Psalm 83

Psalm 83   "O God, do not remain quiet; Do not be silent and, O God, do not be still."  Now, isn't that a prayer!

We often want to pray the same thing, don't we?  We don't hear Him.. we don't see Him.. we want Him to act.. to solve our problems, to heal our sickness, to save our loved one.. to do what we want Him to do - in our way.. and in our time frame.  But, He doesn't work that way.

The psalmist pleads and presents his argument.. ".. Thine enemies make an uproar;"  They "hate" Your people. They make "shrewd plans against Thy people."  They want to "wipe" us out!  He names names too:  Edom, the Ishmaaelites, Moab, the Hagrites.. etc, etc. etc.   "O my God, make them like the whirling dust; like chaff before the wind.. " the psalmist prays,  ".. like fire that burns the forest, and like a flame that sets the mountain on fire, so pursue them with Thy tempest, and terrify them with Thy storm.. " Basically.. sent them a volcano AND a hurricane!  Wow.. that's a pretty bold.. and perhaps harsh prayer request, isn't it?

But then, the psalmist throws a bit of a twist here.. "Fill their faces with dishonor, that they may seek Thy name, O Lord.... that they may know that Thou alone, whose name is the Lord, art the Most High over all the earth."  

Sometimes, the Lord does act in ways that humble, dismay, make ashamed.. even humiliate.. the wicked. All through the Bible there are examples of times that great judgements are waged on sinful people.. and sometimes that is what it takes for them to repent of their sins and turn back to the Lord, who alone is God, the Most High. 

As we read back through that list of nations and people that the psalmist named.. we see that most, if not all, are no longer nations today.  Their descendants were changed forever.. and yes, there are still plenty of nations who hate Israel and still wish it to be wiped out; there are plenty of wicked people who persecute and kill Christians.. and there are plenty of people who still would rather never hear the Word of the Lord.. But, let us not quit praying that perhaps some.. will seek Him.. some will know that He is the Lord, the Most High over all the earth!

Father, be exalted! Let Your Name be honored and glorified in ALL the earth. May Your people who are called by Your Name, stand firm in faith and in prayer for the lost. We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.