Psalm 83 War & the Gog Magog End Time Invasion

Many believe the Psalm 83 war will be among the next prophecy events to occur. Should we expect it to begin soon?

I will share my findings on the war in this article. I will discuss when it will take place. I will also discuss how it may relate to the events of Ezekiel 39 and the end time siege of Jerusalem.

Psalm 83 War Overview

Psalm 83 describes a future attack against the people of Israel. Verses 6-8 names the participants of this attack:

“(1) Keep not thou silence, O God: hold not thy peace, and be not still, O God. (2) For, lo, thine enemies make a tumult: and they that hate thee have lifted up the head. (3) They have taken crafty counsel against thy people, and consulted against thy hidden ones. (4) They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance. (5) For they have consulted together with one consent: they are confederate against thee: (6) The tabernacles of Edom, and the Ishmaelites; of Moab, and the Hagarenes; (7) Gebal, and Ammon, and Amalek; the Philistines with the inhabitants of Tyre; (8) Assur also is joined with them: they have holpen the children of Lot. Selah.” (Psalm 83:1-8)

The following table summarizes the likely modern day location of the participants in the conflict.

ParticipantModern Location
IshmaelitesSaudi Arabia
PhilistinesGaza Strip
AsshurMainly Northern Iraq **
Gebal & TyreLebanon
HagarenesJordan*
Edom, Ammon, MoabJordan
AmalekSinai

I believe the “hidden ones” mentioned in Psalm 83:3 refers to a remnant of Israel that will be hiding in the wilderness to avoid the Antichrist’s persecution (Revelation 12:6, 14-16).

The statement “come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance” in verse 4 indicates that the goal is to wipe out the people of Israel hiding and not hiding.

Verses 9-18 contains a plea for the Lord to arise to punish the attackers who threaten the existence of the people of Israel. The following passage is the end of this plea:

“(13) O my God, make them like a wheel; as the stubble before the wind. (14) As the fire burneth a wood, and as the flame setteth the mountains on fire; (15) So persecute them with thy tempest, and make them afraid with thy storm. (16) Fill their faces with shame; that they may seek thy name, O LORD. (17) Let them be confounded and troubled for ever; yea, let them be put to shame, and perish: (18) That men may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the most high over all the earth.” (Psalm 83:13-18)

Psalm 83, Ezekiel 39, and Psalm 79

Psalm 79 & Psalm 83

We can find the time frame when Psalm 83 will occur by comparing details the chapter with details from Psalm 79 and Ezekiel 39.


Comparing Psalm 79 & Psalm 83

  • A Request for the Lord to Arise to Help the People Under Distress
  • A Request for the Lord to Punish Attackers
  • The Heathen Do Not Know the Lord But Will Come to Know Him When He Acts

Psalm 83:1-2, 17-18: (1) A Song or Psalm of Asaph. Keep not thou silence, O God: hold not thy peace, and be not still, O God. (2) For, lo, thine enemies make a tumult: and they that hate thee have lifted up the head…(17) Let them be confounded and troubled for ever; yea, let them be put to shame, and perish: (18) That men may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the most high over all the earth.

Psalm 79:1-10: (1) A Psalm of Asaph. O God, the heathen are come into thine inheritance; thy holy temple have they defiled; they have laid Jerusalem on heaps. (2) The dead bodies of thy servants have they given to be meat unto the fowls of the heaven, the flesh of thy saints unto the beasts of the earth. (3) Their blood have they shed like water round about Jerusalem; and there was none to bury them. (4) We are become a reproach to our neighbours, a scorn and derision to them that are round about us. (5) How long, LORD? wilt thou be angry for ever? shall thy jealousy burn like fire? (6) Pour out thy wrath upon the heathen that have not known thee, and upon the kingdoms that have not called upon thy name. (7) For they have devoured Jacob, and laid waste his dwelling place. (8) O remember not against us former iniquities: let thy tender mercies speedily prevent us: for we are brought very low. (9) Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of thy name: and deliver us, and purge away our sins, for thy name’s sake. (10) Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is their God? let him be known among the heathen in our sight by the revenging of the blood of thy servants which is shed.


The parallels between the two chapters suggest:

The events of Psalm 83 indeed relate to the events surrounding the end time siege of Jerusalem. But, Psalm 83 does not necessarily describe the siege itself.

  • Psalm 83 describes a focused attack on a remnant of Israel hiding in the wilderness (“the hidden ones” in verse 3).
  • The end time siege of Jerusalem is focused on those living in the vicinity of Jerusalem.
  • Both campaigns are part of an overall effort to “cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance.” (verse 4).

