Psalm 83:1-3 ” O God, do not keep silent; be not quiet, O God, be not still. See how Your enemies are astir, how Your foes rear their heads. With cunning they conspire against Your people; they plot against those You cherish.”

Psalm 83 is one of five Psalms that are entitled Imprecatory Psalms.  So what’s imprecation?  It involves petitioning God’s wrath upon the wicked.  They were written with righteous indignation at what was seen as defilement and blasphemy of God’s reputation and actions.  They came from that deep place of aroused anger at seeing God’s name desecrated and everything He stands for ridiculed and mocked.  They were written not out of spite or wishing for revenge, but to verbally hand the entire issue over for God to deal with…for the battle is not ours but God’s, (I Samuel 17:47 & II Chronicles 20:15) and it’s His to judge at the appointed time.

Proverbs 10:16 ” The wages of the righteous bring them life, but the income of the wicked brings them punishment.”

When children are little and they disobey out of ignorance…there’s some wiggle room for correction.  Usually, just enlightening them with clear instructions will alleviate further problems.  But when there’s willful disobedience on their part…that’s when a serious discussion of the consequences of their wrongdoing is in order.  Our Heavenly Father desires us to be obedient children…not only because He commands it but for our eternal benefit.  For Proverbs 11:18 says, “He who sows righteousness reaps a sure reward.”  When we pursue doing the right thing, we not only receive the gift of salvation, but we are showered with God’s infinite grace and mercy.

Psalm 68:20 ” Our God is a God Who saves; from the sovereign Lord comes escape from death.”

The Lord saves us from what?  In a single word – condemnation.   John 3:18 tells us that from the womb we are condemned already…destined to Hell.  No amount of good works will ever save you.  Nor will you ever make it to Heaven on your believing Grandmother’s shirt-tails. But most strikingly, you will never be able to save yourself.   Only the Lord Jesus Christ can deliver you from the wrath that is to come.  Only He can offer you freedom from an eternal sentence of Hell.

Colossians 1:21 ” Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior.”

The sinful nature, with all its evil desires and thoughts can not coincide with God…for sin keeps us separated from Him.  The world views God with indifference…but He views it as an enemy.

Ezekiel 14: 2-3 ” Then the word of the Lord came to me; ‘Son of man, these men have set up idols in their hearts and put wicked stumbling blocks before their faces. Should I let them inquire of Me at all ? “

Biblical writers used the term “idol” rather scornfully, denouncing them as “dead beams of wood.”  For anytime something is preventing us from seeing the truth and enticing us away from the one true God…it’s all death, decay, and darkness.

Psalm 90:11 ” Who knows the power of your anger? For Your wrath is as great as the fear that is due You.”

Can any of us really understand the magnitude of God’s wrath when it’s unleashed on mankind?  When we see the devastation of hurricanes, tornadoes, tsunamis, or volcanoes, we see only a tiny fragment of the Lord’s fury and terror.  As it so aptly states in Psalm 76:7,  ” Who can stand before You when You are angry?”