Psalm 83 17

Psalm 83:17 kjv

Let them be confounded and troubled for ever; yea, let them be put to shame, and perish:

Psalm 83:17 nkjv

Let them be confounded and dismayed forever; Yes, let them be put to shame and perish,

Psalm 83:17 niv

May they ever be ashamed and dismayed; may they perish in disgrace.

Psalm 83:17 esv

Let them be put to shame and dismayed forever; let them perish in disgrace,

Psalm 83:17 nlt

Let them be ashamed and terrified forever.
Let them die in disgrace.

Psalm 83 verses

Psalm 83 17 Meaning

Psalm 83:17 is a fervent petition within a communal lament, where the psalmist calls upon God to utterly confound, dismay, and ultimately destroy those who conspire against Israel. It expresses a plea for divine judgment, not merely as an act of retribution, but as a demonstration of God's unique power and sovereignty, leading the enemies, and all observers, to acknowledge Him as the Most High over all the earth (as seen in the subsequent verse, Ps 83:18). The "forever" signifies a decisive and lasting defeat or consequence for their aggression.

Psalm 83 17 Context

Psalm 83 is an urgent communal lament, probably composed during a period of grave national danger for Israel. The psalmist presents a united conspiracy of ten nations, some traditional enemies (Edom, Philistia, Tyre) and some more surprising confederates (Ishmaelites, Hagrites), who have banded together with the explicit goal of wiping out Israel and erasing its memory (Ps 83:4-8). The psalmist appeals to God based on His historical acts of deliverance, referencing victories against Midian and Sisera (Ps 83:9-12). The imprecations (prayers for judgment) in verses 13-18, including verse 17, are not simply for revenge but serve a theological purpose: to demonstrate God's unparalleled power and presence to these enemies and to all nations. The core request is for these nations to be brought low "so that they may seek your name, O Lord" (Ps 83:16) and ultimately "know that You alone, whose name is the Lord, are the Most High over all the earth" (Ps 83:18). Thus, verse 17 is a petition for divine action that secures Israel's existence and vindicates God's honor.

Psalm 83 17 Word analysis

• Let them be confounded (יֵבֹ֙שׁוּ֙, yēvōšū)

  • Meaning: From the root בוֹשׁ (bosh), meaning to be ashamed, disgraced, disappointed, or confounded. It implies a public humiliation, a failure of plans and expectations.
  • Significance: This is not just embarrassment but a divine intervention that exposes their wicked intentions and their inability to carry them out against God's plan. Their conspiracy will fall apart.

• and troubled (וְיִבָּהֲל֣וּ, vəyibāhălū)

  • Meaning: From the root בָּהַל (bahal), meaning to be agitated, dismayed, terrified, startled, or to make haste in panic.
  • Significance: This indicates inward distress, confusion, and fear that accompanies their outward shame. Their aggressive plans will turn into internal turmoil and panic.

• for ever (לְעוֹלָ֑ם, lĕ'ôlām)

  • Meaning: This term signifies eternity, perpetuity, or for a very long duration, depending on context.
  • Significance: In this context, it suggests a permanent and lasting state of confusion and distress, indicating that their aggressive efforts will never again be effective, or that the memory of their defeat will last indefinitely as a testimony to God's power. It implies the end of their ability to pose a threat.

• yea, let them be put to shame, (וְיַחְפְּר֥וּ, vəyaḥpərū)

  • Meaning: From the root חָפֵר (chapher), meaning to be ashamed, confounded, blush, disappointed. While similar to bosh, it often emphasizes a deeper sense of abject failure, ignominy, or inner confusion resulting from a frustrated plan.
  • Significance: This reiterates the desire for profound humiliation, perhaps building upon "confounded" by stressing the internal sense of disgrace experienced by the enemies as their grandiose plans utterly collapse.

• and perish: (וְיֹאבֵֽדוּ, vĕyōʾvêdū)

  • Meaning: From the root אָבַד (abad), meaning to perish, be lost, be destroyed, go to ruin.
  • Significance: This is the ultimate requested consequence, denoting their complete undoing or cessation. It refers to their power, their identity as a hostile force, or even their physical existence being brought to an end as a threat to Israel and God's name. It's a desire for their absolute destruction as a menacing entity.

Words-group analysis:

• Let them be confounded and troubled: This phrase emphasizes both external humiliation (confounded) and internal panic/agitation (troubled). It speaks to the psychological and public disgrace desired for the enemies.
• for ever: This phrase modifies the preceding actions, signifying a definitive, permanent end to their hostile activities and plans. Their failure will not be temporary but absolute and perpetual.
• yea, let them be put to shame, and perish: This repetition and escalation amplify the call for divine judgment. "Put to shame" reiterates the public disgrace, while "perish" brings it to a terminal conclusion. The parallelism intensifies the plea for total, undeniable defeat and annihilation of their destructive intent.

Psalm 83 17 Bonus section

The concept of "shame" (Hebrew: bosh and chapher) in the Old Testament is deeply significant. It refers not only to internal disgrace but especially to the public exposure of failure or wickedness. For these nations, who boasted in their military might and alliances, being "confounded" and "put to shame" would mean the utter humiliation of their power and gods before the one true God of Israel. This public disgrace serves as a powerful testament to Yahweh's supremacy. The "perishing" of these nations is directly tied to the ultimate aim: for them (and the world) to "know that You alone... are the Most High" (Ps 83:18). Therefore, the requested judgment is part of a revelation of God's identity and absolute dominion, serving His ultimate redemptive purposes. While fierce, this imprecation highlights the Psalmist’s theological certainty that God would act for His glory.

Psalm 83 17 Commentary

Psalm 83:17 encapsulates the psalmist's deep-seated prayer for divine intervention against those who seek to annihilate God's people. This imprecation is not rooted in personal vindictiveness but in a profound zeal for God's glory and the security of His covenant people. The series of powerful verbs—confound, trouble, shame, perish—depict a comprehensive, God-initiated reversal of the enemies' intended outcome. Their aggressive unity is desired to crumble into internal dismay and outward disgrace. The inclusion of "forever" emphasizes the totality and permanence of their defeat, signaling an end to their recurring threat. This verse, leading into Psalm 83:18, serves to clear the stage for God's absolute demonstration of His unparalleled sovereignty. It is a cry for justice where God’s name is honored through the abasement of those who defy Him and His chosen nation.

• Example for Practical Usage: When believers face overwhelming opposition or systems that explicitly seek to dismantle faith or harm God's purposes, this verse reflects a spiritual battle cry for God to frustrate the plans of darkness. It can be prayed to seek divine confusion and incapacitation of wicked schemes, trusting that God's justice will prevail and His name will be known. It's not a call for personal vengeance but a cry for God to vindicate His name and people.