Psalms 83:16
Psalms 83:16 in Multiple Translations
Cover their faces with shame, that they may seek Your name, O LORD.
Fill their faces with shame; that they may seek thy name, O LORD.
Fill their faces with confusion, That they may seek thy name, O Jehovah.
Let their faces be full of shame; so that they may give honour to your name, O Lord.
Shame them in defeat so that they come to you, Lord!
Fill their faces with shame, that they may seeke thy Name, O Lord.
Fill their faces [with] shame, And they seek Thy name, O Jehovah.
Fill their faces with confusion, that they may seek your name, LORD.
Fill their faces with shame; that they may seek thy name, O LORD.
Cause them [SYN] to be very ashamed in order that they will admit that you are very powerful.
Berean Amplified Bible — Psalms 83:16
BAB
Word Study
Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.
Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.
Psalms 83:16 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
כֵּ֭ן
תִּרְדְּפֵ֣/ם
בְּ/סַעֲרֶ֑/ךָ
וּ/בְ/סוּפָתְ/ךָ֥
תְבַהֲלֵֽ/ם
כֵּ֭ן
kên
H3651
right
Part
תִּרְדְּפֵ֣/ם
râdaph
H7291
to pursue
V-Qal-Imperf-2ms | Suff
בְּ/סַעֲרֶ֑/ךָ
çaʻar
H5591
tempest
Prep | N-ms | Suff
וּ/בְ/סוּפָתְ/ךָ֥
çûwphâh
H5492
whirlwind
Conj | Prep | N-fs | Suff
תְבַהֲלֵֽ/ם
bâhal
H926
to dismay
V-Piel-Imperf-2ms | Suff
Hebrew Word Study
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Hebrew Word Reference — Psalms 83:16
כֵּ֭ן
kên
H3651
"right"
Part
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means 'so' or 'thus', often used to show agreement or confirmation, like in the book of Genesis. It can also mean 'rightly' or 'justly', as in doing something the correct way. It appears in various forms throughout the Old Testament.
Definition: adv adj 1) right, just, honest, true, veritable 1a) right, just, honest 1b) correct 1c) true, veritable
Usage: Occurs in 737 OT verses. KJV: [phrase] after that (this, -ward, -wards), as... as, [phrase] (for-) asmuch as yet, [phrase] be (for which) cause, [phrase] following, howbeit, in (the) like (manner, -wise), [idiom] the more, right, (even) so, state, straightway, such (thing), surely, [phrase] there (where) -fore, this, thus, true, well, [idiom] you. See also: Genesis 1:7; Exodus 37:19; Judges 7:17.
תִּרְדְּפֵ֣/ם
râdaph
H7291
"to pursue"
V-Qal-Imperf-2ms | Suff
To pursue or chase after someone means to follow them with hostile intent. This can be a physical pursuit or a pursuit of someone's life or well-being, as seen in many biblical stories.
Definition: 1) to be behind, follow after, pursue, persecute, run after 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to pursue, put to flight, chase, dog, attend closely upon 1a2) to persecute, harass (fig) 1a3) to follow after, aim to secure (fig) 1a4) to run after (a bribe) (fig) 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be pursued 1b2) one pursued (participle) 1c) (Piel) to pursue ardently, aim eagerly to secure, pursue 1d) (Pual) to be pursued, be chased away 1e) (Hiphil) to pursue, chase
Usage: Occurs in 135 OT verses. KJV: chase, put to flight, follow (after, on), hunt, (be under) persecute(-ion, -or), pursue(-r). See also: Genesis 14:14; 2 Samuel 20:13; Psalms 7:2.
בְּ/סַעֲרֶ֑/ךָ
çaʻar
H5591
"tempest"
Prep | N-ms | Suff
This Hebrew word means a strong storm or hurricane, like a whirlwind. It appears in the Bible to describe powerful natural events. The KJV translates it as storm or tempest.
Definition: tempest Another spelling of se.a.rah (סְעָרָה "tempest" H5591B)
Usage: Occurs in 22 OT verses. KJV: storm(-y), tempest, whirlwind. See also: 2 Kings 2:1; Isaiah 41:16; Psalms 55:9.
וּ/בְ/סוּפָתְ/ךָ֥
çûwphâh
H5492
"whirlwind"
Conj | Prep | N-fs | Suff
Suphah refers to a hurricane or storm, and is also the name of a place east of the Jordan, translated as Red Sea in the KJV. It is derived from the idea of overflowing. In the Bible, it is used to describe powerful natural events, such as storms and whirlwinds.
