076 A Commentary on Psalm 83
Concerning the 2023 War
Between Israel and Hamas

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Timothy Christian Huynh
Priscilla Christian Huynh

Psalm 83

1 A Song or Psalm of Asaph. Keep not thou silence, O God: hold not thy peace, and be not still, O God.

2 For, lo, thine enemies make a tumult: and they that hate thee have lifted up the head.

3 They have taken crafty counsel against thy people, and consulted against thy hidden ones.

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.

5 For they have consulted together with one consent: they are confederate against thee:

6 The tabernacles of Edom, and the Ishmaelites; of Moab, and the Hagarenes;

7 Gebal, and Ammon, and Amalek; the Philistines with the inhabitants of Tyre;

8 Assur also is joined with them: they have holpen the children of Lot. Selah.

9 Do unto them as unto the Midianites; as to Sisera, as to Jabin, at the brook of Kison:

10 Which perished at Endor: they became as dung for the earth.

11 Make their nobles like Oreb, and like Zeeb: yea, all their princes as Zebah, and as Zalmunna:

12 Who said, Let us take to ourselves the houses of God in possession.

13 O my God, make them like a wheel; as the stubble before the wind.

14 As the fire burneth a wood, and as the flame setteth the mountains on fire;

15 So persecute them with thy tempest, and make them afraid with thy storm.

16 Fill their faces with shame; that they may seek thy name, O LORD.

17 Let them be confounded and troubled for ever; yea, let them be put to shame, and perish:

18 That men may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the most high over all the earth.

On Saturday, October 7, 2023, at around 6:30 a.m., the Hamas jihadist terrorists launched approximately 5,000 rockets from the Gaza Strip into major cities in Israel. They used drones to drop bombs on military outposts along the Gaza Strip. They employed bulldozers and explosives to breach border fences. They utilized glider parachutes, motorcycles, small transport vehicles, and small boats to infiltrate Israeli territory.

Thousands of Hamas militants invaded Israeli territory. The terrorists attacked an area that was hosting a music festival, resulting in the massacre of 260 festivalgoers and the abduction of hundreds of individuals taken to Gaza. The terrorists also targeted Israeli villages, killing both the elderly and children, including infants. Some victims were beheaded, others were shot, and some were burned alive. In one village, hundreds of Israeli civilians were killed by the terrorists.

Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations referred to this recent attack by Hamas as Israel’s 9/11. He compared it to the terrorist attacks on the United States on September 11, 2001, which claimed 2,977 lives. This is the largest attack on Israeli territory since the Six-Day War in 1967. At least 1,300 Israelis were killed within Israeli territory, nearly 3,500 were injured, and more than 200 were abducted and taken to Gaza. The Israel Defense Forces had to fight for two days to regain control and eliminate more than 1,500 terrorists on Israeli soil.

On Sunday, October 8, 2023, Hezbollah jihadist terrorists from Lebanon began attacking the northern part of Israel with rockets and artillery. Israel used drones, tanks, and artillery to destroy Hezbollah outposts along the border with Lebanon.

On October 12, 2023, Israel launched missiles targeting two major airports near Syria’s capital, Damascus, rendering them inoperable. The aim was to prevent military aircraft from Iran from landing and delivering weapons to Hezbollah.

Since around 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, October 7, 2023, Israel has continuously dropped bombs on the Gaza Strip. More than 6,000 bombs have been dropped, destroying many neighborhoods that served as the residences of Hamas terrorists and their governing institutions. Israel also cut off electricity, water, and supply routes into Gaza until hostages were released. More than 1,900 people in the Gaza Strip have died, and more than 7,690 have been injured. Israel has pledged to eliminate Hamas and has mobilized over 360,000 troops, ready for any scenario. On Friday, October 13, 2023, Israeli troops and tanks began entering the Gaza Strip to hunt down Hamas terrorists in areas that were closed to the border.