Psalm 83 & Ezekiel 39

We may also get an idea when the conflict will occur by examining the contrast between Psalm 83:18 and Ezekiel 39:6-7.

  • Psalm 83:18 calls for the Lord to make His name known to men.
  • Ezekiel 39:6-7 indicates that the heathen will gain knowledge of the Lord when He destroys Gog and his forces and sends “fire on Magog and among them that dwell carelessly in the isles.”

“(17) Let them be confounded and troubled for ever; yea, let them be put to shame, and perish: (18) That men may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the most high over all the earth.” (Psalm 83:17-18)

“(6) And I will send a fire on Magog, and among them that dwell carelessly in the isles: and they shall know that I am the LORD. (7) So will I make my holy name known in the midst of my people Israel; and I will not let them pollute my holy name any more: and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, the Holy One in Israel.” (Ezekiel 39:6-7)

The people’s realization of who the Lord is when He destroys Gog and his forces suggests that the destruction of Gog and his forces will occur after the events of Psalm 83 begin. Therefore, the events of Psalm 83 may begin some time around the end time siege of Jerusalem but before the destruction of Gog and his forces.

The war will come before the destruction of Gog and his forces. But, it’s unclear how much time will pass between events or whether the attack by Gog and his forces relates to the war.

We may get a better idea of how the war relates to Gog and his forces by comparing Ezekiel 39 with passages about the end time siege of Jerusalem. We’ll find that some key details from Ezekiel 39 are also in passages about the Lord coming to defeat the forces that will attack Jerusalem.

Ezekiel 39:21-22 states that:

  1. The Lord will set His glory among the heathen.
  2. The house of Israel will also know that He is the Lord when He judges Gog and his forces.

“(21) And I will set my glory among the heathen, and all the heathen shall see my judgment that I have executed, and my hand that I have laid upon them. (22) So the house of Israel shall know that I am the LORD their God from that day and forward.” (Ezekiel 39:21-22)

Each of these details can be found in passages about the end time siege of Jerusalem.

The Lord Shall Set His Glory Among the Heathen

As was just mentioned, the Lord will set His glory among the heathen when He destroys Gog and his forces according to Ezekiel 39:21. Psalm 102:13-16 and Isaiah 59:16-20 also mention that the Lord will set His glory to the nations and relate to the rescue of Zion.

The parallels between all these passages are shown in table below:

  • Zechariah 14:2-3 also appears in the table to further show how Isaiah 59:16-20 relates to the end of the end time siege of Jerusalem. Isaiah 59:16-17 describes the Lord preparing for battle while Zechariah 14:3 describes the Lord ready for battle.

The Context of the Lord Setting His Glory

  • The Lord Will Fight
  • The Lord Will Set His Glory to the Nations
  • The Rescue of Zion

Ezekiel 39:21: And I will set my glory among the heathen, and all the heathen shall see my judgment that I have executed, and my hand that I have laid upon them.

Psalm 102:13-16: (13) Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion: for the time to favour her, yea, the set time, is come. (14) For thy servants take pleasure in her stones, and favour the dust thereof. (15) So the heathen shall fear the name of the LORD, and all the kings of the earth thy glory. (16) When the LORD shall build up Zion, he shall appear in his glory.

Isaiah 59:16-20: (16) And he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore his arm brought salvation unto him; and his righteousness, it sustained him. (17) For he put on righteousness as a breastplate, and an helmet of salvation upon his head; and he put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloke. (18) According to their deeds, accordingly he will repay, fury to his adversaries, recompence to his enemies; to the islands he will repay recompence. (19) So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him. (20) And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the LORD.

Zechariah 14:2-3: (2) For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city. (3) Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle.


The House of Israel Shall Know the Lord

As was just mentioned, the house of Israel shall know the Lord when He destroys Gog and his forces according to Ezekiel 39:22. This detail implies that the house of Israel will not know the Lord prior to the demise of Gog and his forces.

Isaiah 35:4-5 and Isaiah 42:13-16 indicate that Israel’s spiritual eyes will open when the Lord comes with vengeance. Isaiah 59:16-20 adds that the Lord will come to recompense His enemies with vengeance when it is time to redeem Zion.

