God’s power stands greater than any alliance formed against His faithful people.
In this psalm of distress, the Psalmist calls upon the Lord to intervene because Israel’s enemies have conspired against her. Here he lists, “Gebal and Ammon and Amalek, Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre” (v.7), uniting them as a hostile force. Gebal, known in some ancient texts as Byblos, was a coastal city in the region of Phoenicia. Ammon was a nation descended from Abraham’s nephew Lot, tracing back to the younger daughter of Lot (Genesis 19:38). The Ammonites settled east of the Jordan River, in territory that now includes part of modern Jordan, and were often at odds with Israel. Amalek was a tribe descending from Esau, continually harassing Israel over many generations; the Amalekites launched attacks in the wilderness soon after Israel’s exodus from Egypt, and clashed with Israel repeatedly (;).
The verse then names Philistia, the coastal region southwest of the Promised Land. These Philistines were a formidable adversary throughout the era of the Judges and even during the reign of King Saul and King David. Tyre, a prominent Phoenician city north of Israel’s border, was a powerful trading hub that thrived for centuries (;). By naming these places in quick succession, the psalm highlights God’s covenant people being surrounded by foes both near and far, all of whom had once, or repeatedly, sought to overthrow or oppress Israel.
In the broader context of Psalm 83, these nations are aligning to make sure “the name of Israel may be remembered no more” (Psalm 83:4). Yet, just as the Lord delivered His people from Egypt and later demonstrated His power against these same enemies, He remains sovereign and able to protect His covenant people. This anticipation of divine rescue finds its ultimate expression in the New Testament, where Jesus fulfills God’s promises by reconciling and securing believers into one kingdom for eternity (Ephesians 2:12-13).
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Psalms 83:7 meaning
In this psalm of distress, the Psalmist calls upon the Lord to intervene because Israel’s enemies have conspired against her. Here he lists, “Gebal and Ammon and Amalek, Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre” (v.7), uniting them as a hostile force. Gebal, known in some ancient texts as Byblos, was a coastal city in the region of Phoenicia. Ammon was a nation descended from Abraham’s nephew Lot, tracing back to the younger daughter of Lot (Genesis 19:38). The Ammonites settled east of the Jordan River, in territory that now includes part of modern Jordan, and were often at odds with Israel. Amalek was a tribe descending from Esau, continually harassing Israel over many generations; the Amalekites launched attacks in the wilderness soon after Israel’s exodus from Egypt, and clashed with Israel repeatedly (;).
The verse then names Philistia, the coastal region southwest of the Promised Land. These Philistines were a formidable adversary throughout the era of the Judges and even during the reign of King Saul and King David. Tyre, a prominent Phoenician city north of Israel’s border, was a powerful trading hub that thrived for centuries (;). By naming these places in quick succession, the psalm highlights God’s covenant people being surrounded by foes both near and far, all of whom had once, or repeatedly, sought to overthrow or oppress Israel.
In the broader context of Psalm 83, these nations are aligning to make sure “the name of Israel may be remembered no more” (Psalm 83:4). Yet, just as the Lord delivered His people from Egypt and later demonstrated His power against these same enemies, He remains sovereign and able to protect His covenant people. This anticipation of divine rescue finds its ultimate expression in the New Testament, where Jesus fulfills God’s promises by reconciling and securing believers into one kingdom for eternity (Ephesians 2:12-13).