Turkey, Syria, and Iran have stated that if Israel massacres the Palestinian people in Gaza, they will launch attacks on Israel. Turkey is a member of NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization), an organization led by the United States, but it is a Muslim-majority country and supports Palestinian Muslims.

It is highly likely that the ongoing conflict between Hamas and Israel will lead to the prophesied war in Psalm 83. Psalm 83 lists ten nations and groups of people that will form a coalition to attack Israel. Never before in Israel’s history has there been a simultaneous conflict involving all ten of these nations and groups of people. The ten nations and groups of people listed in Psalm 83 are Edom, Ishmael, Moab, Hagarites, Gebal, Ammon, Amalek, Philistia, Tyre, and Assyria. All of them are Muslim-majority people, and they worship a deity referred to as Allah. The Allah worshipped by Arab people is not the God of the Bible, although Islam recognizes the first five books of the Old Testament, written by Moses. The beliefs of Muslims, as found in the Quran, contradict the teachings of the Bible.

Psalm 83 is the final Psalm in the 12 Psalms attributed to Asaph. According to I Chronicles 6:39-43, Asaph was the son of Berechiah, a member of the Gershonite clan within the tribe of Levi. He was a musician who served in the music ministry of the Tabernacle and later the Temple. He also participated in the ceremony to honor God when the Ark of the Covenant was brought into the Temple built by King Solomon (II Chronicles 5:12). Let’s explore the meaning of this particular Psalm together.

1 A Song or Psalm of Asaph. Keep not thou silence, O God: hold not thy peace, and be not still, O God.

2 For, lo, thine enemies make a tumult: and they that hate thee have lifted up the head.

The three words “keep silence” (not speaking), “hold peace” (not responding), and “be still” (not acting) are used to describe the apparent abandonment of Israel by God when they faced their enemies. Because the Israelites are referred to as the sons and firstborn of God (Exodus 4:22), the adversaries of Israel are seen as adversaries of God Himself. Asaph cried out that the adversaries had tumultuously assembled, signifying the disorderly advance of those opposed to Israel and the hatred of the God of Israel. The lifting of their heads symbolizes pride, boasting, and overconfidence in overcoming the people of Israel.

3 They have taken crafty counsel against thy people, and consulted against thy hidden ones.

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.

Crafty schemes are any tactics used for deceit. The enemies of Israel employ deceitful schemes to deceive the people of Israel and conspire together to attack Israel. “Thy hidden ones” refers to those whom God protects from their enemies, as mentioned in Psalm 27:5 and 31:20. The phrase “Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance” has been historically repeated by various Muslim ethnic groups, especially the Iranian people. Every time Islamic terrorist groups or alliances attack Israel, they use similar phrases.

5 For they have consulted together with one consent: they are confederate against thee:

Throughout history, the peoples and nations opposing Israel have consistently convened to devise plans for attacking and annihilating Israel. They form alliances to oppose Israel, which is essentially opposition to God Himself. God’s promise to Abraham, recorded in Genesis 12:2-3, states, “And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.” This promise made by God is still in effect. Even if the people of Israel are not faithful to Him, He remains faithful to them. This is a characteristic of God, as mentioned in IITimothy 2:13.

Illustrative Map of the Positions of the Ten Nations Participating in the War Described in Psalm 83

Source: https://preachingfromthebible.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Psalm83Map.jpg

6 The tabernacles of Edom, and the Ishmaelites; of Moab, and the Hagarenes;

“The tabernacles” imply the scattered existence of the listed peoples. They are not a single nation but live scattered across various countries.

Edom, the descendants of Esau, as noted in Genesis 25:30, are the Arabs living in the southern region of the kingdom of Jordan. They are situated to the southeast of the land of Israel.

Ishmael, the descendants of Abraham, as mentioned in Genesis 16:15, refers to the Arabian people residing in the southern region of the kingdom of Jordan. They are situated to the extreme south of the land of Israel.

