Psalm 83 is Asaph’s urgent plea for God to break his silence as ten enemy nations conspire to erase Israel from history. The final psalm in the twelve-psalm Asaph collection, it drives from lament to imprecation with storm-force urgency.

Full sung version coming soon.

Lyrics

God, don’t keep silent Don’t keep silent and don’t be still, God

For, behold, your enemies are stirred up Those who hate you have lifted up their heads They conspire with cunning against your people They plot against your cherished ones Come, they say, let’s destroy them as a nation

That the name of Israel may be remembered no more For they have conspired together with one mind They form an alliance against you The tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites Moab and the Hagrites

Gebal, Ammon, and Amalek Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre Assyria also is joined with them They have helped the children of Lot

Do to them as you did to Midian As to Sisera, as to Jabin, at the river Kishon Who perished at Endor Who became as dung for the earth

Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb Yes, all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna Who said, Let’s take possession of God’s pasture lands My God, make them like tumbleweed Like chaff before the wind

As the fire that burns the forest As the flame that sets the mountains on fire So pursue them with your tempest And terrify them with your storm Fill their faces with confusion That they may seek your name, LORD

Let them be disappointed and dismayed forever Yes let them be confounded and perish That they may know that you alone Whose name is the LORD, are the Most High Over all the earth

God, don’t keep silent Don’t keep silent and don’t be still, God

Listen

Psalms 83 sung by Psalm Selah. The whole Bible, one chapter at a time.

Published 2026-05-22 · Last updated 2026-06-06
Written by Reid Wender, Editorial Director at Psalmody Press