Psalm 83 14

Psalm 83:14 kjv

As the fire burneth a wood, and as the flame setteth the mountains on fire;

Psalm 83:14 nkjv

As the fire burns the woods, And as the flame sets the mountains on fire,

Psalm 83:14 niv

As fire consumes the forest or a flame sets the mountains ablaze,

Psalm 83:14 esv

As fire consumes the forest, as the flame sets the mountains ablaze,

Psalm 83:14 nlt

As a fire burns a forest
and as a flame sets mountains ablaze,

Psalm 83 verses

Psalm 83 14 Meaning

Psalm 83:14 expresses a fervent plea to God, invoking the terrifying and consuming power of wildfires as a metaphor for divine judgment. The verse seeks for God's wrath to descend upon the enemies of His people with an intensity and thoroughness comparable to fire incinerating vast forests and flames engulfing mighty mountains. It signifies a desire for their utter, widespread, and unstoppable destruction and dispersal.

Psalm 83 14 Context

Psalm 83 is an imprecatory psalm, a communal lament where Asaph cries out to God in a time of national crisis. It details a formidable confederacy of ten enemy nations, led by Edom, Ishmaelites, Moab, Hagrites, Gebal, Ammon, Amalek, Philistia, Tyre, and Assyria, who have formed an alliance to destroy Israel and erase its memory from the earth (v.4). The psalmist's urgent prayer asks God to break His silence and act on behalf of His covenant people. Verse 14 is part of a series of fervent petitions (v.9-17) for God to display His power against these enemies, referencing historical instances of divine intervention and judgment (e.g., against Midian, Sisera, and Jabin in v.9-12). This verse specifically likens the desired devastation to an all-consuming fire, setting the stage for further descriptions of overwhelming divine action (like a tempest and hurricane in v.15), all culminating in the ultimate purpose: that the enemies may know that the God of Israel, whose name is LORD (YHWH), is the Most High over all the earth (v.18).

Psalm 83 14 Word analysis

• As (כְּ - ke-): This particle introduces a strong simile, drawing a direct comparison between the destructive power of a natural force and the desired outcome of God's judgment. It underscores the severity and completeness of the destruction envisioned.

• the fire (אֵשׁ - esh): The common Hebrew word for "fire." Biblically, fire is deeply symbolic of God's holy presence, purifying power, but overwhelmingly, it represents His wrath and swift judgment. It is an agent of total consumption and annihilation.

• burneth (תִּבְעַר - tiv-ʿar): From the verb בָּעַר (baʿar), meaning "to burn, consume, kindle." It signifies an active, relentless, and uncontained process of destruction, emphasizing the thoroughness of the burning.

• a wood (יַּעַר - yaʿar): A forest or thicket. A "wood" implies a vast expanse of material for fuel. This imagery speaks to widespread destruction across a large area, leaving nothing untouched. It may symbolize the large numbers and expansiveness of the combined enemy forces.

• and as (וְכַּ- - ve-kha-): "And like." This conjunction further connects and intensifies the comparison, adding a second, even more potent image.

• the flame (לֶהָבָה - le-ha-vah): Refers to a "flame" or a "blaze," a more specific and intense manifestation of fire than just "fire" itself. It suggests rising heat, light, and more concentrated destructive energy, often used in connection with weapons or divine anger.

• setteth ... on fire (תְּלַהֵט - te-la-het): From the verb לָהַט (lahat), "to set ablaze, scorch, burn fiercely, envelop in flame." This is a strong, active verb implying overwhelming and rapid incineration, distinct from a general burning.

• the mountains (הָרִים - ha-rim): Mountains symbolize stability, strength, permanence, and often serve as places of refuge or fortified strongholds. Setting mountains on fire indicates a destruction so potent that it devastates even the most enduring and seemingly unconquerable elements of the landscape or, metaphorically, the most powerful and entrenched enemies or their nations.

• Words-Group Analysis:

  • "As the fire burneth a wood": This phrase paints a vivid picture of a raging forest fire, uncontrollable and all-consuming. It metaphorically desires God's judgment to be as extensive and comprehensive, leaving the enemy without shelter or substance. It points to a broad, indiscriminate sweep of destruction against the enemy host.
  • "and as the flame setteth the mountains on fire": This intensifies the preceding image. While a forest fire devastates the surface, flames setting mountains ablaze speaks to destruction reaching the very foundations and conquering the most formidable natural barriers. It implies that no part of the enemy's power—no leader, fortress, or even their foundational existence as nations—will be spared from God's wrath. This hyperbole stresses the irresistible nature of divine judgment.

Psalm 83 14 Bonus section

• The transition of imagery from fire (v.14) to wind/tempest (v.15) demonstrates a rapid and complete rout. The fire devastates and prepares, and the subsequent storm scatters the remnants and terrorizes any survivors, signifying a holistic destruction and pursuit.
• The natural forces described (fire, flame) in this verse align with biblical descriptions of divine manifestations and judgment (e.g., God appearing in fire on Mount Sinai, the "consuming fire" nature of God). This aligns the desired human action (vengeance) with God's very nature and mode of operation.
• In the ancient Near East, mountains often held sacred significance, sometimes being associated with specific pagan deities. By asking for mountains to be set ablaze, the psalmist implicitly calls for the destruction of the enemies' places of worship and any perceived spiritual strongholds, thereby discrediting their false gods and exalting YHWH as the supreme deity.

Psalm 83 14 Commentary

Psalm 83:14 uses deeply impactful and visceral imagery to articulate the Psalmist’s plea for God’s swift and utter judgment upon Israel's enemies. The progression from fire consuming a vast "wood" (forest) to "flame" igniting enduring "mountains" portrays an escalating scale and intensity of divine intervention. The forest fire metaphor illustrates the comprehensive nature of the desired judgment, consuming everything in its path, suggesting a desire for the wholesale dispersal and eradication of the hostile coalition. The subsequent image of mountains set ablaze amplifies this, emphasizing that no strength, stability, or refuge of the enemies, however formidable, will withstand God's consuming wrath. This powerful prayer is born from a desperate concern for God's glory and the preservation of His covenant people, not mere vengeful desire. It seeks a definitive display of God's unique sovereignty over all earthly powers, that the world might "know that You, whose name alone is the LORD, are the Most High over all the earth" (Ps 83:18).