New International VersionPart your heavens, LORD, and come down; touch the mountains, so that they smoke.
New Living TranslationOpen the heavens, LORD, and come down. Touch the mountains so they billow smoke.
English Standard VersionBow your heavens, O LORD, and come down! Touch the mountains so that they smoke!
Berean Standard BiblePart Your heavens, O LORD, and come down; touch the mountains, that they may smoke.
King James BibleBow thy heavens, O LORD, and come down: touch the mountains, and they shall smoke.
New King James VersionBow down Your heavens, O LORD, and come down; Touch the mountains, and they shall smoke.
New American Standard BibleBend down Your heavens, LORD, and come down; Touch the mountains, that they may smoke.
NASB 1995Bow Your heavens, O LORD, and come down; Touch the mountains, that they may smoke.
NASB 1977Bow Thy heavens, O LORD, and come down; Touch the mountains, that they may smoke.
Legacy Standard BibleO Yahweh, bow Your heavens, and come down; Touch the mountains, that they may smoke.
Amplified BibleBow Your heavens, O LORD, and come down; Touch the mountains, and they will smoke.
Christian Standard BibleLORD, part your heavens and come down. Touch the mountains, and they will smoke.
Holman Christian Standard Bible LORD, part Your heavens and come down. Touch the mountains, and they will smoke.
American Standard VersionBow thy heavens, O Jehovah, and come down: Touch the mountains, and they shall smoke.
Contemporary English VersionOpen the heavens like a curtain and come down, LORD. Touch the mountains and make them send up smoke.
English Revised VersionBow thy heavens, O LORD, and come down: touch the mountains, and they shall smoke.
GOD'S WORD® TranslationO LORD, bend your heaven low, and come down. Touch the mountains, and they will smoke.
Good News TranslationO LORD, tear the sky open and come down; touch the mountains, and they will pour out smoke.
International Standard VersionBow your heavens, LORD, and descend; touch the mountains, and they will smolder.
NET BibleO LORD, make the sky sink and come down! Touch the mountains and make them smolder!
New Heart English BiblePart your heavens, LORD, and come down. Touch the mountains, and they will smoke.
Webster's Bible TranslationBow thy heavens, O LORD, and come down: touch the mountains, and they shall smoke. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BiblePart Your heavens, O LORD, and come down; touch the mountains, that they may smoke.
World English BiblePart your heavens, Yahweh, and come down. Touch the mountains, and they will smoke. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionYHWH, incline Your heavens and come down, "" Strike against mountains, and they smoke.
Young's Literal Translation Jehovah, incline Thy heavens and come down, Strike against mountains, and they smoke.
Smith's Literal TranslationO Jehovah, incline thy heavens, and thou wilt come down: touch upon the mountains and they shall smoke. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleLord, bow down thy heavens and descend: touch the mountains and they shall smoke.
Catholic Public Domain VersionO Lord, incline your heavens and descend. Touch the mountains, and they will smoke.
New American Bible LORD, incline your heavens and come down; touch the mountains and make them smoke.
New Revised Standard Version Bow your heavens, O LORD, and come down; touch the mountains so that they smoke.Translations from Aramaic Lamsa Bible Bow thy heavens, O LORD, and come down; rebuke the mountains, and they shall smoke.
Peshitta Holy Bible Translated Bend Heaven, LORD JEHOVAH, and come down, and severely rebuke the mountains and they will be reduced to smoke!OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917 O LORD, bow Thy heavens, and come down; Touch the mountains, that they may smoke.
Brenton Septuagint Translation O Lord, bow thy heavens, and come down: touch the mountains, and they shall smoke.
Additional Translations ... Audio Bible
Context Blessed Be the LORD, My Rock… 4Man is like a breath; his days are like a passing shadow. 5PartYour heavens,O LORD,and come down;touchthe mountains,that they may smoke.6Flash forth Your lightning and scatter them; shoot Your arrows and rout them.…
Cross References Isaiah 64:1If only You would rend the heavens and come down, so that mountains would quake at Your presence,
Exodus 19:18Mount Sinai was completely enveloped in smoke, because the LORD had descended on it in fire. And the smoke rose like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked violently.
