The enemies' goal isn't just military defeat; it's total annihilation – to "cut them off from being a nation" and erase Israel's very memory. This reveals a chilling, existential hatred, a desire not just to conquer, but to utterly obliterate an entire people and their history.
They say, “Come, let us wipe them out as a nation; let the name of Israel be remembered no more!” For they conspire with one accord; against you they make a covenant— the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites, Moab and the Hagrites, Gebal and Ammon and Amalek, Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre; Asshur also has joined them; they are the strong arm of the children of Lot. Selah
English Standard Version (ESV)
The psalmist cries out to God amid a formidable alliance of nations who have banded together with the explicit goal of eradicating Israel as a people and erasing their name from history. This verse reveals the terrifying intensity of their hatred and their audacious plan to annihilate God's chosen nation, underscoring the extreme peril Israel faced.
Imagine waking up to news that an entire nation has plotted your complete erasure. That's the chilling reality behind these words.
The enemies in Psalm 83 didn't just want to conquer; they aimed for total annihilation. Their goal was not just political defeat but the complete obliteration of Israel as a distinct people.
Aiming for Erasure:
This level of malice reveals a deep-seated hatred that goes beyond typical warfare. It's an existential threat, aiming to sever every tie of kinship, history, and identity.
Why would so many nations unite with such a singular, destructive purpose? This verse hints at a hatred that binds together unlikely foes.
The enemies listed in Psalm 83 weren't a natural alliance. Their coming together reveals a powerful, unifying force: a shared, intense hatred for Israel, rooted in something deeper than political squabbles.
The Cement of Animosity:
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This deep-seated malice demonstrates how hatred can be a powerful, albeit destructive, unifier.
Why was Israel such a target? This verse, and the surrounding context, suggests their existence itself was a problem for the nations.
The violent plot described in Psalm 83:4 isn't just about Israel's national identity; it's about what Israel represented. Their covenant with the one true God set them apart and often served as a reminder of God's presence and claims on other nations.
The Offense of God's People:
This reminds us that sometimes, being God's people means being a target simply because of who we belong to and what we represent.
Understand the original words
goy · Hebrew Noun
A corporate political entity defined by common ancestry, law, and territory. In the context of Israel, it is the identity through which God manifests His kingdom on earth.
shem · Hebrew Noun
The historical and spiritual identity of God’s covenant people. To destroy the "name" is to attempt to erase their existence and the memory of God’s work through them from human history.
berit · Hebrew Noun
A solemn, binding agreement or treaty between parties. When made against God or His people, it represents a malicious, formal alliance designed to carry out evil intent.
’o-hă-lê · Hebrew Noun
Portable, temporary dwellings used by nomadic or semi-nomadic peoples; in a biblical context, often refers to the people groups living in them or their lifestyle.
‘am · Hebrew Noun
A group of people or nations, often implying those outside the covenant of Israel; used to denote the various peoples united against Israel in this context.
se-lāh · Hebrew Noun/Interjection
A musical or liturgical term found in the Psalms, likely indicating a pause, a crescendo, or a call to reflect on what has just been sung or read.
zĕ-rō-a‘ · Hebrew Noun
In Scripture, an arm is often a metaphor for power, strength, or ability to act; a 'strong arm' signifies the exertion of force or authority.
This psalm speaks to a persistent, existential threat against Israel from a coalition of nations who sought to eradicate them. While specific historical attempts to annihilate Israel occurred throughout their history, the language here seems to capture a general, recurring animosity and a deep-seated desire by their neighbors to see their national identity and very memory erased.
c. 9th-7th century BC
Assyrian Domination of the Region
The Neo-Assyrian Empire exerted significant influence and control over much of the Ancient Near East, including the Levant. This period of foreign dominance fostered resentment and instability among regional powers.
722 BC
Fall of Samaria and the Northern Kingdom
The Assyrian Empire conquered the northern Kingdom of Israel, exiling many of its inhabitants. This event created a deep-seated fear and insecurity in the remaining southern Kingdom of Judah.
c. 605 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon conquered Judah and began deporting its elite, including Daniel, to Babylon. This marked the beginning of the Babylonian exile and a severe blow to Judean sovereignty.
586 BC
Destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple
The Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem and its sacred Temple, ending Judah as an independent kingdom and scattering its people. This was a catastrophic event for the Judean identity and faith.
c. 450-430 BC— this verse
Post-Exilic Period and Renewed Threats
After the return from Babylonian exile, the Jewish people faced ongoing hostility from surrounding nations like the Samaritans, Ammonites, and others who resented their presence and religious distinctiveness.
This verse mirrors the sentiment in Esther where Haman seeks to annihilate all of Esther's people, aiming to wipe out the name of the Jews, showing a recurring theme of genocidal intent against God's people.
Jeremiah 11:19Jeremiah speaks of a plot to destroy Judah 'so that it may not be a nation, nor be remembered anymore.' This passage directly parallels the desire expressed in Psalm 83:4 to eliminate Israel's national identity and memory.
Exodus 17:14After the victory at Rephidim, God tells Moses to write in a book that He will utterly blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven. This shows God's own intention to remove His enemies from memory, echoing the psalm's description of Israel's foes.
Romans 11:25Paul speaks of a hardening that has come upon Israel 'until the fullness of the Gentiles comes in.' This contrasts with the desire in Psalm 83 to erase Israel, highlighting God's ultimate plan for their preservation and future restoration.
Psalm 74:8This earlier psalm describes the enemies of God's people saying, 'Let us utterly destroy them!' and 'they have burned all the meeting places of God in the land.' This shows a similar intent and action against God's people and their worship, connecting to the broader theme of opposition.
pulpitPsalms 83:4: "They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance."
Verse 4. - They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation. This was the general object of Israel's enemies at all times (2 Kings 24:2; 2 Chronicles 20:11; Psalm 138:7; 1 Macc. 3:35 1 Macc. 5:2), and thus does not help much towards determining the date of the occasion here spoken cf. That the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance (comp…
clarkePsalms 83:4: "They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance."
Let us cut them off - Let us exterminate the whole race, that there may not be a record of them on the face of the earth. And their scheme was well laid: eight or ten different nations united themselves in a firm bond to do this; and they had kept their purpose so secret that the king of Judah does not appear to have heard of it till his territories were actua…
The enemies' goal isn't just military defeat; it's total annihilation – to "cut them off from being a nation" and erase Israel's very memory. This reveals a chilling, existential hatred, a desire not just to conquer, but to utterly obliterate an entire people and their history.
The psalmist cries out to God amid a formidable alliance of nations who have banded together with the explicit goal of eradicating Israel as a people and erasing their name from history. This verse reveals the terrifying intensity of their hatred and their audacious plan to annihilate God's chosen nation, underscoring the extreme peril Israel faced.
The psalmist cries out to God amid a formidable alliance of nations who have banded together with the explicit goal of eradicating Israel as a people and erasing their name from history. This verse reveals the terrifying intensity of their hatred and their audacious plan to annihilate God's chosen nation, underscoring the extreme peril Israel faced.
"They say, “Come, let us wipe them out as a nation; let the name of Israel be remembered no more!” For they conspire with one accord; against you they make a covenant— the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites, Moab and…" — The enemies' goal isn't just military defeat; it's total annihilation – to "cut them off from being a nation" and erase Israel's very memory. This reveals a chilling, existential hatred, a desire n…
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Last reviewed October 2026
