O LORD God of hosts, how long wilt thou be angry against the prayer of thy people?
O Lord God of hosts, how long wilt thou be angry - literally, 'dost thou smoke?' Compare Psalms 18:8; Psalms 74:1; Deuteronomy 29:20. Smoke is the attendant of fire; the consuming fire of God's vengeance. Smoke was the symbol of prayer, and of the burnt offering which expressed self-dedication (Psalms 141:2; Revelation 5:8; Revelation 8:3-4; Isaiah 6:4). The smoke of prayer should smother the fire of Gods wrath (Leviticus 16:13). But now, alas! God opposes the smoke of His anger to the smoke of prayer (Hengstenberg). The title LORD-Hebrew, Yahweh (H3068) - expresses His covenant relation to Israel as His people's "Shepherd" (Psalms 80:1). "God of hosts" expresses the infinitude of His resources, His omnipotence as the God that dwells between the cherubims (Psalms 80:1).