Moab, the descendants of Lot, as noted in Genesis 19:37, are the Arab people living in the central region of the kingdom of Jordan. They are located to the east of the land of Israel.

Hagarites, one of the clans within Ishmael, as mentioned in 1 Chronicles 5, are the Arab people living in the northern region of the kingdom of Jordan. They are situated to the northeast of the land of Israel.

7 Gebal, and Ammon, and Amalek; the Philistines with the inhabitants of Tyre;

Gebal is the name of a region within present-day Lebanon where the Hezbollah terrorists have their stronghold, a faction deeply entrenched in the Lebanese government. The Hezbollah terrorist group possesses greater military strength than the Hamas terrorists and receives direct support in terms of weapons and finances from Iran. Lebanon is located to the north and shares a border with Israel.

Ammon, the descendants of Lot, as recorded in Genesis 19:38, are the Arab people residing in the northern region of the kingdom of Jordan. They are situated to the east of the land of Israel.

Amalek, the descendants of Esau, as mentioned in Genesis 36:12, refers to the Arab people living in the Sinai region, part of Egypt. They are located to the southwest of the land of Israel.

The Philistines, the descendants of Mizraim from the lineage of Ham, as noted in Genesis 10:6, 13, are known today as Palestinians. They inhabit the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, which are two autonomous regions within the territory of Israel. The Hamas terrorists hold power in the Gaza Strip. Hamas is an acronym for “Islamic Resistance Movement,” dedicated to opposing Israel and demanding sovereignty over Israeli territory for the Palestinian people. Hamas was founded on December 14, 1987, just a few days after the first uprising of the Palestinian people against Israel, known as the First Intifada. Hamas rejects all peaceful solutions and does not recognize the state of Israel. They are committed to establishing an Islamic Palestinian state through armed conflict. Suicide bombings are a tactic that Hamas considers a weapon in its struggle against Israel.

The inhabitants of Tyre are people living in the city of Tyre within the territory of Lebanon, located to the north of Israel. The Hezbollah terrorists have their headquarters in Tyre.

8 Assur also is joined with them: they have holpen the children of Lot. Selah.

The Assur, that is, the Assyrian empire, no longer exists, but its territory corresponds to present-day Syria and Iraq. Assisting the descendants of Lot means helping the people of Moab and Ammon, which essentially means aiding the kingdom of Jordan.

9 Do unto them as unto the Midianites; as to Sisera, as to Jabin, at the brook of Kison:

10 Which perished at Endor: they became as dung for the earth.

Asaph prays to God to destroy the ten nations and groups of peoples that have united to attack Israel, much like the way the military strength of the Midianites was annihilated, as recorded in the Book of Numbers, chapter 31, and as the Canaanites and their leader Sisera under King Jabin were defeated, as described in the Book of Judges, chapter 4. The Canaanite forces were destroyed at the Kishon River.

Endor is the region where the Israelites defeated the Canaanite army, and the corpses of the Canaanite soldiers became dung for the land.

11 Make their nobles like Oreb, and like Zeeb: yea, all their princes as Zebah, and as Zalmunna:

Oreb and Zeeb were two commanders of the Midianites who were captured and killed by the Israelites, as recorded in Judges 7:25.

Zebah and Zalmunna were two kings of the Midianites who were killed by Gideon, as described in Judges 8:21.

All the leaders of the Islamic forces that will attack Israel in these last days will be killed.

12 Who said, Let us take to ourselves the houses of God in possession.

13 O my God, make them like a wheel; as the stubble before the wind.

Asaph continues to pray for God to severely punish all those who claim to conquer the lands that He promised to give to the people of Israel. These lands are referred to as “the houses of God” because God’s presence is with His people.

“As the stubble before the wind” means becoming like worthless objects, easily carried away and passing by.

14 As the fire burneth a wood, and as the flame setteth the mountains on fire;

15 So persecute them with thy tempest, and make them afraid with thy storm.

“As the fire burneth a wood, and as the flame setteth the mountains on fire” refers to the complete punishment and destruction coming from God.

