Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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Psalms
Book: Psalms
Chapter: 83
Overview:
The designs of the enemies of
Israel.
(1-8) Earnest Prayer for
their defeat.
(9-18)
1-8 Sometimes
God seems not to be concerned at the unjust
treatment of his people. But then we may
Call upon him, as the
psalmist here. All wicked people are
God's enemies, especially
wicked persecutors. The
Lord's people are his hidden one; the
world knows them not. He takes them under his special
protection. Do the enemies of the
Church act with one consent to
destroy it, and shall not the friends of the
Church be united?
Wicked men wish that there might be
No religion among mankind.
They would gladly see all its restraints shaken off, and all
that preach, profess, or practise it, cut off. This they would
bring to pass if it were in their power. The enemies of
God's
Church have always been many: this magnifies the power of the
Lord in preserving to himself a
Church in the world.
9-18 All who oppose the kingdom of
Christ may here read their
doom.
God is the same still that ever he was; the same to his
people, and the same against his and their enemies.
God would
make their enemies like a
Wheel; unsettled in all their counsels
and resolves. Not only let them be driven away as stubble, but
burnt as stubble. And this will be the
End of wicked men. Let
them be made to fear thy name, and perhaps that will bring them
to seek thy name. We should desire
No confusion to our enemies
and persecutors but what may forward their
Conversion. The
stormy tempest of Divine vengeance will overtake them, unless
they repent and seek the pardoning
Mercy of their offended
Lord.
God's triumphs over his enemies, clearly prove that he is,
according to his name
Jehovah, an almighty Being, who has all
power and
Perfection in himself. May we fear his wrath, and
yield ourselves to be his willing servants. And let us seek
deliverance
By the
Destruction of our fleshly lusts, which
War
against the soul.