2 Samuel 22:10He parted the heavens and came down with dark clouds beneath His feet.
Isaiah 63:19We have become like those You never ruled, like those not called by Your name.
Habakkuk 3:6He stood and measured the earth; He looked and startled the nations; the ancient mountains crumbled; the perpetual hills collapsed. His ways are everlasting.
Deuteronomy 4:11You came near and stood at the base of the mountain, a mountain blazing with fire to the heavens, with black clouds and deep darkness.
Judges 5:4-5O LORD, when You went out from Seir, when You marched from the land of Edom, the earth trembled, the heavens poured out rain, and the clouds poured down water. / The mountains quaked before the LORD, the One of Sinai, before the LORD, the God of Israel.
Psalm 18:9He parted the heavens and came down with dark clouds beneath His feet.
Psalm 68:8the earth shook and the heavens poured down rain before God, the One on Sinai, before God, the God of Israel.
Psalm 97:5The mountains melt like wax at the presence of the LORD, before the Lord of all the earth.
Psalm 104:32He looks on the earth, and it trembles; He touches the mountains, and they smolder.
Revelation 6:14The sky receded like a scroll being rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved from its place.
Revelation 19:11Then I saw heaven standing open, and there before me was a white horse. And its rider is called Faithful and True. With righteousness He judges and wages war.
Matthew 24:29-30Immediately after the tribulation of those days: ‘The sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.’ / At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and all the tribes of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
Mark 13:25-26the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.’ / At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.
Treasury of Scripture Bow your heavens, O LORD, and come down: touch the mountains, and they shall smoke. bow Psalm 18:9 He bowed the heavens also, and came down: and darknesswas under his feet. Isaiah 64:1,2 Oh that thou wouldest rend the heavens, that thou wouldest come down, that the mountains might flow down at thy presence, … touch Psalm 104:32 He looketh on the earth, and it trembleth: he toucheth the hills, and they smoke. Exodus 19:18 And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly. Nahum 1:3-6 The LORDis slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquitthe wicked: the LORDhath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the cloudsare the dust of his feet… Jump to Previous BowHeavensInclineMountainsPartSmokeStrikeTouchJump to Next BowHeavensInclineMountainsPartSmokeStrikeTouchPsalm 144 1.David blesses God for his mercy both to him and to man5.He prays that God would powerfully deliver him from his enemies9.He promises to praise God11.He prays for the happy state of the kingdomPart Your heavens, O LORD, and come down;This phrase is a plea for divine intervention, echoing the language of theophany, where God manifests His presence in a tangible way. The imagery of God parting the heavens suggests a dramatic entrance, reminiscent of God's appearances in the Old Testament, such as at Mount Sinai ( Exodus 19:18-20). The heavens symbolize God's dwelling place, and the act of parting them signifies His willingness to engage directly with the earthly realm. This request for God to "come down" reflects a deep desire for His immediate and powerful presence, similar to Isaiah 64:1, where the prophet cries out for God to rend the heavens and descend. Theologically, this can be seen as a type of Christ, who is God incarnate, coming down to dwell among humanity ( John 1:14). touch the mountains, that they may smoke. The imagery of smoking mountains is evocative of God's majesty and power, often associated with His presence in the Old Testament. When God descended on Mount Sinai, the mountain smoked and trembled (Exodus 19:18), symbolizing His holiness and the awe-inspiring nature of His presence. Mountains in biblical literature often represent stability and permanence, yet here they are depicted as being affected by God's touch, highlighting His supreme authority over creation. This phrase also connects to the prophetic imagery found inHabakkuk 3:6, where God's presence causes the mountains to quake. In a broader sense, this can be seen as a foreshadowing of the transformative power of Christ, who, through His ministry, death, and resurrection, brought about a new covenant, shaking the foundations of the old order (Hebrews 12:26-27). Persons / Places / Events 1. DavidTraditionally attributed as the author of Psalm 144, David was the second king of Israel, known for his deep relationship with God and his role as a warrior and poet. 2. The LORD (Yahweh)The covenant name of God, emphasizing His eternal existence and faithfulness to His people. 