Psalm 83

1    Hold not your peace, O God, do not keep silent;  

be not unmoved, O God;

2    For your enemies are in tumult  

and those who hate you lift up their heads.

3    They take secret counsel against your people  

and plot against those whom you treasure.

4    They say, ‘Come, let us destroy them as a nation,  

that the name of Israel be remembered no more.’

5    They have conspired together with one mind;  

they are in league against you:

6    The tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites,  

Moab and the Hagarenes,

7    Gebal and Ammon and Amalek,  

the Philistines and those who dwell in Tyre.

8    Ashur also has joined them  

and has lent a strong arm to the children of Lot.

9    Do to them as you did to Midian,  

to Sisera and to Jabin at the river of Kishon,

10  Who perished at Endor  

and became as dung for the earth.

11  Make their commanders like Oreb and Zeëb,  

and all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna,

12  Who said, ‘Let us take for ourselves  

the pastures of God as our possession.’

13  O my God, make them like thistledown,  

like chaff before the wind.

14  Like fire that consumes a forest,  

like the flame that sets mountains ablaze,

15  So drive them with your tempest  

and dismay them with your storm.

16  Cover their faces with shame, O Lord,  

that they may seek your name.

17  Let them be disgraced and dismayed for ever;  

let them be put to confusion and perish;

18  And they shall know that you, whose name is the Lord,  

are alone the Most High over all the earth.

 

Common Worship: Services and Prayers for the Church of England, material from which is included here,
is copyright © The Archbishops' Council 2000 and published by Church House Publishing.

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