What is the meaning of Psalm 83:9? Do to them “Do to them” (Psalm 83:9) is a direct plea for the Lord to act decisively against the coalition of nations listed earlier in the psalm. The psalmist is not proposing personal revenge but entrusting judgment to God, just as Romans 12:19 urges believers to leave room for His wrath. By invoking God’s past acts, the writer builds faith that the same God who defended Israel before will defend her now (see 2 Chronicles 14:11; Psalm 35:1–3). Key ideas: • The petition is rooted in confidence that God’s character never changes (Malachi 3:6; Hebrews 13:8). • Bringing God’s previous victories into present prayer reinforces trust and reminds listeners of His proven faithfulness (Psalm 77:11–15). • The phrase carries an implicit recognition that ultimate justice lies with the Lord, not human strength (Psalm 20:7). as You did to Midian Midian’s defeat under Gideon (Judges 6–8) stands as a classic example of God turning impossible odds into triumph. Gideon’s 300 men faced a vast enemy, yet “the LORD set the sword of one against another” (Judges 7:22). What this illustrates for the psalmist’s request: • God can scatter a numerically superior foe without Israel wielding conventional power. • Victory highlights divine initiative—He intentionally thins Gideon’s army to ensure no one can boast (Judges 7:2). • The episode affirms that God answers earnest cries for deliverance (Judges 6:36–40), echoing Psalm 83’s plea. Cross references reinforcing this theme include Isaiah 10:26 (“the LORD of Hosts will brandish a whip against them, as when He struck Midian at the rock of Oreb”) and Psalm 44:3 (“not by their own sword did they take the land”). as to Sisera and Jabin Sisera was the commander; Jabin the Canaanite king (Judges 4:2). God raised up Deborah and Barak to confront them, culminating in Sisera’s flight and death at Jael’s hand (Judges 4:21). Implications for Psalm 83: • The Lord exposes and overturns tyranny—He dismantles entrenched oppression within a single day (Judges 4:14–15). • Leadership structures opposed to God—both military (Sisera) and political (Jabin)—are subject to His judgment, paralleling the multi-national plot in Psalm 83:5–8. • God often calls unlikely instruments (a prophetess, a tent-dwelling woman) to shame the mighty, echoing 1 Corinthians 1:27. at the River Kishon Judges 5:20–21 recounts how “the torrents of Kishon swept them away.” A sudden deluge turned chariots—the era’s most feared weapon—into liabilities. Lessons drawn for the psalmist’s audience: • God commands creation itself in battle (Joshua 10:11; Nahum 1:3–6). • He turns the enemy’s strengths against them; iron chariots bog down in mud, just as modern “invincible” systems can fail under His hand. • The vivid geographic reference roots the prayer in real history, underscoring that these are not myths but documented acts of God (Psalm 78:5–7). Practical takeaways: – Rely on God’s creative interventions. – Remember that no location is beyond His reach; He uses rivers, hailstones, or even “stones from heaven” (Joshua 10:11) to fulfill His purposes. – Let past deliverances fuel present faith. summary Psalm 83:9 is a faith-filled call for the Lord to replicate earlier, literal victories: devastating Midian’s hordes, overthrowing Sisera’s army and Jabin’s rule, and using the River Kishon as His weapon. Each historical reference assures believers that God still defends His people, overturns overwhelming odds, and deploys both natural forces and unlikely servants to accomplish His righteous judgment. Remembering these events emboldens us to trust Him for present deliverance and to stand confident that the God who acted then remains the same today. |
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