Psalm 83:14-18
As fire consumes the forest or a flame sets the mountains ablaze, so pursue them with your tempest and terrify them with your storm. Cover their faces with shame, Lord, so that they will seek your name. May they ever be ashamed and dismayed; may they perish in disgrace. Let them know that you, whose name is the Lord - that you alone are the Most High over all the earth.
The psalmist seems to want only death for his enemies, but the surprise in verses 14-16 is his prayer that wrongdoers be brought to see the truth and come to know God's name (verse 18). In biblical times that would have been a remote possibility for the pagan nations surrounding Israel. And the psalmist is more interested in God's vindication than his enemies' salvation. But in light of Christ and the cross, we see that this is the main way we are able to defeat evil.. Christ gives us great resources for turning enemies into God's friends. He died for us while we were yet God's enemies (Romans 5:10), which motivates us to overcome evil with good (Romans 12:14-21).
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