Psalm 83:13

Translations

Modern

Make them like tumbleweed, O my God, like chaff before the wind.

Traditional

O my God, make them like a wheel; as the stubble before the wind.

Literal

O my God, set them like the whirling dust, like chaff before the face of the wind!

Latin

Deus meus, pone illos ut rotam, et sicut stipulam ante faciem venti.

Original

Hebrew

English

Make them like tumbleweed, O my God, like chaff before the wind.

Notes

Psalms 83:13

tumbleweed … chaff: This dry plant material blows away easily (see Isaiah 17:13).

Psalms 83:9–18

The psalmist prays that God will miraculously destroy the new coalition as he did three other enemies; doing so would bring him glory.

Psalms 83:1–18

This community lament asks God to rescue his people and give them victory. The short and direct poetry suggests a time of great trouble. A strong group of nations plans to destroy Israel (Psalm 83:1–4) and joins together against God (83:5–8).

The psalmist remembers what happened to other enemies who attacked Israel in the past (Psalm 83:9–12). He prays that the same thing will happen to these enemies (83:13–16), so that they will recognize God’s power and give him honor (83:17–18).

It is not clear whether this psalm refers to one specific historical event or whether it gathers together several nations as a poetic picture of Israel’s enemies.

Related verses

Job 21:18
Are they like straw before the wind, like chaff swept away by a storm?
Psalm 35:5
May they be like chaff in the wind, as the angel of the LORD drives them away.
Isaiah 40:24
No sooner are they planted, no sooner are they sown, no sooner have their stems taken root in the ground, than He blows on them and they wither, and a whirlwind sweeps them away like stubble.
Job 13:25
Would You frighten a windblown leaf? Would You chase after dry chaff?
Jeremiah 13:24
“I will scatter you like chaff driven by the desert wind.
Psalm 74:11–12
Why do You withdraw Your strong right hand? Stretch it out to destroy them!
Isaiah 17:12–14
Alas, the tumult of many peoples; they rage like the roaring seas and clamoring nations; they rumble like the crashing of mighty waters.
Isaiah 41:2
Who has aroused one from the east and called him to his feet in righteousness? He hands nations over to him and subdues kings before him. He turns them to dust with his sword, to windblown chaff with his bow.
Psalm 22:1
For the choirmaster. To the tune of “The Doe of the Dawn.” A Psalm of David. My God, my God, why have You forsaken me? Why are You so far from saving me, so far from my words of groaning?
Exodus 15:7
You overthrew Your adversaries by Your great majesty. You unleashed Your burning wrath; it consumed them like stubble.
Psalm 68:1–2
For the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. A song. God arises. His enemies are scattered, and those who hate Him flee His presence.
Matthew 3:12
His winnowing fork is in His hand to clear His threshing floor and to gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

Glossary

Asaph Music Psalms, Book of Tumbleweed

Topics

Afflictions and Adversities: Prayer In Prayer: Imprecatory Stubble of Wicked People The Wicked are Compared to Wheels Wicked (People): Compared With: Wheels

Psalm 83:13

Translations?

Original?

Notes?

Related verses?

Glossary?

Topics?