What is the meaning of Psalm 83:15? So pursue them “so pursue them” (Psalm 83:15a) pictures the LORD actively closing in on those who threaten His people. The psalmist is not suggesting human vengeance but asking God to take the lead, just as He did when He “pursued” Pharaoh’s army through the Red Sea (Exodus 14:24–28). Similar language appears in Psalm 35:5–6, where God’s angel drives enemies away. Because God is righteous (Psalm 7:11) and faithful to His covenant promises (Genesis 12:3), His pursuit is both just and protective. with Your tempest “with Your tempest” (Psalm 83:15b) likens God’s action to a violent storm. A tempest is sudden, overwhelming, and impossible to resist. Scripture often uses storm imagery to describe divine intervention: • Isaiah 29:6—“the LORD of Hosts will come… with thunder and earthquake and great noise, with windstorm and tempest.” • Nahum 1:3—“His way is in the whirlwind and the storm.” By invoking a tempest, the psalmist calls for an unmistakable display of God’s power that no enemy coalition can withstand (Psalm 46:6). and terrify them “and terrify them” (Psalm 83:15c) focuses on the psychological impact of God’s pursuit. Terror from the LORD dissolves human confidence (Exodus 23:27; Joshua 2:9–11). God’s judgments frequently break enemy morale before a single sword is drawn (2 Chronicles 20:22–24). The psalmist trusts that when God acts, fear will spread through the hostile nations, causing their schemes to collapse. with Your storm “with Your storm” (Psalm 83:15d) repeats and intensifies the earlier image. A storm implies sustained force, swirling and relentless. Cross references reinforce this pattern: • Job 38:1—“Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind.” • Jeremiah 23:19—“Behold, the storm of the LORD has gone forth in fury.” The repetition assures believers that God does not merely start judgment—He carries it through to completion, sweeping away opposition like debris before a gale (Psalm 1:4). summary Psalm 83:15 calls on God to chase down hostile nations with storm-like fury, shattering their confidence and scattering their plans. The verse portrays divine judgment as both active pursuit and overwhelming natural force. For God’s people, this imagery underscores His unwavering commitment to defend them; for His enemies, it serves as a sober reminder that no alliance, strategy, or strength can stand against the tempest and storm of the Almighty. |
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