Day 160

Psalm 83 Part 1

Some commentators connect this psalm with 2Chron20:1-37 and the victory won in Jehoshaphat’s time. Others see the collection of 10 enemies set against Israel as not referring to one specific occasion, but to the constant danger of extermination Israel lived under – relevant in both the ancient and modern world.

The author sang this prayer in a time of national crisis. Enemies had come against Israel who were set on their national destruction. If God were to ‘keep silent’ or hold His ‘peace’ or ‘be still’ on behalf of Israel, they would be destroyed. But God has not kept silent. The Word was manifested. In Him, the silence of eternity was broken! The poet asked God to ‘behold’ this crisis and to regard the enemies of Israel as His own enemies, as those who hated Him. He was confident that if God did this, He would act on behalf of Israel.

This desire of a confederation of nations to destroy Israel did not end in the days of the school of Asaph. His prayer could be sung today as neighbouring nations and the whole world community threaten Israel. Israel has had its battles, ancient and modern. Christianity has also been opposed, and some have sought to completely cut Christians off.

One example was the Roman Emperor Diocletian (A.D. 284-305). Diocletian boasted that he had destroyed Christianity. He liked to think that he had defeated Christianity. He ordered a medal to be made with this inscription: “The name of Christianity being extinguished.” Diocletian also set up at least two monuments on the frontier of the empire with these inscriptions:

Diocletian Jovian Maximian Herculeus Caesares Augusti for having extended the Roman Empire in the east and the west and for having extinguished the name of Christians who brought the Republic to ruin.
Diocletian Jovian Maximian Herculeus Caesares Augusti for having everywhere abolished the superstition of Christ for having extended the worship of the gods.
Diocletian is dead and gone, comparatively a footnote on the pages of history. The fame and glory of Jesus Christ are spread over all the earth. God still takes care of His ‘sheltered ones.’