83:5-8 This alliance against God may refer to the gathering of certain kings to fight against Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah (2 Chronicles 20). The psalm’s author is called Asaph, but it could be Asaph or one of his descendants. A descendant of Asaph named Jahaziel prophesied victory for Judah in the battle against Jehoshaphat (2 Chronicles 20:13-17) and exclaimed, “The battle is not yours, but God’s” (2 Chronicles 20:15). God is in supreme charge of all the earth (83:18), and the enemies of Israel were considered God’s enemies.
83:6 The Hagarenes may have been the descendants of Hagar (Genesis 21:8-21).
83:8-11 The “children of Lot” refers to the Moabites and Ammonites (Genesis 19:36-38). Sisera was the commander of the army of the oppressive Canaanite king Jabin. He was killed by a woman (see Judges 4 for the complete story). (For the story of Oreb and Zeeb, see Judges 7:25; for Zebah and Zalmunna, see Judges 8:21.)
83:13-18 Surrounding Judah were pagan nations that sought Judah’s downfall. The writer prayed that God would blow his hot breath of judgment upon them until they recognized that the Lord is supreme over all rulers of the earth. Sometimes we must be humbled by adversity before we will look up and see the Lord; we must be defeated before we can have the ultimate victory. Wouldn’t it be better to seek the Lord in times of prosperity than to wait until his judgment is upon us?