Why Do Some People Promote Psalm 83 In Our Days As A War? Series

Israel will continue to fight against enemies right up until the time Antichrist signs the 7 year covenant with Israel that begins the Tribulation. When bible students and readers see what is currently happening in the Middle East, it is convenient to latch onto this Psalm and weave into it, a prophecy for the end times. That is a dishonouring way to treat the bible.

[5]. LOOKING FURTHER INTO PSALM 83

(a). Psalm 83 is not a prophetic Psalm and you can not make it so. It has no indicators of prophecy such as the expressions of prophetic style – “In that day”, “At that time,” “It will come to pass”, “In the latter days”, “Thus says the Lord,” etc.

(b). Asaph was not a full prophet, but a musician. His great Psalm 73 was all about personal experience; so is Psalm 83. The psalmist was deeply concerned about Israel's then current position. Some like to point to this verse to prove Asaph was a prophet – {{2Chronicles 29:30 “Moreover, King Hezekiah and the officials ordered the Levites to sing praises to the LORD with the words of David and ASAPH THE SEER. So they sang praises with joy, and bowed down and worshipped.”}} It is a long bow to say that all Asaph wrote was prophecy. Not one thing recorded he wrote had a prophetic connotation. The word “seer” I don’t think meant a prophet as known in Old Testament days.

(c). Psalm 83 is typical of so many psalms of David where he made his complaint, then explained the subject, then looked to God for deliverance. That is all this Psalm is. It had nothing to do with future prophecy relating to our time, or to any time. It was about Asaph’s time THEN. If modern Israel had no enemies surrounding it, then the possibility of it being a prophetic Psalm would not even be raised. This Psalm could sit with Psalm 128.

(d). What is the Psalm speaking of? What was the event? There is nothing in the bible to indicate this conflict (or any conflict) ever occurred. Yes, there was a conspiracy, but if there was ever any conflict we don’t know about it. Asaph was dealing with conspiracy for war, but not any war. The great David prayed for deliverance many times and some of those reasons and situations we know and some we do not know. That is the case here with Asaph.

(e). I can’t say I have seen anyone being dogmatic about “this war that HAS to happen!” but rather, mooting the possibility that the Psalm might be relevant to our time. Well it is always good to look at sensible possibilities, but this Psalm is not even a possibility for our time. I looked at a lot of commentators and articles. I know some (just a few) advocate the future fulfilment of this Psalm but it is not a prophecy. It is request in prayer and nothing else.

(f). Most commentators tend to avoid making claims for the Psalm. To me it is obvious that some event was triggering Asaph’s anxiety and he resorted to prayer. That event is not recorded. In conclusion, I don’t think we should push this Psalm for some future fulfilment because there was/is nothing in it wanting fulfilment. It is just too convenient to try to twist and apply this Psalm because of current conflict in Israel and Gaza.

To end, I hope this helps understanding for the one who asked me, and brings some clarification to this misapplied Psalm.

ronaldf@aapt.net.au