Psalms 83:9-10
Do to them as you did to Midian, as to Sisera and Jabin at the river Kishon, who were destroyed at En-dor, who became dung for the ground.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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This verse isn't just a historical recall; it's a prayer for God to act with the same decisive power He showed in past victories. The psalmist isn't simply reminding God of old triumphs, but petitioning Him to replicate that same divine intervention against current enemies.
The psalmist is pleading with God to intervene against a coalition of nations threatening His people, much like past invasions. He recalls God's powerful victories over ancient enemies like the Midianites and the forces of King Jabin and his general Sisera at the Kishon River. The prayer asks God to replicate these past defeats upon the current oppressors, ensuring they meet a similar fate of utter destruction and confusion.
When facing overwhelming odds, where do you turn for strength? This verse points us to the power of remembering what God has done before.
The psalmist isn't just recounting history; they're calling to mind God's decisive interventions on behalf of His people. The defeat of the Midianites by Gideon, and the crushing of Sisera and Jabin at the River Kishon, weren't just military victories. They were powerful demonstrations of God's might, designed to encourage His people in their own struggles.
Lessons from History
What happens to those who oppose God and His people? This verse paints a picture of their ultimate downfall, which serves to magnify God's name.
The specific examples of Midian, Sisera, and Jabin are not chosen randomly. They represent powerful enemies who were utterly routed and humiliated. The psalmist wants God to deal with the current enemies in the same decisive way.
The Fate of the Wicked
Understand the original words
šā-maḏ · Hebrew Verb
To bring to nothing, to annihilate, or to ruin; used in reference to God’s judgment upon the wicked or enemies of His people.
dō-men · Hebrew Noun
Refuse or excrement; used here metaphorically to describe the complete humiliation, worthlessness, and ignominious end of those who opposed God.
The psalmist recalls two powerful military victories granted by God to Israel against their oppressors. These were not just historical events but potent reminders that God's power to deliver His people remained, even when facing overwhelming odds.
c. 13th century BC
Jabin's Oppression and Sisera's Rule
King Jabin of Canaan, with his powerful general Sisera, oppressed the Israelites for twenty years. This period of intense suffering set the stage for a miraculous deliverance.
c. 13th century BC— this verse
Barak and Deborah's Victory
Led by the prophetess Deborah and the warrior Barak, the Israelites confronted Jabin's army by the river Kishon. God intervened, causing Sisera's chariots to bog down, leading to a decisive victory and the death of Sisera.
c. 13th century BC
Gideon's Defeat of the Midianites
Later, under the leadership of Gideon, Israel faced the Midianites who had been oppressing them. God miraculously reduced Gideon's army to just 300 men, who then routed the vast Midianite forces, causing them to fight amongst themselves.
This passage describes Gideon's miraculous victory over the Midianites, where they were confused and turned their swords against each other, directly mirroring the plea in Psalms 83:9.
Judges 4:12-16This account details the defeat of Sisera and Jabin's army by Barak and Deborah at the river Kishon, the very historical event referenced in Psalms 83:9 as a precedent for divine intervention.
2 Chronicles 20:15-23During Jehoshaphat's reign, a similar situation of overwhelming enemy forces led to a prophetic word that God would fight for Judah, resulting in the enemies destroying each other, echoing the divine judgment described in Psalms 83:9.
Isaiah 9:4The prophet Isaiah draws a parallel between future deliverance and the victory over Midian, showing how this historical event served as a powerful symbol of God's intervention against oppressors throughout Israel's history.
Habakkuk 3:7-15Habakkuk recounts God's mighty acts from the past, including the defeat of Midian and others, as a foundation for trust and a reminder of God's power to bring judgment and salvation.
clarkePsalms 83:9: "Do unto them as unto the Midianites; as to Sisera, as to Jabin, at the brook of Kison:"
Do unto them as unto the Midianites - Who were utterly defeated by Gideon, Judges 7:21 , Judges 7:22 . As to Sisera - Captain of the army of Jabin, king of Canaan, who was totally defeated by Deborah and Barak, near Mount Tabor, by the river Kishon; and himself, after having fled from the battle, slain by Jael, the wife of Heber, the Kenite. See Judges 4:15, etc.
ellicottPsalms 83:9: "Do unto them as unto the Midianites; as to Sisera, as to Jabin, at the brook of Kison:"
(9-12) For the historical allusion see references in margin. The splendid victories of Barak and Gideon were the constant theme of poets and prophets when trying to encourage their own generation by the examples of the past. (See Isaiah 9:4 ; Isaiah 10:26 ; Habakkuk 3:7 .)
This verse isn't just a historical recall; it's a prayer for God to act with the same decisive power He showed in past victories. The psalmist isn't simply reminding God of old triumphs, but petitioning Him to replicate that same divine intervention against current enemies.
The psalmist is pleading with God to intervene against a coalition of nations threatening His people, much like past invasions. He recalls God's powerful victories over ancient enemies like the Midianites and the forces of King Jabin and his general Sisera at the Kishon River. The prayer asks God to replicate these past defeats upon the current oppressors, ensuring they meet a similar fate of utter destruction and confusion.
The psalmist is pleading with God to intervene against a coalition of nations threatening His people, much like past invasions. He recalls God's powerful victories over ancient enemies like the Midianites and the forces of King Jabin and his general Sisera at the Kishon River. The prayer asks God to replicate these past defeats upon the current oppressors, ensuring they meet a similar fate of utter destruction and confusion.
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"Do to them as you did to Midian, as to Sisera and Jabin at the river Kishon, who were destroyed at En-dor, who became dung for the ground." — This verse isn't just a historical recall; it's a prayer for God to act with the same decisive power He showed in past victories. The psalmist isn't simply reminding God of old triumphs, but petition…
