Psalm 83 3

Psalm 83:3 kjv

They have taken crafty counsel against thy people, and consulted against thy hidden ones.

Psalm 83:3 nkjv

They have taken crafty counsel against Your people, And consulted together against Your sheltered ones.

Psalm 83:3 niv

With cunning they conspire against your people; they plot against those you cherish.

Psalm 83:3 esv

They lay crafty plans against your people; they consult together against your treasured ones.

Psalm 83:3 nlt

They devise crafty schemes against your people;
they conspire against your precious ones.

Psalm 83 verses

Psalm 83 3 Meaning

Psalm 83:3 vividly describes the insidious and calculated nature of the enemies' intentions against God's chosen people. They do not merely stand in opposition, but engage in deep, secret consultation, employing shrewd and deceptive tactics. Their objective is to undermine and destroy those whom God not only claims as His own, but also cherishes, protects, and keeps intimately secure. This verse reveals the enemies' strategic malice and their direct challenge to God's covenant relationship with His "hidden ones."

Psalm 83 3 Context

Psalm 83 is a powerful lament and a fervent prayer for God's intervention against a formidable confederacy of hostile nations that have banded together to eradicate Israel. The psalm's author, Asaph, presents a grave spiritual crisis where God's very name and glory are at stake through the threatened destruction of His people. Verse 3 specifically details the method of this adversarial campaign. It follows the enemies' boasting in verse 2 about their uprising and rage, preceding the declaration in verse 4 of their ultimate goal: "Let us wipe them out as a nation, that the name of Israel be remembered no more." This verse thus serves as a critical exposition of the enemies' subtle, strategic, and malicious intent, setting the stage for the psalm's appeal to God for divine judgment and vindication. Historically, this could refer to any number of confederacies Israel faced (e.g., in the time of the Judges, David, or even later conflicts, or a prophetic view of future hostile alignments). The key is the unity of purpose among the diverse enemies against God's treasured people.

Psalm 83 3 Word analysis

• They take shrewd counsel (יָעֲצ֥וּ סֹ֝֗וד עַל־צְפוּנֶֽיךָ `ya'ats-u sod al-tzphuneyka`):
  • They: Refers to the collective group of God's enemies, particularly the nations listed later in the psalm (Edom, Ishmaelites, Moab, Hagrites, Gebal, Ammon, Amalek, Philistia, Tyre, Assyria). This emphasizes a united front against God's people.
  • take shrewd counsel: The Hebrew words are `ya'atsu sod`.
    • `ya'atsu` (from יָעַץ `ya'ats`): To advise, counsel, plot, plan. Implies deliberate thought and discussion.
    • `sod` (סוֹד): Secret counsel, intimate conversation, or a confidential group/confederacy. This points to hidden, private scheming rather than open confrontation, highlighting the treachery involved. It also indicates unity among the plotters.
• against Your people (עַל־עַמֶּ֑ךָ `al-ammekha`):
  • against: `al` implies direction towards, opposition to.
  • Your people: `ammekha`. Emphatically highlights God's covenant ownership. This is not just a people, but Your people, signifying a direct assault on God's chosen, covenant nation, Israel. The enemies’ aim is to attack God Himself by attacking His people.
• And conspire (וְיִתְיָעֲצ֥וּ `v’yityaatsekhu`):
  • `v’yityaatsekhu` (from יָעַץ `ya'ats`, Hithpael stem): This verb often denotes taking counsel together for oneself, emphasizing reciprocal action or mutual plotting. It is a repetition of the idea of counsel from "take shrewd counsel," but in this case, intensified. It suggests an active, deliberate process of collaborative plotting, showing their unity and shared malicious intent to execute their plans. The "and" (`vav`) links the two phrases, showing their strategy as two intertwined aspects: cunning intellectual planning and united action to execute it.
• against Your hidden ones (עַל־צְפוּנֶֽיךָ `al-tzephuneykha`):
  • against: Same `al` as above, signifying opposition.
  • Your hidden ones: `tzephuneykha` (from צָפַן `tzaphan`): This word is critical. It means to hide, treasure up, conceal, or store away. "Your hidden ones" can refer to several interconnected aspects of God's people:
    1. Those God Hides/Protects: It can refer to God's chosen people whom He keeps safe and shelters from the malevolent plans of their enemies, as seen in Ps 31:20 ("In the secret of Your presence You hide them").
    2. His Treasured Possessions: It refers to God's deeply cherished and highly valued people, whom He keeps as a precious reserve, a special treasure (Exod 19:5, Deut 7:6). They are "hidden" in the sense that they are known and valued intimately by Him, even if overlooked or scorned by the world.
    3. The True Pious/Remnant: It can denote the faithful remnant, or those truly devout, whose faith and commitment may not be evident to all, but are known to God. They might be obscure, a minority, and therefore "hidden" from general view or the world's calculations.
    The enemies aim at those whom God has uniquely protected and deeply treasures, directly confronting God's sovereignty over His own.