Asaph prays for God to drive away the enemies of Israel like a whirlwind or a tempest, signifying complete destruction.

16 Fill their faces with shame; that they may seek thy name, O LORD.

“Fill their faces face with shame” is an implied idiom that makes people feel ashamed when their wrongdoing or evil deeds are exposed. The purpose of causing the enemies of Israel to be ashamed is to make them acknowledge the God of Israel and seek His mercy so that they are not completely destroyed.

17 Let them be confounded and troubled for ever; yea, let them be put to shame, and perish:

18 That men may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the most high over all the earth.

The last two lines imply that Asaph continues to ask God to keep the enemies of Israel forever in shame and fear if they do not repent and call upon His name. They will remain in disgrace and perish. Whether they acknowledge the God of Israel or not, Israel’s enemies will still recognize that only the God of Israel is the Self-existing and Eternal One, holding sovereign authority over all creation in the name of the Most High, deserving the worship and obedience of all.

If the current conflict between Israel, Hamas, and Hezbollah turns into the War of Psalm 83, then Israel must simultaneously confront the four facing fronts of the enemy:

• To the north, there’s Lebanon with the Hezbollah terrorist group.

• To the northeast, there’s Syria.

• To the east, there are Palestinian people in the West Bank, Syria, and Jordan.

• To the southeast, there’s Jordan and Saudi Arabia.

• To the west and southwest, there are Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip with the Hamas terrorist group and various Islamic extremist groups from the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt.

If the War of Psalm 83 were to occur, it would be a clear sign, a warning that the End Times are near. Even closer is the coming of Christ to take the Church out of the world and into heaven.

The War of Psalm 83 would result in Israel occupying Lebanon, the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, the Sinai Peninsula, parts of Syria, Jordan, and a part of Saudi Arabia. It would be the first time that Israel would possess all the land that God had promised them. Crucially, Israel would use nuclear warheads to destroy Damascus, as prophesied in Isaiah 17:1. This might be because Syria, at that time, would use chemical weapons to attack Israel, causing significant loss of life. Israel’s use of nuclear warheads to annihilate Damascus would also prompt the Arab nations to quickly surrender.

Israel would position nuclear warheads on oil fields in the Arab nations, using this as leverage to deter nations from attacking Israel. The fear would be that if these oil fields were destroyed, the world would face a severe fuel shortage, forcing nations to unite and sign a peace treaty with Israel. At that point, a global government led by the Antichrist would be established, representing the nations and signing the peace treaty with Israel.

Currently, there is a conspiracy theory that suggests the Israeli government knew in advance about the Hamas terrorist attack but allowed it to happen. This could give them a justifiable reason to eliminate Hamas and incite a war with Hezbollah, ultimately leading to a direct conflict with Iran, as Iran supports Hezbollah. The Israeli government claims they were taken by surprise by the Hamas attack. However, the Egyptian government has stated that they warned Israel three days in advance about the Hamas attack. Moreover, it’s hard to believe that Israeli intelligence, one of the most proficient intelligence agencies globally, would not have foreknowledge of the Hamas attack. If this conspiracy theory is true, it could also be seen as divine intervention to lead to the War of Psalm 83, fulfilling God’s plan and intention and leading to the End Times.

We hope that the world’s current events help God’s people recognize that humanity is entering the stage just before the End Times, and God’s people are on the stage to be taken out by Christ at any moment. We pray that everyone in the Church stands firm, rejoices, and is ready to depart with Christ.

May the Word of God sanctify and strengthen us. May the love, grace, and righteousness of the triune God: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, cover each and every one of us. Amen!

Timothy Christian Huynh
Priscilla Christian Huynh
10/14/2023

Notes

[1] https://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionary/hagrites/

[2] https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/what-is-hamas-what-to-know-about-its-origins-leaders-and-funding