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Psalms 83 This Psalm is frequently read today in present-day Israel especially when terrorist attacks or Arab military threats increase. [Psalms 83:1] KEEP NOT THOU SILENCE, O GOD: HOLD NOT THY PEACE, AND BE NOT STILL, O GOD. [Psalms 83:2] FOR, LO, THINE ENEMIES MAKE A TUMULT: AND THEY THAT HATE THEE HAVE LIFTED UP THE HEAD. [Psalms 83:3] THEY HAVE TAKEN CRAFTY COUNSEL AGAINST THY PEOPLE, AND CONSULTED AGAINST THY HIDDEN ONES. <<AGAINST THY PEOPLE: The adversaries attack Judah because we keep the Torah as it says THE SECRET OF THE LORD IS WITH THEM THAT FEAR HIM [Psalms 25:14]. Midrash Tehillim>> <<THY HIDDEN ONES>>: This could refer to the Lost Ten Tribes. We have discussed that aspect of "Hidden" and Lost Israelites elsewhere, e.g. the Celts and Scots were considered "hidden" http://britam.org/now/899Now.html #2. Question on the name "Sciot" <http://britam.org/now/now500.html>http://britam.org/now/now500.html #3. The Concealment Isaiah ch.49 <http://britam.org/isaiah/chap-forty-nine.html>http://britam.org/isaiah/chap-forty-nine.html [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. <<As long as Judah exists HE is referred to as the God of Israel, if Judah is exterminated who will HE be called the God of?>> Midrash Tehillim: [Psalms 83:5] FOR THEY HAVE CONSULTED TOGETHER WITH ONE CONSENT: THEY ARE CONFEDERATE AGAINST THEE: <<Everything the heathen are doing against us [Judah] is because of YOU [God] as it says, AGAINST THE LORD, AND AGAINST HIS ANOINTED [Psalms 2:2] >> Midrash Tehillim. The above quotations from Midrash Tehillim (83:3,4,5) in the original text have "Israel" where we have inserted "Judah" but it is clear from the context that the Jews who keep the Torah are being referred to as "Israel" in this case. Since however in Brit-Am Studies we sometimes distinguish between "Judah" and "Israel" we replaced "Israel" with "Judah" in order to maintain the original intention. [Psalms 83:6] THE TABERNACLES OF EDOM, AND THE ISHMAELITES; OF MOAB, AND THE HAGARENES; [Psalms 83:7] GEBAL, AND AMMON, AND AMALEK; THE PHILISTINES WITH THE INHABITANTS OF TYRE; [Psalms 83:8] ASSUR ALSO IS JOINED WITH THEM: THEY HAVE HOLPEN THE CHILDREN OF LOT. SELAH. The psalms are designed to be said continuously. The words of Prophecy in the Psalms are (like all other Prophecy) mainly directed towards the End Times but they also have relevance to the imtermediate eras. At all events this Psal can by applied both to the situation of the Present State of Israel as well as a future situation. " EDOM " is mainly Continental Europe, the ISHMAELITES are the Arabs, so are the HAGARENES, AMALEK applies to rabid haters of the Jews in general. The terms "MOAB" and "AMMON" could apply to Jordan which today occupies the former territories of Moab and Ammon and the capital of Jordan is named after Ammon. THE PHILISTINES WITH THE INHABITANTS OF TYRE refer to the Palestinians and part of the inhabitants of Lebanon who are also recalled in the term GEBAL. ASSUR could apply to Iraq and/or Iran and CHILDREN OF LOT to Syria. So far, so good. The above identifications are pertinent. There are other identification possibilities that could pertain to the future. ASSUR (pronounced "ASHUR") meaning Assyria, for example, also gave rise to part of the populations of Germany, Russia, and possibly Hungary. [Psalms 83:9] DO UNTO THEM AS UNTO THE MIDIANITES; AS TO SISERA, AS TO JABIN, AT THE BROOK OF KISON: This refers to the campaign of Deborah and Barak who defeated the forces of Midian (Judges chapter four). [Psalms 83:10] WHICH PERISHED AT ENDOR: THEY BECAME AS DUNG FOR THE EARTH. [Psalms 83:11] MAKE THEIR NOBLES LIKE OREB, AND LIKE ZEEB: YEA, ALL THEIR PRINCES AS ZEBAH, AND AS ZALMUNNA: <<OREB, AND LIKE ZEEB>>: These were princes of the Midianites who warred against Israel and were slain by Gideon of Manasseh (Judges 7:25). [Psalms 83:12] WHO SAID, LET US TAKE TO OURSELVES THE HOUSES OF GOD IN POSSESSION. Those who make themselves enemies of the Peoples of Israel set themselves to worship false gods. Anyone who denies Judah and Israel denies the God of Israel. Traditionally the Midianites intermixed with the Ishmaelites and together formed a good section of the Arab Nations who together with the Philistine-Palestinians mentioned above are severely oppressing the Israelites and Judah in our time. Much of the anti-Semitism in the modern world is due to Arab oil money and the influence of their aficionados. Oil Companies that back Arab interests are also behind a good portion of present-day industrial pollution at least part of which could be avoided or diminished. Whatever anybody tries to say pollution induced by petroleum and petroleum-derived products is changing the climate and adversely affecting the health of man and beast in the Western World. This is even influencing our genes and reproductive capacities. Quite a few right-wing commentators who usually speak a lot of sense have begun belittling the dangers of pollution and climate change etc. They point out amongst other things that the subject is being exploited by anti-human being left-wing environmental types. This might be so and in some specific cases the environmentalists may be exaggerating. Nevertheless the problem does exist and deserves to be related to. [Psalms 83:13] O MY GOD, MAKE THEM LIKE A WHEEL; AS THE STUBBLE BEFORE THE WIND. <<LIKE A WHEEL>>: This a kind of thistle that is blown about by th wind. [Psalms 83:14] AS THE FIRE BURNETH A WOOD, AND AS THE FLAME SETTETH THE MOUNTAINS ON FIRE; [Psalms 83:15] SO PERSECUTE THEM WITH THY TEMPEST, AND MAKE THEM AFRAID WITH THY STORM. [Psalms 83:16] FILL THEIR FACES WITH SHAME; THAT THEY MAY SEEK THY NAME, O LORD. After shame there is chance of repentance. We have all been shamed in some way at some time or other. This could happen again. Whenever something like this occurs it is advisable to search our paths and find something we need to correct. It may not be the cause or the right answer but often when the Almighty sees we want to get back on the right path HE listens and turns aside HIS anger. [Psalms 83:17] LET THEM BE CONFOUNDED AND TROUBLED FOR EVER; YEA, LET THEM BE PUT TO SHAME, AND PERISH: If the heathen do not repent they will perish. If we do not do better we will suffer for it. It is not possible for everyone to make a complete switch over overnight. Sometimes we make plans to better ourselves or to act in a positive direction that we know from the past we are capable of but it does not work out as we hoped. Do what you can from where you are with what you have in hand or according to whatever opportunity presents itself. F you are in trouble, do not panic, stay calm. Pray and do something in the right direction even a small thing. You will see, this course of action can work wonders. [Psalms 83:18] THAT MEN MAY KNOW THAT THOU, WHOSE NAME ALONE IS JEHOVAH, ART THE MOST HIGH OVER ALL THE EARTH. "Knowing" something in Hebrew means having awareness of it. JEHOVAH: This is not how the name should be pronounced. Nevertheless it is advisable not to bandy this or any other such names about. Rather we should think of them and think of their meanings. |