Definition: storm-wind
Usage: Occurs in 16 OT verses. KJV: Red Sea, storm, tempest, whirlwind, Red sea. See also: Numbers 21:14; Isaiah 17:13; Psalms 83:16.
תְבַהֲלֵֽ/ם
bâhal
H926
"to dismay"
V-Piel-Imperf-2ms | Suff
This verb means to be alarmed or agitated, often suddenly. It's used in the Bible to describe people's reactions to frightening events, like battles or natural disasters. It can also mean to hurry or act hastily.
Definition: 1) to disturb, alarm, terrify, hurry, be disturbed, be anxious, be afraid, be hurried, be nervous 1a) (Niphal) 1a1) to be disturbed, dismayed, terrified, anxious 1a2) to be in haste, be hasty 1b) (Piel) 1b1) to make haste, act hastily, be hurried, be hastened 1b2) to dismay, terrify 1c) (Pual) 1c1) to hasten 1c2) hastened, hastily gained (part.) 1d) (Hiphil) 1d1) to hasten, hurry, make haste 1d2) to dismay, terrify
Usage: Occurs in 39 OT verses. KJV: be (make) affrighted (afraid, amazed, dismayed, rash), (be, get, make) haste(-n, -y, -ily), (give) speedy(-ily), thrust out, trouble, vex. See also: Genesis 45:3; Psalms 6:4; Psalms 2:5.
Study Notes — Psalms 83:16
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Psalms 83:16 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Psalms 83:16
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Psalms 83:16
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Psalms 83:16
- Trapp's Commentary on Psalms 83:16
- Ellicott's Commentary on Psalms 83:16
- Adam Clarke's Commentary on Psalms 83:16
- Cambridge Bible on Psalms 83:16
- Barnes' Notes on Psalms 83:16
- Whedon's Commentary on Psalms 83:16
- Sermons on Psalms 83:16
Context — O God, Be Not Silent
14As fire consumes a forest, as a flame sets the mountains ablaze,
15so pursue them with Your tempest, and terrify them with Your storm.
16Cover their faces with shame, that they may seek Your name, O LORD.
17May they be ever ashamed and terrified; may they perish in disgrace. 18May they know that You alone, whose name is the LORD, are Most High over all the earth.Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psalms 9:19–20 | Rise up, O LORD, do not let man prevail; let the nations be judged in Your presence. Lay terror upon them, O LORD; let the nations know they are but men. Selah |
| 2 | Psalms 6:10 | All my enemies will be ashamed and dismayed; they will turn back in sudden disgrace. |
| 3 | Psalms 109:29 | May my accusers be clothed with disgrace; may they wear their shame like a robe. |
| 4 | Psalms 132:18 | I will clothe his enemies with shame, but the crown upon him will gleam.” |
| 5 | Psalms 34:5 | Those who look to Him are radiant with joy; their faces shall never be ashamed. |
| 6 | Job 10:15 | If I am guilty, woe to me! And even if I am righteous, I cannot lift my head. I am full of shame and aware of my affliction. |
Psalms 83:16 Summary
Psalms 83:16 is a prayer that God would bring shame upon His enemies, so that they may turn to Him and seek His name. This means that God wants people to recognize their sin and turn to Him in humility, as seen in Proverbs 28:13. When we pray for God's enemies to be shamed, we are praying that they would come to know God as Lord, similar to the promise in Philippians 2:10-11. By seeking God's name, we can find forgiveness and salvation, as promised in Acts 4:12, and experience the joy and peace that comes from knowing Him, as seen in John 14:27.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it mean to 'cover their faces with shame' in Psalms 83:16?
This phrase means to bring shame and humiliation upon one's enemies, as seen in other passages like Jeremiah 51:51, so that they may recognize their sin and turn to God.
Is it right to pray for God to shame His enemies?
According to Psalms 83:16, yes, it is biblical to pray for God's enemies to be brought to shame, that they may seek His name, as seen in Psalms 83:16, and ultimately come to know Him as Lord, similar to the prayer in Psalms 109:29.
How does God use shame to bring people to Himself?
God uses shame to bring people to a place of humility and recognition of their sin, as seen in Luke 18:13-14, where the tax collector cried out for mercy, and then they may seek His name and turn to Him in repentance, as promised in Acts 3:19.
What is the ultimate goal of praying for God's enemies to be shamed?
The ultimate goal is that they may seek God's name, as stated in Psalms 83:16, and come to know Him as Lord, similar to the promise in Romans 11:25-26, where it is written that all Israel will be saved when they turn to God.
Reflection Questions
- What are some ways that I have seen God use shame or difficult circumstances to bring people to Himself, and how can I pray for those in my life who do not know Him?