The table below shows the similarities between Ezekiel 39:21-22, Isaiah 35:4-5 42:13-16, 59:16-20:


The House of Israel Shall Know the Lord

  • Spiritual Eyes Will Become Open
  • The Lord will Come with Vengeance

Ezekiel 39:21-22: (21) And I will set my glory among the heathen, and all the heathen shall see my judgment that I have executed, and my hand that I have laid upon them. (22) So the house of Israel shall know that I am the LORD their God from that day and forward.

Isaiah 35:4-5: (4) Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; he will come and save you. (5) Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.

Isaiah 42:13-16: (13) The LORD shall go forth as a mighty man, he shall stir up jealousy like a man of war: he shall cry, yea, roar; he shall prevail against his enemies. (14) I have long time holden my peace; I have been still, and refrained myself: now will I cry like a travailing woman; I will destroy and devour at once. (15) I will make waste mountains and hills, and dry up all their herbs; and I will make the rivers islands, and I will dry up the pools. (16) And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.

Isaiah 59:16-20: (16) And he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore his arm brought salvation unto him; and his righteousness, it sustained him. (17) For he put on righteousness as a breastplate, and an helmet of salvation upon his head; and he put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloke. (18) According to their deeds, accordingly he will repay, fury to his adversaries, recompence to his enemies; to the islands he will repay recompence. (19) So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him. (20) And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the LORD.


The parallels between all these passages suggest that the demise of Gog and his forces relates to the termination of the end time siege of Jerusalem and the Lord’s coming.

Timeline Summary

The mini-timeline below summarizes the order of events described in this article in chronological order:

Mini Timeline of Events
Event 1: A Large-Scale Effort to Destroy the People of Israel

  • The Psalm 83 war and the end time siege of Jerusalem appear to be parts of this effort
    • Both will occur around the same time frame given the parallels between Psalm 83 and Psalm 79.

Event 2: The Destruction of Gog and His Forces

  • The destruction of Gog and his forces will occur around the same time the participants of the end time siege of Jerusalem are destroyed. It appears this event will coincide with the Lord’s coming.

Given this, it is likely that the invasion of Gog and his forces will also be part of the effort that already connects the events of Psalm 83 with the end time siege of Jerusalem.

The verses presented above do not directly link Psalm 83 with the invasion by Gog and his forces. But, the connection between the demise of Gog’s forces and the demise of the forces involved in the end time siege of Jerusalem suggests:

  • The invasion by Gog and his forces will occur near the time of the siege (and thereby the time of Psalm 83 ) if it does not coincide with the time of the siege itself (and thereby the time of Psalm 83).

To learn more about the end time siege of Jerusalem, read “When Will Jerusalem Be Attacked During the End Times“.

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Note

  1. Another way to see a connection between Psalm 83 and the end time siege of Jerusalem is to compare Joel 3, a chapter about the time near the termination of the end time siege of Jerusalem, and Psalm 83. The Philistines and the inhabitants of Tyre from Psalm 83:5-8 are mentioned in Joel 3:4 as the “coasts of Palestine” and Tyre respectively.
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Wayne Croley
Wayne Croley

Hi! I’ve studied and written about Bible prophecy since I was a teenager. My goal is to make Bible prophecy easy for you to understand while avoiding the sensationalism seen elsewhere. I am the author of several end time books, including Prophecy Proof Insights on the End Times, a comprehensive book about the end times. I hold an M.B.A. and degrees in Managerial Economics and Political Science.

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  1. It was a story long time ago and it is already done. it is only written for us to have a reference in our life to remind us that we in this future time should not no longer do the same thing again.
    (Romans 15:4 -“For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.”). ref. bibleapp.com
    a degree in managerial economics & pol. sci. has nothing to do with biblical studies as I think.

  2. Is the Psalm 83 war a prophecy or a pray?
    OK, lets review a few Bible passages for debate/understanding/questioning/.
    Genesis 32:28–God informs Jacob that his name is now Israel.
    Northern Jewish tribes of Jacob called Israelites.
    Southern Jewish tribes of Judah called Judahlites.
    May14, 1948—-the land of the Jews now became a nation.
    Names suggested: Zion an Tzabar……voted on Israel 7 to 3.
    Now back up the clock to when the book of Psalms written, quoting from Psalm written by King David 83:1-4 passage regarding the surrounding nations intentions, “that the name of Israel may be remembered no more”.
    So, if King David was writing this thousands of years past……….how did he know that the country that the Jews were taken from an only the Jewish people in history to be restored into their home land, that the new nation would be NAMED ISRAEL?

    So with this it appears that the nation of Israel was recognized way before 1948, an that this is not a pray, but a prophecy of soon to come War, an all land given to the Jewish people to be restored to them?

