The Meaning of Psalms 83:13 Explained

Psalms 83:13

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

YLT: O my God, make them as a rolling thing, As stubble before wind.

Darby: O my God, make them like a whirling thing, like stubble before the wind.

ASV: O my God, make them like the whirling dust; As stubble before the wind.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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

What does Psalms 83:13 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalms 83:1-18 - "the Most High Over All The Earth"
This psalm was composed on the occasion described in 2 Chronicles 20:1-37, where we learn that at a great crisis the Spirit of God came on Jahaziel, one of the sons of Asaph, Psalms 83:14. It was written to be sung before the battle, in anticipation of certain victory. The Levites chanted it, with a loud voice on high, as Jehoshaphat's army marched out against the great confederacy of nations, which threatened the very existence of Israel. There were strong reasons for God's interposition, for Israel's foes were God's foes also. It was His people that were the target of this crafty conspiracy. Were they not His hidden ones, Psalms 83:3? Should a hostile world pluck them from the hollow of His hand? When our life is "hid with Christ in God," we may confidently appeal for His safe-keeping.
The fate here imprecated savors of Moses rather than of Jesus Christ, Psalms 83:9-18. Our Lord's way is to seek the conversion of the heathen. At the same time it may at least be urged that Israel did not pray thus to gratify a personal vindictiveness, but that the great world of men might know God to be Jehovah. Out of the mighty convulsions that sweep across society, we know that the coming of the divine Kingdom is somehow being prepared. God can make even the wrath of man to praise Him, Psalms 76:10. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalms 83

1  A complaint to God of the enemies conspiracies
9  A prayer against those who oppress the Church

What do the individual words in Psalms 83:13 mean?

My God make them like the whirling dust Like the chaff before the wind
אֱ‍ֽלֹהַ֗י שִׁיתֵ֥מוֹ כַגַּלְגַּ֑ל כְּ֝קַ֗שׁ לִפְנֵי־ רֽוּחַ

אֱ‍ֽלֹהַ֗י  My  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, first person common singular
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
שִׁיתֵ֥מוֹ  make  them 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular, third person masculine plural
Root: שִׁית  
Sense: to put, set.
כַגַּלְגַּ֑ל  like  the  whirling  dust 
Parse: Preposition-k, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: גַּלְגַּל 
Sense: wheel, whirl, whirlwind, whirling.
כְּ֝קַ֗שׁ  Like  the  chaff 
Parse: Preposition-k, Noun, masculine singular
Root: קַשׁ  
Sense: stubble, chaff.
לִפְנֵי־  before 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
רֽוּחַ  the  wind 
Parse: Noun, common singular
Root: רוּחַ  
Sense: wind, breath, mind, spirit.