- How can I balance a desire for God's justice to be done with a heart of love and compassion for those who are lost and do not know God, as seen in Matthew 9:36-38?
- In what ways can I seek God's name, as prayed for in Psalms 83:16, in my own life, and how can I encourage others to do the same, as encouraged in Hebrews 10:24-25?
- What are some potential consequences of not seeking God's name, as warned in Psalms 9:17, and how can I pray for protection from these consequences in my own life and in the lives of those around me?
Gill's Exposition on Psalms 83:16
Fill their faces with shame,.... For their sins, or rather through disappointment, not being able to put their desperate and deep laid schemes into execution: or "with lightness" (o); instead of a
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Psalms 83:16
O my God, make them like a wheel; as the stubble before the wind. -Second part of the second main division. Prayer inspired by God for the extinction of the foe by the fiery storm of God. Verse 13.
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Psalms 83:16
That being disappointed of their hopes, and discerning the impotency of their idols, they may own and worship thee as the only true God.
Trapp's Commentary on Psalms 83:16
Psalms 83:16 Fill their faces with shame; that they may seek thy name, O LORD.Ver. 16. Fill their faces with shame] By confounding their confidences, and blasting their designs. They promised themselves a triumph, but let them have the canvas. That they may seek thy name, O Lord] Ut inviti cogantur quis sit tam potens Iehovah rogitare , that they may even in despite of their heads be compelled to inquire after thee. It is storied of Sennacherib, that, after the destruction of his huge army at Jerusalem, demanding of some about him what might be the reason that the irresistible God of heaven so favoured the Jewish nation, as he had found by sad experience? answer was given, that Abraham, from whom they descended, sacrificed unto him his only son, which purchased this protection to his posterity. If that will win him, saith he, I will spare him two of my sons, to procure him to be on my side; which Sharezer and Adrammelech, his sons, hearing of, prevented their own deaths by his (Bib. Castal. Tabul.).
Ellicott's Commentary on Psalms 83:16
(16) Thy name, O Lord.—Rather, thy name (which is) Jehovah. The nations were to seek Him not only as God, but as Jehovah God of Israel. This is proved by Psalms 83:18. No doubt the thought uppermost in the verse is the submission of the heathen to Jehovah’s power. But we may, looking back, read in it a nobler wish and a grander hope—the prophetic hope of a union of nations in a belief in the common fatherhood of God.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on Psalms 83:16
Verse 16. That they may seek thy name] Let them be confounded in all their attempts on Israel; and see, so manifestly, that thou hast done it, that they may invoke thy name, and be converted to thee.
Cambridge Bible on Psalms 83:16
16. Fill their faces with shame] Or, disgrace. Let them be disgraced by defeat and disappointed in their project. But this is only as the means to the higher end, that they may seek Jehovah’s name, recognising in Israel’s God the God of revelation, and submitting themselves to His Will.
Barnes' Notes on Psalms 83:16
Fill their faces with shame - As those who are disappointed and foiled in their plans - such disappointment and confusion commonly manifesting itself in the face.
Whedon's Commentary on Psalms 83:16
16. That they may seek thy name—Or, And they shall seek thy name.
Sermons on Psalms 83:16
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
|
Your Enemies Will Leave Suddenly and Ashamed by Carter Conlon | In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes that even righteous individuals can lose their discernment and be challenged by God. He highlights the importance of being able to hear the |
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Wisdom Lights Up Our Face by Zac Poonen | In this sermon, the speaker uses the analogy of a hotel with many rooms to illustrate the Christian life. He emphasizes the importance of having nothing to hide and having a good a |
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Dreams in Flames - Part 1 by Winkie Pratney | In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of focusing on Jesus and loving others rather than being self-centered. He encourages listeners to reach out and help others, |
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Keeping Our Focus by Debbie Meroff | In this sermon, the preacher discusses the concept of not being able to see spiritually and lacking the eyes of faith. He emphasizes the need to open the eyes of our hearts and see |
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The Fear of God (02) Fathers and Their Responsibility by Don Courville | In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of teaching the fear of the Lord to the younger generation. He explains that the fear of the Lord is a response to God's love |
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(Youth Bible School 2007) Christ Is the Believer's Life by John D. Martin | In this sermon, the apostle Paul addresses four things in life that steal people's joy: circumstances, people, things, and anxiety. He emphasizes the importance of putting these th |
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Not Alone in Suffering by Basilea Schlink | In this video, Basilia Schlink shares her testimony of how she found comfort and joy in her suffering. She was seriously ill and separated from her loved ones for a long time. Howe |