(3) They have taken crafty counsel.—Literally, They have made their plot crafty; or, as we say, “They have laid a deep plot.”

Hidden ones—i.e., those under God’s close protection, as in Psalm 17:8; Psalm 27:5; Psalm 31:20.

Psalm 83:3-5. They have consulted against thy hidden ones — That is, against thy people Israel, as it is explained in the foregoing words, and in the next verse. They are called God’s hidden, or secret ones, צפוניךְ, tzepunecha, abditos tuos, to intimate the singular care and respect which God had to them, as his peculiar treasure, (as they are called, Exodus 19:5; Psalm 135:3,) whom he would hide and preserve in the secret of his presence, and under the shadow of his wings; and withal to denote the folly of Israel’s enemies in seeking the destruction of those whom God was engaged and resolved to protect. They have said, Come, let us cut them off, &c. — Whereby they have showed both their implacable rage and malice, and their great assurance of success. They are confederate against thee — They have laid aside all their private quarrels and animosities, and agreed together against thee.

83:1-8 Sometimes God seems not to be concerned at the unjust treatment of his people. But then we may call upon him, as the psalmist here. All wicked people are God's enemies, especially wicked persecutors. The Lord's people are his hidden one; the world knows them not. He takes them under his special protection. Do the enemies of the church act with one consent to destroy it, and shall not the friends of the church be united? Wicked men wish that there might be no religion among mankind. They would gladly see all its restraints shaken off, and all that preach, profess, or practise it, cut off. This they would bring to pass if it were in their power. The enemies of God's church have always been many: this magnifies the power of the Lord in preserving to himself a church in the world.They have taken crafty counsel - The one word translated "have taken crafty" - ערם ‛âram - means properly to make naked; and then, to be crafty, cunning, malignant, 1 Samuel 23:22. It is well rendered here, they have taken crafty counsel. The meaning is, they have made their counsel or their consultations crafty, cunning, artful, malignant. Instead of pursuing a course in their deliberations that would be just, true, honorable, they have followed the reverse. On the word rendered "counsel" - סוד sôd - which means a couch or cushion, and hence, a divan - see Job 15:8, note; Psalm 25:14, note; Psalm 64:2, note. The idea here is, that the persons referred to in the subsequent part of the psalm (Psalm 83:6-8) had been assembled in a divan, or for consultation, and that they had there formed a malignant plan - against God and his people - which they were now proceeding to execute.

Against thy people - For the purpose of destroying them.

And consulted against thy hidden ones - The word rendered "hidden ones" - from the verb צפן tsâphan, to hide, to conceal - properly denotes that which is secret, private, inaccessible Ezekiel 7:22; and then, anything protected or hidden so as to be secure. Compare the notes at Psalm 27:5. It would seem here to refer to those who were so protected by Yahweh - so inaccessible to others by reason of his guardian care - that they would be safe.

3. hidden ones—whom God specially protects (Ps 27:5; 91:1). i.e. Thy people of Israel, as it is explained in the foregoing words, and in the next verse; who are called God’s hidden or secret ones, to intimate the singular care and respect which God hath to them, as to his peculiar treasure, as they are called, Exodus 19:5 Psalm 135:4, whom he will hide and preserve in the secret of his presence, and under the shadow of his wings; and withal, to note their folly in seeking the destruction of those whom God was engaged and resolved to protect.

They have taken crafty counsel against thy people,.... The people of Israel, hereafter named, whom God had chosen and avouched to be his people; these they dealt subtlety with, as the king of Egypt had done with their forefathers; and this, agreeably to their character, being the seed of the old serpent, more subtle than any of the beasts of the field; these devised cunning devices, formed crafty schemes for the destruction of the Lord's people; but often so it is, that the wise are taken in their own craftiness, and their counsel is carried headlong:

and consulted against thy hidden ones; not hidden from the Lord, and unknown unto him, though from their enemies, and unknown by them, and so the object of their hatred and persecution; but hidden by him as his jewels and peculiar treasure, which he takes care of; hidden under the shadow of his wings, in the secret of his presence and tabernacle, as in a pavilion; and therefore it was a daring piece of insolence in their enemies to attack them: so the life of saints is said to be hid with Christ in God, which denotes both its secrecy and safety; see Colossians 3:3, the Targum is,

"against the things hidden in thy treasures;''

meaning the riches of the temple.

They have taken crafty counsel against thy people, and consulted against thy {c} hidden ones.

(c) The elect of God are his secret ones: for he hides them in the secret of his tabernacle, and preserves them from all dangers.