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"Let them be put to shame and dismayed forever; let them perish in disgrace, that they may know that you alone, whose name is the LORD, are the Most High over all the earth."

~ Psalm 83:17-18

 

An initial reading of this psalm is a little bit tricky.  Perhaps you want to read it through again. I do not say it is tricky because it is difficult to understand but because what is says is rather pointed.  

Psalm 83 is one of those psalms that cries out for God to respond for the sake of his people [v.1]; in this case, to respond and do something with the enemies of God's people [v.2-4].  This psalm is an imprecatory psalm; meaning that it calls down a curse or asks God to bring evil and judgment on others, particularly on those who hate God and his people [v.9-11,13-17].

Despite seeing this example in Scripture, we must take great caution before we too quickly seek to do the same, but end up doing so from a wrong (sinful) motivation or for a selfish (sinful) outcome. We can trust that God is sovereign, all-knowing and the Avenger of all wrong-doing. He will not let his Name be tarnished [v.16,18] nor his people be wiped out and overtaken [v.4,12].