Psalm 50:3

יָ֤בֹ֥א אֱלֹהֵ֗ינוּ וְֽאַל־יֶ֫חֱרַ֥שׁ אֵשׁ־לְפָנָ֥יו תֹּאכֵ֑ל וּ֝סְבִיבָ֗יו נִשְׂעֲרָ֥ה מְאֹֽד׃

He shall come, our God, and he shall not be silent; fire before him shall devour, and around him it is stormed greatly.

Morphology

1. יָבֹא (yavoʾ) – Root: בוא (boʾ); Root Type: III-Aleph; Binyan: Qal; Form: Imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “he shall come”; Notes: Expresses future or imminent divine appearance. The verb יָבֹא is the same root (B-W-A) we saw in the previous verse for the sun “going/entering.” Here, it marks the arrival of the Judge.​ By placing the verb before the subject (“He shall come, our God”), the Hebrew emphasizes the action of arrival. It feels like a shout: “He is coming!”
2. אֱלֹהֵינוּ (ʾelohenu) – Root: אלה (ʾ-l-h); Root Type: I-Guttural (א); Form: Noun masculine plural + suffix 1st person common plural; Translation: “our God”; Notes: The suffix marks possession, emphasizing covenant relationship.
3. וְאַל (ve-ʾal) – Root: אל (ʾal); Root Type: Particle (Strong); Form: Conjunction וְ + negative particle; Translation: “and not”; Notes: Used with the imperfect to express prohibition or negation. The particle אל is a specific type of “not” used for commands or strong desires (a jussive). It isn’t just “He won’t be quiet,” it’s more like “May he not be silent!” or a realization that the time for silence has ended. This contrasts with the previous Psalm’s “silencing” (Nidmu) of the foolish rich. God, unlike the dead, speaks with power.
4. יֶחֱרַשׁ (yeḥerash) – Root: חרשׁ (ḥ-r-sh); Root Type: Strong; Binyan: Qal; Form: Imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “he shall be silent”; Notes: Indicates absence of speech, here negated to stress divine action.
5. אֵשׁ (ʾesh) – Root: אשׁ (ʾesh); Root Type: I-Guttural (א); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “fire”; Notes: Symbol of judgment and consuming power.
6. לְפָנָיו (lefanav) – Root: פנה (p-n-h); Root Type: III-He; Form: Preposition לְ + noun masculine plural (lexical form) + suffix 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “before him”; Notes: Indicates position or presence in front of him.
7. תֹּאכֵל (toʾkhel) – Root: אכל (ʾ-k-l); Root Type: I-Guttural (א); Binyan: Qal; Form: Imperfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “it shall devour”; Notes: Agrees with “fire” as subject. This is classic Sinai imagery. תֹּאכֵל (eats/devours) personifies the fire as a hungry force clearing the way for the King.
8. וּסְבִיבָיו (u-sevivav) – Root: סבב (s-b-b); Root Type: Geminate; Form: Conjunction וּ + noun masculine singular + suffix 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “and around him”; Notes: Denotes surrounding space or environment.
9. נִשְׂעֲרָה (nisʿarah) – Root: סער (s-ʿ-r); Root Type: II-Guttural (ע); Binyan: Nifal; Form: Perfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “it is stormed”; Notes: Describes turbulent, storm-like activity surrounding him. The Hebrew word is a feminine Nifal (passive/reflexive) form of Sa’ar (tempest/storm). It describes the very atmosphere around God as being whipped into a whirlwind. It’s not just that there is a storm; it’s that the area is being stormed.
10. מְאֹד (meʾod) – Root: אדד (ʾ-d-d) or lexical adverb; Root Type: I-Guttural (א); Form: Adverb; Translation: “greatly”; Notes: Intensifies the preceding verb, emphasizing magnitude; “greatly” is the standard literal meaning, adding a sense of scale to the chaos.
    The Contrast of the Two Psalms

    ​Notice the difference in the “environment” between the two Psalms:

    • ​Psalm 49: Ends in the dark, silent grave (Nidmu).
    • ​Psalm 50: Begins with a God who refuses to be silent, surrounded by light (fire) and noise (storm).

    ​The translation “it is stormed greatly” is particularly strong, as it preserves the unusual passive voice of the Hebrew, which most English Bibles flatten into “a right tempestuous storm” or “it shall be very tempestuous.” This rendering keeps the focus on the supernatural nature of the event.