Psalm 83

1Do not keep silent, O God!
Do not hold Your peace,
And do not be still, O God!
2For behold, Your enemies make a tumult;
And those who hate You have lifted up their head.
3They have taken crafty counsel against Your people,
And consulted together against Your sheltered ones.
4They have said, “Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation,
That the name of Israel may be remembered no more.”
5For they have consulted together with one consent;
They form a confederacy against You:
6The tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites;
Moab and the Hagrites;
7Gebal, Ammon, and Amalek;
Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre;
8Assyria also has joined with them;
They have helped the children of Lot.
Selah
9Deal with them as with Midian,
As with Sisera,
As with Jabin at the Brook Kishon,
10Who perished at En Dor,
Who became as refuse on the earth.
11Make their nobles like Oreb and like Zeeb,
Yes, all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna,
12Who said, “Let us take for ourselves
The pastures of God for a possession.”
13O my God, make them like the whirling dust,
Like the chaff before the wind!
14As the fire burns the woods,
And as the flame sets the mountains on fire,
15So pursue them with Your tempest,
And frighten them with Your storm.
16Fill their faces with shame,
That they may seek Your name, O Lord.
17Let them be confounded and dismayed forever;
Yes, let them be put to shame and perish,
18That they may know that You, whose name alone is the Lord,
Are the Most High over all the earth
-Psalm 83

I have heard many questions about what makes Israel so special? Why does God care so much about them? The reality is that this is the group of people that God chose to make His Son known through. Jesus is of the Jews. He also had made promises to the forefathers of the Jews that God would show Himself to be faithful in. To them were committed the oracles of God. Scripture, old and new testament, holds a focus on fulfilling these promises to Israel. As He is their God and they are their people, He enacts judgment, and He defends them from their enemies.

Israel still holds a crucial place in the word of God and even in prophecy yet to be fulfilled. Isaiah 62-63 are key to this. Jerusalem must be a praise on the earth before the final salvation of the Lord is announced. Pray for Israel. Commit to praying for Israel. Pray for their salvation and reconciliation to the Lord. Scripture testifies of a faithful remnant in Israel. Pray that they return to the Lord their God.