Make them like tumbleweed, O my God, like chaff before the wind. Make them like tumbleweed, O my God,The psalmist asks the covenant God to overthrow the hostile coalition gathered against Israel. Like desert brush driven without direction across barren ground, these enemies would lose their strength, unity, and purpose under God’s hand. The appeal rests on God’s past deliverances, including His victories over Midian and other oppressors named later in the psalm. Israel’s safety did not depend ultimately on military power but on the Lord who defends His people and vindicates His name. Isa 17:13 The nations rage like the rush of many waters.… like chaff before the wind. Chaff, separated from useful grain at the threshing floor, pictures what is weightless, barren, and destined to disappear. Scripture repeatedly contrasts the enduring way of the righteous with the wicked, who cannot stand when God brings judgment. The wind of God’s power scatters every proud alliance and exposes the emptiness of resistance against Him. The prayer seeks more than Israel’s relief: it asks that the nations may recognize that the Lord alone is Most High over all the earth. Psa 35:5 May they be like chaff in the wind as the angel of the LORD… Persons / Places / Events 1. AsaphThe author of Psalm 83, Asaph was a prominent Levite singer and seer in David's court. He is known for his role in leading worship and composing psalms. 2. Israel The nation of Israel is the primary focus of this psalm, as it calls upon God to protect His people from their enemies. 3. Enemies of Israel The psalm is a plea for God to act against the nations conspiring against Israel. These enemies are metaphorically described as tumbleweed and chaff. 4. God The psalmist calls upon God to intervene and protect His people, demonstrating His power and sovereignty. 5. Tumbleweed and Chaff These are metaphors used to describe the enemies of Israel, symbolizing their instability and insignificance when faced with God's power. Teaching Points The Power of God Over NationsGod's sovereignty is supreme, and He can reduce powerful nations to insignificance, like tumbleweed or chaff. Believers can trust in God's ultimate control over world events. The Transience of Human Opposition Human plans and opposition against God are ultimately futile. Like chaff, they are temporary and will be swept away by God's purposes. Prayer for Divine Intervention Just as Asaph prayed for God's intervention, believers are encouraged to bring their concerns to God, trusting in His ability to act on behalf of His people. Metaphors of Judgment The imagery of tumbleweed and chaff serves as a reminder of the reality of divine judgment. It calls believers to live in alignment with God's will, avoiding the fate of those who oppose Him. Bible Study Questions 1. How does the imagery of tumbleweed and chaff in Psalm 83:13 help us understand the nature of God's judgment?2. In what ways can we see the sovereignty of God at work in the world today, similar to the plea in Psalm 83? 3. How can the metaphor of chaff be applied to our personal lives in terms of spiritual growth and maturity? 4. What are some practical ways we can pray for God's intervention in the face of opposition, as modeled by Asaph in this psalm? 5. How do the connections to other scriptures, such as Isaiah 17:13 and Matthew 3:12, enhance our understanding of God's justice and mercy? Connections to Other Scriptures Isaiah 17:13This verse also uses the imagery of chaff before the wind to describe the fate of nations that oppose God, reinforcing the idea of divine judgment and the futility of opposing God's will. Job 21:18 Job speaks of the wicked being like straw before the wind, which parallels the imagery in Psalm 83:13, emphasizing the transient nature of those who oppose God. Matthew 3:12 John the Baptist uses the imagery of chaff being burned to describe the coming judgment, connecting the Old Testament imagery to New Testament teachings on divine justice.
People Amalek, Asaph, Hagarites, Hagrites, Ishmaelites, Jabin, Korah, Midianites, Oreb, Psalmist, Sisera, Zalmunna, Zebah, ZeebPlaces JerusalemTopics Chaff, Dry, Dust, O, Rolling, Stems, Stubble, Tumbleweed, Wheel, Whirling, WindDictionary of Bible Themes Psalm 83:9-18Library Period ii. The Church from the Permanent Division of the Empire Until the Collapse of the Western Empire and the First Schism Between the East and the West, or Until About A. D. 500In the second period of the history of the Church under the Christian Empire, the Church, although existing in two divisions of the Empire and experiencing very different political fortunes, may still be regarded as forming a whole. The theological controversies distracting the Church, although different in the two halves of the Graeco-Roman world, were felt to some extent in both divisions of the Empire and not merely in the one in which they were principally fought out; and in the condemnation … Joseph Cullen Ayer Jr., Ph.D.—A Source Book for Ancient Church History Question Lxxxi of the virtue of Religion Epistle xxxii. To Anastasius, Presbyter . Being Made Archbishop of Armagh, He Suffers Many Troubles. Peace Being Made, from Being Archbishop of Armagh He Becomes Bishop of Down. Epistle cxxi. To Leander, Bishop of Hispalis (Seville). The Third Commandment Question Lxxxiii of Prayer Psalms Links Psalm 83:13 NIVPsalm 83:13 NLT Psalm 83:13 ESV Psalm 83:13 NASB Psalm 83:13 KJV Psalm 83:13 Commentaries Bible Hub |
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