wicked men are sometimes the means of arousing others, and putting them upon seeking the Lord, his face, and his favour; that God would be merciful to them, pardon their iniquities, avert judgments from them, and preserve them from threatened calamities; and this is a good end, when answered; see Isaiah 26:9.
Let them be confounded and troubled for ever,.... As long as they are in this world, and to all eternity in another; a dreadful portion this:
yea, let them be put to shame, and perish; wholly and eternally, in soul and body, for evermore.
That men may know that thou, whose name alone is Jehovah,.... Or, "that thou, thy name alone is Jehovah"F16כי אתה שמך "quod nomen tuum", Pagninus, Montanus, Musculus. , a self-existent Being, the Being of beings, the everlasting I AM, the immutable God; for this name is expressive of the being, eternity, and unchangeableness of God, who is, and was, and is to come, invariably the same, Revelation 1:4 which is to be understood not to the exclusion of the Son or Spirit, who are with the Father the one Jehovah, Deuteronomy 6:4, and to whom this name is given; see Exodus 17:6, compared with 1 Corinthians 10:9, Isaiah 6:8 compared with Acts 28:25, but to the exclusion of all nominal and fictitious deities, the gods of the Heathens; and the being and perfections of God are known by the judgments he executes, Psalm 9:16,
art the most High over all the earth; or,
and that thou art, &c.F17"Quod tu, inquam, sis altissimus", Michaelis. , being the Maker and the Possessor of it, and the sovereign Lord of its inhabitants, doing in it what seems good in his sight; see Genesis 14:22, for the accents require two propositions in the text: the HeathensF18Pansan. Boeotica sive, l. 9. p. 555. give the title of most high to their supreme deity: the Targum is,
"over all the inhabitants of the earth.'