3. HeavensThe skies or the realm above the earth, often seen as the dwelling place of God. 4. MountainsSymbolic of strength and stability, often representing places of divine revelation or intervention. 5. SmokeA visual representation of God's presence and power, reminiscent of the theophany at Mount Sinai. Teaching Points God's Sovereign PowerThe imagery of God parting the heavens and causing mountains to smoke highlights His supreme authority over creation. Believers can trust in God's power to intervene in their lives. Divine InterventionJust as David called upon God to act, Christians are encouraged to seek God's presence and intervention in times of trouble, trusting that He is both willing and able to respond. Symbolism of MountainsMountains often symbolize challenges or obstacles. This verse reminds believers that God can transform these into opportunities for His glory to be revealed. Prayer and ExpectationDavid's prayer is bold and expectant. Christians are encouraged to pray with faith, believing that God hears and responds to the cries of His people. God's Presence in TrialsThe smoke signifies God's presence amidst trials. Believers can find comfort in knowing that God is with them, even in the most daunting circumstances. Lists and Questions Top 10 Lessons from Psalm 144
Is there any scientific or historical basis for the cosmic events described in Psalm 144:5–6, such as God parting the heavens and making mountains smoke?
How can Psalm 144:1's portrayal of God training hands for war be reconciled with other biblical teachings on peace (e.g., Matthew 5:9)?
Psalm 36:5 mentions God's love extending 'to the heavens'--how does this align with modern cosmological understanding of an expanding universe?
Psalm 96:5 proclaims the Lord 'made the heavens,' so how does this fit with current cosmological theories such as the Big Bang and the vast timeline of cosmic evolution?(5) Come down.--The theophany for which the psalmist prays is described in the classic language for such manifestations taken from Psalm 18:9; Psalm 18:13; Psalm 18:16-17; Psalm 18:43; Psalm 18:45, with reminiscences of Psalm 104:32; Exodus 19:18. But there are touches of originality, as in the next clause. . . . Verse 5. - Bow thy heavens, O Lord, and come down. The strain changes. From praise of God's loving-kindness and might, the psalmist proceeds to invoke his aid. Taking his metaphors from Psalm 18:9. "Bow thy heavens, O Lord," he says, "and come down" to earth - appear in thy might, to the discomfiture of thy enemies and the relief of thy faithful ones. Touch the mountains, and they shall smoke. Do as thou wert pleased to do at Sinai, when thou showedst thyself - "Touch the mountains, and let a smoke go up from them" (see Exodus 19:16, 18; Deuteronomy 4:11; Psalm 18:7-14) - a consuming fire, that shall burn up the ungodly.
Parallel Commentaries ...
Hebrew Partהַט־(haṭ-)Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular Strong's 5186:To stretch out, spread out, extend, incline, bendYour heavens,שָׁמֶ֣יךָ(šā·me·ḵā)Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular Strong's 8064:Heaven, skyO LORD,יְ֭הוָה(Yah·weh)Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 3068:LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israeland come down;וְתֵרֵ֑ד(wə·ṯê·rêḏ)Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - second person masculine singular Strong's 3381:To come or go down, descendtouchגַּ֖ע(ga‘)Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular Strong's 5060:To touch, lay the hand upon, to reach, violently, to strikethe mountains,בֶּהָרִ֣ים(be·hā·rîm)Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine plural Strong's 2022:Mountain, hill, hill countrythat they may smoke.וְֽיֶעֱשָֽׁנוּ׃(wə·ye·‘ĕ·šā·nū)Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine plural Strong's 6225:To smoke, be angry
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OT Poetry: Psalm 144:5 Part your heavens Yahweh and come down (Psalm Ps Psa.) |