  3. Your understanding of Psalm 83 and Ezekiel 38 & Ezekiel 39 is quite common. I don’t expect many people to agree with me on these chapters yet because what I have already presented and what I will present is so much different than what people have heard. Perhaps people might change their views once I present much of the research I’ve done. I’m working on the presentation of my research right now.

  4. Hi Wayne, I like you articles & appreciate talking on this great subject – the Lord`s purposes in the end times (of the Gentiles rule).

    Now my understanding of Ps. 83 is that it has already happened in the Israeli / Arab 6 day war. All the combatants are there against Israel. And yes they continue to want to `wipe Israel out as a nation.`
    I agree with you that Ez. 38 & 39, the Russian attempt at Israel is a different group. This will happen 7 years before Armageddon as it takes 7 years to burn the weapons which are made of compressed wood. (Russia uses this for many of their weapons & tanks etc)
    (Ez. 39: 9)
    Good discussion. Marilyn.

    • I agree with you Marilyn. The Psalm 83 war happened during the six day war. That’s why it was described like a storm or a wind because it ended quickly. Gog of ezekiel 39 is the antichrist in the armageddon war indwelt by satan, gog of ezekiel 38 is a future leader in the magog war at the end of the millennium indwelt also by satan.

      • I need to correct now my view that Gog at the end of the millennium is a future leader.

        I now view Gog as Satan himself who had come out of imprisonment from the abyss/bottomless pit to deceive the nations and lead them to attack God’s people at the end of the millennium.

        I found out that satan is the one referred to as the beast that come out of the bottomless pit in Rev. 17:8-10;

        8 The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.
        (satan was ruling the world since time in memorial, and has always been the original anti-christ all along. Then he was imprisoned to the abyss after his defeat from the armageddon war for a thousand years. Then he was realeased after a thousand years, and the nations wondered about satan, the beast, for he was gone a long time ago, and they thought he was destroyed already, but then he is back again.)

        9 And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.
        (There had been seven empires that ruled Jerusalem; Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, Rome, Ten Kindoms)

        10 And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space.
        (Each empire has kings over them and under the influence of satan the beast; Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medo=Persia, and Greece already has fallen at the John’s time; Rome is ruling during John’s time; the Ten Kingdoms will be the next after Rome, and is now ruling ever since, and we just have to identify who they are now in our time. Remember satan did not took a vacation in pursuing the woman and her offspring, it didn’t stop at the end of the Roman Empire)

        11 And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition.
        (satan, the beast himself, who had been part had influenced on the seven empires, is the eight king (Gog) here but without a head or an empire, because his rule will be short lived, only for 3.5 years, at the end of the millennium, and at this time he will be totally defeated and will go to his final destruction at the lake of fire. The beast could have been described as having 8 heads but it is not because the angel is emphasizing the shortness of its influence and rulership during the time of the end of the millennium, so he is just a king that will lead the attack on God’s people, those who had God’s seal on their foreheads, I don’t know of any empire in history that was established for only a short period of time.)

  5. You make a very good observation about the type of responses. I suspect the answer to your research question is “yes” because I can immediately think of passages which describe the destruction of the various forces in a similar manner.

  6. Liked it, thanks! You don’t need to apologize for long pauses if you use your time that wisely. 🙂

    For me, the connection between Ps 83:3 and Rev 12 is especially interesting because I may have never discovered what “hidden ones” may refer to. It’s because I read the Bible mostly in Hungarian and this part is translated with the phrase “protected ones” or “protégée”. Which is, actually, correct regarding the remnant of Israel in the wilderness, but when reading Ps 83, you just don’t realize that those “protected ones” are actually “hidden”! 🙂

    I was thinking, and I don’t know if you think this is interesting but I noticed that in Psalm 83, the main tool used by the Lord for the destruction of the heathen is the wind. It is mentioned as many as four times in the text that the Lord will make some kind of wind (storm) to sweep away His enemies:

    Psa 83:13 O my God, make them like a wheel; as the stubble before the wind.

    (…)

    Psa 83:15 So persecute them with thy tempest, and make them afraid with thy storm.

    Wheel, wind, tempest and storm at once!

    In verse 14, it also mentions fire, but in my opinion, these are metaphors that help us understand how quick and devastating and unstoppable (as a fire lit in the woods) this response of the Lord will be.

    So, I think it would be interesting if you could find out whether examining the way the Lord responses to the attacks helps us better understand the timing of the events of these related prophecy chapters.