Psalm 83 is a call for the Lord to arise and deal with His enemies. The words of this Psalm may seem strange words for praise, but they come from an understanding that the people are in a real war. We need to accept that God’s people today are in the midst of fierce spiritual warfare and we have in Satan an enemy who wants to destroy us.

Asaph speaks of an enemy with crafty tactics (v3) and a clear but vicious goal (v4). The enemies of God’s people are organised (v5-8). As love for God unites His people so too does hatred of God unite His enemies.

We must never underestimate the destructive power of evil including the evil that lurks in our own hearts as sin. We must flee all that is evil.

Asap calls for God to arise and to encourage the people he recounts previous great victories in the days of Deborah (v9-10; Judges 4-5) and Gideon (v11-12; Judges 7-8). Reminding ourselves of God’s past great deeds for His people, encourages us to pray in faith for God to move today.

Asaph calls for the destruction of God’s enemies (v13-18) is for God to be revealed and glorified (v18). The final judgment will declare God’s greatness to all. We though must approach such passages about judgment with solemnity and through an understanding of grace. We once were God’s enemies who deserved such condemnation, and the only way we were delivered was the grace that came through Christ our substitute.