[3] They have taken crafty counsel against thy people, and consulted against thy hidden ones.
Hidden ones — Thy people of Israel, who are called God's hidden or secret ones, to intimate the respect which God has to them, as to his peculiar treasure.
Verse 6
[6] The tabernacles of Edom, and the Ishmaelites; of Moab, and the Hagarenes;
The tabernacles — The people dwelling in them.
Ishmaelites — Some of the posterity of Ishmael, called by their father's name, as others of them are supposed to be called Hagarens from their grandmother Hagar.
Verse 7
[7] Gebal, and Ammon, and Amalek; the Philistines with the inhabitants of Tyre;
Gebal — An Arabian people so called by ancient writers dwelling in the southern border of Canaan, where most of the people here mentioned had their abode.
Verse 8
[8] Assur also is joined with them: they have holpen the children of Lot. /*Selah*/.
Of Lot — Moab and Ammon.
Verse 13
[13] O my God, make them like a wheel; as the stubble before the wind.
A wheel — Whereas they promise to themselves a sure possession, let them be like a wheel, which is very unstable, and soon removed.
Verse 14
[14] As the fire burneth a wood, and as the flame setteth the mountains on fire;
The mountains — The woods upon the mountains, which in those hot countries, when they have once taken fire, burn with irresistible violence.
Verse 16
[16] Fill their faces with shame; that they may seek thy name, O LORD.
May seek — May own and worship thee as the only true God.
Psalm 83 Bible Commentary
John Wesley’s Explanatory Notes
Verse 3
[3] They have taken crafty counsel against thy people, and consulted against thy hidden ones.
Hidden ones — Thy people of Israel, who are called God's hidden or secret ones, to intimate the respect which God has to them, as to his peculiar treasure.
Verse 6
[6] The tabernacles of Edom, and the Ishmaelites; of Moab, and the Hagarenes;
The tabernacles — The people dwelling in them.
Ishmaelites — Some of the posterity of Ishmael, called by their father's name, as others of them are supposed to be called Hagarens from their grandmother Hagar.
Verse 7
[7] Gebal, and Ammon, and Amalek; the Philistines with the inhabitants of Tyre;
Gebal — An Arabian people so called by ancient writers dwelling in the southern border of Canaan, where most of the people here mentioned had their abode.
Verse 8
[8] Assur also is joined with them: they have holpen the children of Lot. /*Selah*/.
Of Lot — Moab and Ammon.
Verse 13
[13] O my God, make them like a wheel; as the stubble before the wind.
A wheel — Whereas they promise to themselves a sure possession, let them be like a wheel, which is very unstable, and soon removed.
Verse 14
[14] As the fire burneth a wood, and as the flame setteth the mountains on fire;
The mountains — The woods upon the mountains, which in those hot countries, when they have once taken fire, burn with irresistible violence.
Verse 16
[16] Fill their faces with shame; that they may seek thy name, O LORD.
May seek — May own and worship thee as the only true God.