For, lo, thine enemies make a tumult: and they that hate thee have lifted up the head.

PSALMS 83:2KJV
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Psalms 83:2 (KJV)

What does Psalms 83:2 mean?

Psalms 83:2 describes how God’s enemies are causing an uproar and acting boldly against Him, with those who hate God showing open defiance. The verse pictures these hostile groups making noise and lifting their heads high, signaling pride and rebellion.

The psalm is written by Asaph, who is speaking to God about the threats facing Israel. The situation is tense, with surrounding nations plotting against God’s people. The verse uses vivid language to show that these enemies are not just quietly opposed, but are loudly and confidently challenging God’s authority.

The Hebrew behind Psalms 83:2

  • "enemies" (אֹיֵב, ʾoyev): This word points to active hostility, not just passive dislike. It highlights that these are not neutral outsiders but those who are openly against God.
  • "tumult" (הָמָה, hāmāh): This word often means a loud noise or commotion, suggesting that the opposition is public and aggressive, not hidden or subtle.
  • "hate" (שָׂנֵא, śānēʾ): This is a strong word for hate, showing deep-seated opposition rather than mild disagreement.
  • "up" (נָשָׂא, nāśāʾ) and "head" (רֹאשׁ, rōʾsh): Together, these words create the image of lifting up the head, which in Hebrew often means acting with pride or arrogance, as if challenging someone openly.

Why Psalms 83:2 matters

  • The verse clarifies that the opposition to God is not passive or hidden; it is loud, public, and proud, which sets the stage for the urgency of the psalmist’s prayer.
  • The language of “lifting up the head” reveals the attitude of the enemies—not just their actions, but their pride and defiance.
  • Understanding the intensity of the enemies’ actions helps explain why the psalmist urgently calls on God for help in the following verses.

Where else these words appear

“tumult” Hebrew H1993 · used in 32 verses

  • 1 Kings 1:41 And Adonijah and all the guests that were with him heard it as they had made an end of eating. And when Joab heard the sound of the trumpet, he said, Wherefore is this noise of the city being in an uproar?
  • Psalms 77:3 I remembered God, and was troubled: I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed. Selah.
  • Isaiah 59:11 We roar all like bears, and mourn sore like doves: we look for judgment, but there is none; for salvation, but it is far off from us.

“hate” Hebrew H8130 · used in 139 verses

  • Genesis 24:60 And they blessed Rebekah, and said unto her, Thou art our sister, be thou the mother of thousands of millions, and let thy seed possess the gate of those which hate them.
  • Esther 9:1 Now in the twelfth month, that is, the month Adar, on the thirteenth day of the same, when the king's commandment and his decree drew near to be put in execution, in the day that the enemies of the Jews hoped to have power over them,(though it was turned to the contrary, that the Jews had rule over them that hated them;)
  • Proverbs 1:29 For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD: