The End Time Bible Commentary

In this Psalm, Israel prays for deliverance from an alliance of ten nations that are plotting together to launch a combined attack against Israel. Today, the ten nations listed are all Muslim nations.

At one level, the psalm laments anti-semitism such as has occurred throughout Israel’s history. It may have had partial fulfilment in the events of the Assyrian exile, the Babylonian exile, and the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD.

Verse 8 says, "Even Assyria has allied with them, lending its strength to the descendants of Lot". This seems to identify Jordan as the mastermind behind the plot, and that Assyria and the other nations join in to support it. As such, it seems reasonable to interpret this psalm as primarily a prophecy of the 1948-49 Arab-Israeli war, and perhaps also of the various Arab-Israeli wars that have followed since. When the British Mandate for Palestine ended on 14 May 1948, the Jews declared the establishment of the State of Israel. The next day, on 15 May, the Arabs invaded.

In 1948, Jordan had the strongest Arab military, and had British backing, its forces being led by a British officer named John Bagot Glubb. They captured and annexed East Jerusalem along with Judea and Samaria which they renamed the West Bank. Troops from Iraq (part of biblical Assyria) assisted them in taking Samaria, the northern part of the West Bank. Egypt also had a strong military and they captured and annexed Gaza. Syria attacked from the Golan Heights and targeted Israeli settlements around the Sea of Galilee. Lebanon conducted a small-scale invasion into northern Galilee. Additional volunteers from Saudi Arabia and Yemen joined mainly under Egyptian command.

The nations listed in this psalm include Jordan (Ammon, Moab who are the descendants of Lot, and Edom), Saudi Arabia (Edom, Amalek), the Arabs in general (Hagrites and Ishmaelites), Gaza (Philistia), Lebanon (Gebal and Tyre), Syria and Iraq (Assyria). Potentially, Assyria could also include parts of Turkey, Iran and Egypt.

The desire of these nations is expressed in verse 4, 'Come on, let’s annihilate them so they are no longer a nation! Then the name of Israel will be remembered no more'. Such a desire has been expressed by many Arab leaders since the restoration of Israel as a nation in 1948. For example, in 1948, Azzam Pasha, Secretary-General of the Arab League, said "This will be a war of extermination and a momentous massacre…" On 26 May 1967 during the build-up to the Six Day War, Gamal Abdul Nasser of Egypt said, "The battle will be a general one and our basic objective will be to destroy Israel”. Similarly, on 31 May 1967, President Aref of Iraq said, "The existence of Israel is an error which must be rectified. This is our opportunity to wipe out the ignominy which has been with us since 1948. Our goal is clear - to wipe Israel off the map”. On 30 May 1967, Gamal Abdul Nasser said, "The armies of Egypt, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon are poised on the borders of Israel ... to face the challenge, while standing behind us are the armies of Iraq, Algeria, Kuwait, Sudan and the whole Arab nation. This act will astound the world. Today they will know that the Arabs are arranged for battle, the critical hour has arrived. We have reached the stage of serious action and not of more declarations." (Reference: Crucial quotes of the Six Day War)

At times during the recent Arab-Israeli war that started with Hamas' invasion of Israel on October 7, 2023, Israel found itself fighting simultaneously on seven fronts, including Hamas (in Gaza), Hezbollah (in Lebanon), Palestinian terrorists in the West Bank, Iran, the Houthis (Yemen), Shiite militias (in Iraq and Syria), and Syrian government forces backed by Iran.

Now in April 2026, as I update this particular commentary, perhaps the era of Israel facing Psalm 83-type wars with its near Arab neighbours is drawing to a close. Currently, Israel is engaged alongside the USA in a major conflict with the more distant country of Iran, and Hezbollah, Iran's ally in Lebanon. With the second coming perhaps right at the door now, it is likely that Israel's next major war will be the one with Gog, the Antichrist, as prophesied in Ezekiel 38. Gog appears to be the leader of Turkey (associated with the biblical locations Meshech and Tubal). Ezekiel 38:5-6 lists his allies, including Persia (Iran), Cush (Sudan and possible Somalia), Put (Lybia and possibly other North African countries such as Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco), Gomer (northern Turkey), and Beth Togarmah (probably the Caucasus nations to the north of Turkey). Comparing these, Psalm 83 identifies Israel's near Arab neighbours, whereas Ezekiel 38 identifies nations from the wider Muslim world

However, it is also possible that there will be a further dimension to the fulfilment of Psalm 83 in the Ezekiel 38 end-time war. Or it may be a description of the battle of Armageddon.

Verses 9 to 17 anticipate the defeat and humiliation of these allied nations. Similarly, in Isaiah 25:10-11, Moab (Jordan) is singled out for particular humiliation, "10 For the Lord’s power will make this mountain secure. Moab will be trampled down where it stands, as a heap of straw is trampled down in a manure pile. 11 Moab will spread out its hands in the middle of it, just as a swimmer spreads his hands to swim; the Lord will bring down Moab’s pride as it spreads its hands.."

According to a prophecy about the Antichrist in Daniel 11: 40 “…At the time of the end the king of the south will attack him. Then the king of the north will storm against him with chariots, horsemen, and a large armada of ships. He will invade lands, passing through them like an overflowing river. 41 Then he will enter the beautiful land. Many will fall, but these will escape: Edom, Moab, and the Ammonite leadership. 42 He will extend his power against other lands; the land of Egypt will not escape. 43 He will have control over the hidden stores of gold and silver, as well as all the treasures of Egypt. Libyans and Ethiopians will submit to him."

In verse 11, Israel's prayer is that God would do to these nations what he did to the Midianites in the time of Gideon. It suggests that at Armageddon Jesus will fight as a kind of modern-day Gideon. Walid Shoebat, author of God's War on Terror, sees particular significance in verse 11, 'Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb, all their rulers like Zebah and Zalmunna'. In Judges 8:21 Gideon killed Zebah and Zalmunna and removed the crescent ornaments from the necks of their camels. In most translations, the Hebrew word 'saharon' is simply translated 'ornaments', but it implies they were crescent-shaped like the moon. In the NIV 'saharon' is translated 'crescent necklaces' in Isaiah 3:18. Today the crescent moon is the symbol of Islam, and every mosque is adorned with one, just as churches are adorned with a cross. Walid understands this as symbolising the end of Islam at Christ's second coming. This is the exact opposite of Islamic end-time expectations. According to an Islamic Hadith (saying of Mohammed), "By Him in Who’s hands my soul rests, surely Jesus, Son of Maryam (Mary) will soon descend amongst you and will judge mankind judiciously, by the law of the Quran, as an honest ruler. He will break the cross, kill the pig and abolish jizya" (Hadith Vol 3, Book 34, Number 425). Muslims understand this breaking of the cross to symbolise Jesus abolishing Christianity. But Walid understands verse 11 to imply Jesus abolishing Islam.

The Psalm envisages the defeat and humiliation of these attacking nations, leading to their knowledge that Jehovah alone is Lord (v18), and implying their acknowledgement that Allah is a false god.

Last updated April 3, 2026