# 10 2020 Dev. Psalm 83:1. Opposition! Read all of Ps. 83. The purpose of these devotionals is to draw closer to God and grow spiritually by applying His Word to our daily living. All passages are taken from the NIV.
Ps. 83:1 “O God, do not remain silent; do not turn a deaf ear, do not stand aloof, O God.”
Ps. 83 is the last of the series Ps 79-83. They are Prayers (songs) of requests for God to intervene into what is happening to the nation of Israel, which is under attack. The on going situation, particularly in the time of the Judges but at other times as well, is Israel’s unfaithfulness, their repentance, God’s restoration and peace again and again. This series of Psalms may have have been prayed and sung at one of those times. The theme of this series is restoration, forgiveness, anticipating God’s mercy, God’s promise of peace and wellbeing. God is the judge of the nations.
The Psalm is divided into four sections: vs. 1-8 are the people’s request, in the first person, and describes who is against them. Put into the context, “See how your enemies growl, how your foes rear their heads.” There is a long history in scripture, that we also understand today, those who oppose God’s people are actually apposing God.
The next section is vs. 9-12 is a reminder to God of His merciful dealing with them, by opposing those who attacked them in the past.
The third section is vs. 13-16. Here the psalmist moves into the immediate presence of those praying, using metaphoric language for God to deal with the attackers. But the sections end with a request for God to glorify Himself: “Cover their faces with shame, Lord, so that they will seek your name.”
The last section is vs. 17-18. The Psalmist glorifies God: “Let them know that you, whose name is the Lord— that you alone are the Most High over all the earth”.
Today, there is much opposition to true followers of Jesus. I recently heard a commentator expressing her disappointment that Vice President is leading the fight on the corona virus with the comments: “prayer has no place in modern society”. Our country is full of unfaithfulness, rejecting God and full of gross sin.
The fact is that, because of the fervent prayers of God’s people, God blesses our country. Along with the Psalmist we say: “O God, do not remain silent; do not turn a deaf ear, do not stand aloof, O God.” Our God is faithful!
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