Psalms 83:1

1 God, don't shut me out; don't give me the silent treatment, O God.

Psalms 83:1 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 83:1

Keep not thou silence, O God
Which he is thought and said to do, when he does not answer the prayers of his people, nor plead their cause, nor rebuke their enemies; when he does not speak a good word to them, or one for them, or one against those that hate and persecute them;

hold not thy peace;
or "be not deaf" F2 to the cries and tears of his people, and to the reproaches, menaces, and blasphemies of wicked men:

and be not still, O God;
or "quiet" F3, at rest and ease, inactive and unconcerned, as if he cared not how things went; the reason follows.


FOOTNOTES:

F2 (vrxt-la) "ne obsurdescas", Vatablus; "ne surdum agas", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator; "ne quasi surdus et mutus sis", Michaelis.
F3 (jqvt la) "ne quiescas", Pagninus, Montanus, Musculus, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Gejerus; "neque quietus sis", Michaelis.

Psalms 83:1 In-Context

1 God, don't shut me out; don't give me the silent treatment, O God.
2 Your enemies are out there whooping it up, the God-haters are living it up;
3 They're plotting to do your people in, conspiring to rob you of your precious ones.
4 "Let's wipe this nation from the face of the earth," they say; "scratch Israel's name off the books."
5 And now they're putting their heads together, making plans to get rid of you.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.