Psalm 82–83

Psalm 82

A psalm of Asaph.

1 God presides in the great assembly;

he renders judgmentp among the “gods”:q

2 “How long will youa defend the unjust

and show partialityr to the wicked?b s

3 Defend the weak and the fatherless;t

uphold the cause of the pooru and the oppressed.

4 Rescue the weak and the needy;

deliver them from the hand of the wicked.

5 “The ‘gods’ know nothing, they understand nothing.v

They walk about in darkness;w

all the foundationsx of the earth are shaken.

6 “I said, ‘You are “gods”;y

you are all sons of the Most High.’

7 But you will diez like mere mortals;

you will fall like every other ruler.”

8 Rise up,a O God, judgeb the earth,

for all the nations are your inheritance.c

Psalm 83a

A song. A psalm of Asaph.

1 O God, do not remain silent;d

do not turn a deaf ear,

do not stand aloof, O God.

2 See how your enemies growl,e

how your foes rear their heads.f

3 With cunning they conspireg against your people;

they plot against those you cherish.h

4 “Come,” they say, “let us destroyi them as a nation,j

so that Israel’s name is rememberedk no more.”

5 With one mind they plot together;l

they form an alliance against you—

6 the tents of Edomm and the Ishmaelites,

of Moabn and the Hagrites,o

7 Byblos,p Ammonq and Amalek,r

Philistia,s with the people of Tyre.t

8 Even Assyriau has joined them

to reinforce Lot’s descendants.b v

9 Do to them as you did to Midian,w

as you did to Siserax and Jabiny at the river Kishon,z

10 who perished at Endora

and became like dungb on the ground.

11 Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb,c

all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna,d

12 who said, “Let us take possessione

of the pasturelands of God.”

13 Make them like tumbleweed, my God,

like chafff before the wind.

14 As fire consumes the forest

or a flame sets the mountains ablaze,g

15 so pursue them with your tempesth

and terrify them with your storm.i

16 Cover their faces with shame,j Lord,

so that they will seek your name.

17 May they ever be ashamed and dismayed;k

may they perish in disgrace.l

18 Let them know that you, whose name is the Lordm—

that you alone are the Most Highn over all the earth.o