• "They take shrewd counsel against Your people, And conspire against Your hidden ones." This is a poetic parallelism (synonymous or emphatic). The first line introduces the cunning planning, and the second intensifies it with "conspire" and specifies the target as "Your hidden ones," which complements and amplifies "Your people." The repetition emphasizes the enemies' unity, strategic depth, and malevolent intent. It highlights the calculated and intentional nature of their plot to harm those intimately connected to God. The progression from general "people" to specific "hidden ones" might suggest that the deepest threat is to God's core, spiritual remnant, or those whom He holds most precious and secret.

Psalm 83 3 Bonus section

The concept of "hidden" in the Bible often carries both vulnerability and divine security. While "Your hidden ones" are targeted, they are simultaneously hidden by God, protected by His sovereign hand. This duality underscores that their security is not in their own strength or visible prominence, but in their divine Protector. This parallels how the New Testament describes believers' lives as "hidden with Christ in God" (Col 3:3), implying an invisible, secure spiritual reality despite earthly challenges. The enemies cannot truly discern or access the spiritual hiding place God provides for His chosen. This verse also implicitly polemicizes against the pagan gods of the confederate nations. While the enemies put their trust in their gods and their collective shrewdness, the psalmist's appeal (and the ultimate truth of the psalm) is that the true God of Israel sees their "secret counsel" and will act to defend His "hidden ones," demonstrating His supremacy over their empty deities. The Psalm lays the foundation for prayer that God will unveil and thwart these hidden plots, turning them to confusion.

Psalm 83 3 Commentary

Psalm 83:3 unveils the depth of hostility faced by God's people, transcending mere political conflict to expose a spiritual dimension. The enemies' actions are not random aggression but a well-thought-out campaign, marked by "shrewd counsel" and "conspiracy." This emphasizes a subtle, deceptive, and often unseen form of warfare. They plot in secret, seeking to use cunning and trickery, reminiscent of the serpent's craftiness. The target is explicitly "Your people" and "Your hidden ones," directly challenging God's ownership and protection.

"Your hidden ones" profoundly speaks to God's intimate relationship with His faithful. They are precious, protected, and intimately known by Him, even when the world may overlook or despise them. This "hidden" aspect suggests a spiritual distinction; these are not merely a geopolitical entity, but God's beloved children, held secure within His divine care, despite the external threats. The enemies' plot against them is a plot against God's very will and purpose, a direct assault on His reputation and covenant. The verse therefore serves as a dire warning about the insidious nature of spiritual opposition, which often operates through subtle, manipulative schemes aimed at discrediting and destroying God's church and its faithful members. It underscores the ongoing reality that true believers, like Israel of old, are a treasure in God’s sight and are therefore often targets of cunning schemes orchestrated by the powers of darkness, whether manifested through human adversaries or spiritual forces.