Psalms 83:14

14 Be like a fire that burns a forest or like flames that blaze through the hills.

Psalms 83:14 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 83:14

As the fire burneth the wood
Or "forest" F13; which is sometimes done purposely, and sometimes through carelessness, as Virgil F14 observes; and which is done very easily and swiftly, when fire is set to it; even all the trees of it, great and small, to which an army is sometimes compared, ( Isaiah 10:18 Isaiah 10:19 ) , and as the flame setteth the mountains on fire; either the mountains themselves, as Etna, Vesuvius, and others; or rather the grass and trees that grow upon them, smitten by lightning from heaven, which may be meant by the flame: in like manner it is wished that the fire and flame of divine wrath would consume the confederate enemies of Israel, above mentioned; as wicked men are but as trees of the forest, and the grass of the mountains, or as thorns and briers, to the wrath of God, which is poured out as fire, and is signified by everlasting burnings.


FOOTNOTES:

F13 (rey) "sylvam", Montanus, Tigurine version, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator
F14 Georgic. l. 2. v. 310.

Psalms 83:14 In-Context

12 They said, "Let's take for ourselves the pasturelands that belong to God."
13 My God, make them like tumbleweed, like chaff blown away by the wind.
14 Be like a fire that burns a forest or like flames that blaze through the hills.
15 Chase them with your storm, and frighten them with your wind.
16 Cover them with shame. Then people will look for you, Lord.
Scripture taken from the New Century Version. Copyright © 1987, 1988, 1991 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.