Psalms 83:4 (KJV)

What does Psalms 83:4 mean?

Psalms 83:4 describes Israel’s enemies urging one another to destroy Israel as a nation. Their stated aim reaches beyond defeating an opponent: they want Israel’s name to disappear from memory.

The psalm presents these words as the enemies’ own proposal. After describing their secret plotting in verse 3, the speaker gives their plan a voice: “Come” is an invitation to join in the attack.

The Hebrew behind Psalms 83:4

• “cut them off” — כָּחַד (kachad): This word can carry the sense of wiping out or destroying. Here, the proposed cutting off concerns Israel’s existence as a nation.
• “name” — שֵׁם (shem): This word means a name, but it can also point to the identity associated with that name. The enemies want “the name of Israel” to be forgotten, not merely removed from a record.
• “remembrance” — זָכַר (zachar): This word carries the sense of remembering or mentioning. The phrase pictures a future in which Israel’s name is no longer brought to mind.

Why Psalms 83:4 matters

• The verse presents a shared plan, not a lone threat. The words “they have said” and “Come” lead into the list of peoples who have joined together in verses 5–8.
• The threat concerns a people’s identity as well as their land. The enemies speak of ending Israel’s life as “a nation” and erasing its name from remembrance.