Psalm 82 - 83

Psalm 82

A psalm of Asaph.

1God presides in the great assembly;

he renders judgment among the “gods”:

2“How long will youdefend the unjust

and show partiality to the wicked?

3Defend the weak and the fatherless;

uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed.

4Rescue the weak and the needy;

deliver them from the hand of the wicked.

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

They walk about in darkness;

all the foundations of the earth are shaken.

6“I said, ‘You are “gods”;

you are all sons of the Most High.’

7But you will die like mere mortals;

you will fall like every other ruler.”

8Rise up, O God, judge the earth,

for all the nations are your inheritance.

Psalm 83

A song. A psalm of Asaph.

1O God, do not remain silent;

do not turn a deaf ear,

do not stand aloof, O God.

2See how your enemies growl,

how your foes rear their heads.

3With cunning they conspire against your people;

they plot against those you cherish.

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

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

5With one mind they plot together;

they form an alliance against you—

6the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites,

of Moab and the Hagrites,

7Byblos, Ammon and Amalek,

Philistia, with the people of Tyre.

8Even Assyria has joined them

to reinforce Lot’s descendants.

9Do to them as you did to Midian,

as you did to Sisera and Jabin at the river Kishon,

10who perished at Endor

and became like dung on the ground.

11Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb,

all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna,

12who said, “Let us take possession

of the pasturelands of God.”

13Make them like tumbleweed, my God,

like chaff before the wind.

14As fire consumes the forest

or a flame sets the mountains ablaze,

15so pursue them with your tempest

and terrify them with your storm.

16Cover their faces with shame, Lord,

so that they will seek your name.

17May they ever be ashamed and dismayed;

may they perish in disgrace.

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

that you alone are the Most High over all the earth.