Savoring the Scripture

  O God, Do Not Keep Silence Psalm 83 The prayer here is that in the existing emergency God would not seem to be indifferent to the needs and dangers of his people, and to the purposes of their enemies, but that he would speak with a voice of command, and break up their designs. Barnes  Bitterness is a feeling of antagonism, hostility, or resentment (Dictionary.com). It is holding someone liable, a replaying of our grievances, a withdrawing of warmth (Keller). Bitterness, resentment, and a lack of forgiveness exalts ourselves to the place of judge in someone else’s life. It is to act as though we know best how God ought to deal with another’s sin. So what do we do when these emotions rise up within us? One thing we can and must do, as Asaph does in Psalm 83, is to pray. Psalm 83 is an imprecatory psalm. It is a cry of God’s people to the Lord to rise up against their enemies and deliver His “treasured ones”. Perhaps a call for God to punish your enemy makes you feel uncomforta...