Psalms 83:14 Meaning and Explanation
“As the fire burneth a wood, and as the flame setteth the mountains on fire;”
King James Version (KJV)
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Read Full Chapter →God is invoked to consume the enemies with overwhelming, spreading fire.
The Context of Psalms 83:14
Continued prayer for the enemies' complete consumption and destruction.
What Does Psalms 83:14 Mean?
Fire burning wood completely consumes it. Fire on mountains is an uncontrollable, spreading force. These images convey not mere destruction but total consumption and transformation. Nothing remains but ash. The scale increases: not just individual wood but mountains themselves alight.
The invocation of fire as God's instrument suggests both judgment and purification. This is not cruelty for its own sake but the violent removal of a threat so severe that ordinary means cannot contain it. The prayer matches the extremity of the danger.
Psalms 83:14 in the Original Language
esh (אֵשׁ), 'fire' — often God's instrument of judgment in scripture, consuming and purifying.
Frequently Asked Questions About Psalms 83:14
What does Psalms 83:14 mean?
God is invoked to consume the enemies with overwhelming, spreading fire.
What is the context of Psalms 83:14?
Continued prayer for the enemies' complete consumption and destruction.