Psalm 68:2 kjv
As smoke is driven away, so drive them away: as wax melteth before the fire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of God.
Psalm 68:2 nkjv
As smoke is driven away, So drive them away; As wax melts before the fire, So let the wicked perish at the presence of God.
Psalm 68:2 niv
May you blow them away like smoke? as wax melts before the fire, may the wicked perish before God.
Psalm 68:2 esv
As smoke is driven away, so you shall drive them away; as wax melts before fire, so the wicked shall perish before God!
Psalm 68:2 nlt
Blow them away like smoke.
Melt them like wax in a fire.
Let the wicked perish in the presence of God.
Psalm 68 2 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ps 1:4 | The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away. | The transient nature of the wicked. |
| Ps 37:20 | But the wicked will perish; the Lord's enemies, like the glory of the fields, will vanish... vanish like smoke. | Wicked as perishing smoke. |
| Ps 73:18-19 | Surely you set them in slippery places; you cast them down to destruction. How suddenly are they destroyed... | Sudden destruction of the wicked. |
| Ps 92:7 | Though the wicked sprout like grass and all evildoers flourish, they are doomed to be destroyed forever. | The ultimate doom of evildoers. |
| Ps 97:5 | The mountains melt like wax before the Lord, before the Lord of all the earth. | Imagery of wax melting before God's presence. |
| Ps 145:20 | The Lord preserves all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy. | God's dual action of preservation and destruction. |
| Mal 4:1 | "For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble... | The day of judgment and consuming fire. |
| Isa 6:4 | And the foundations of the thresholds trembled at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. | Smoke as an indication of God's holy presence. |
| Isa 41:11-12 | "Behold, all who are incensed against you shall be put to shame... Those who contend with you shall be as nothing..." | God's enemies will come to nothing. |
| Nah 1:5-6 | The mountains quake before him; the hills melt... his wrath is poured out like fire, and the rocks are broken in pieces by him. | God's awesome, destructive power. |
| Mic 1:4 | And the mountains will melt beneath him, and the valleys will split apart, like wax before the fire... | Imagery of the earth dissolving before God. |
| Deut 4:24 | For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God. | God's nature as consuming fire. |
| Deut 9:3 | Understand therefore today that the Lord your God is he who goes over before you as a consuming fire... | God's presence going before His people. |
| Exod 14:24-25 | ...the Lord looked down on the army of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and cloud and threw the Egyptian army into panic. | God's destructive presence against enemies. |
| Judg 5:5 | The mountains quaked before the Lord, even Sinai itself, before the Lord, the God of Israel. | Creation responds to God's presence. |
| 2 Thes 1:7-9 | ...when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance... | Vengeance by Christ's fiery presence. |
| Heb 12:29 | for our God is a consuming fire. | New Testament reiteration of God's consuming nature. |
| Rev 20:10-15 | And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. | The ultimate judgment and destruction of the wicked. |
| Ps 112:10 | The wicked man sees it and is angry; he gnashes his teeth and melts away; the desire of the wicked will perish. | The wicked's frustration and eventual demise. |
| Prov 10:29 | The way of the Lord is a stronghold to the blameless, but ruin to the workers of iniquity. | Contrasting fates based on conduct. |
Psalm 68 verses
Psalm 68 2 Meaning
Psalm 68:2 vividly portrays the complete and swift demise of the wicked in the sovereign presence of God. It employs powerful similes: first, likening the wicked to smoke, which is transient and easily dispersed by wind, and second, to wax, which utterly loses its form and substance when exposed to intense fire. This verse is a plea and a proclamation for divine justice, asserting that as God arises in power, His adversaries will be annihilated and consumed by His glorious presence. It emphasizes the absolute power of God to rid the world of unrighteousness and those who oppose Him and His people.
Psalm 68 2 Context
Psalm 68 is a grand song of triumph, celebrating God's victorious procession and His dwelling among His people. It opens by echoing the ancient Ark chant from Numbers 10:35, calling for God to arise and for His enemies to be scattered. This immediately sets a tone of divine military might and absolute sovereignty. The verse's imagery of smoke and melting wax is therefore embedded in a context where God is portrayed as the mighty Warrior King who marches forth, delivering His people and decisively defeating His adversaries. Historically, this could evoke the miraculous deliverances of Israel from oppressors, God leading them through the wilderness, and establishing them in the Promised Land. Culturally, the immediate and complete destruction of enemies by divine power would resonate strongly with the experiences of a people frequently under threat. The imagery serves as a direct counter-narrative to any polytheistic notions of competing or weaker deities, affirming the unique, overwhelming power of Yahweh to justly judge and overcome all opposition simply by His presence.
Psalm 68 2 Word analysis
- As smoke: The Hebrew word is עָשָׁן (
ashan). Smoke is naturally fleeting, insubstantial, and easily dispersed by any force. It represents impermanence and dissolution, vanishing without leaving a trace. This contrasts with the substantial and enduring nature of God. - is driven away: The verb used is תִּנְדֹּף (
tindof), meaning to drive off, disperse, or chase away, often by wind. This highlights God's active power in dispelling His enemies, similar to how a mighty wind would effortlessly clear away smoke. It implies an overwhelming and complete dispersal. - so drive them away: A direct imperative, reflecting the Psalmist's confident petition for God to act with the same decisive power against His human adversaries. The parallelism underscores the desired swift and total eradication.
- as wax: The Hebrew term is דּוֹנַג (
donag). Wax is a solid substance, but highly susceptible to heat. It melts completely, losing its form and structure. This signifies the utter disintegration and ruin of the wicked. - melts: The verb is יִמָּס (
yimmas), which means to dissolve, melt, waste away, or languish. This suggests a total breakdown and annihilation, where the enemies not only disappear but lose their very being. - before fire: Fire here represents a force of ultimate judgment and destruction. It is an agent of transformation that consumes and purifies, leaving nothing behind but ash or vapor. In a biblical context, fire is often associated with the presence of God Himself, symbolizing His consuming holiness and judgment.
- so let the wicked: The Hebrew is רְשָׁעִים (
resha'im), referring to those who are unrighteous, unjust, rebellious against God's ways, and often those who actively oppress His people. This petition is specifically directed at those who are in direct opposition to divine order and justice. - perish: The verb is יֹאבְדוּ (
yovdu), meaning to perish, be destroyed, be lost, or cease to exist. This signifies ultimate and complete cessation, not merely a temporary setback. - before God: The phrase is מִפְּנֵי אֱלֹהִים (
mipp'nei Elohim), literally "from the face of God" or "in the presence of God." This is crucial. It asserts that the destruction of the wicked is not by human might or random chance, but a direct consequence of standing in the very presence of God's power and holiness. God's glory and holiness are inherently devastating to unrighteousness.
Psalm 68 2 Bonus section
The anthropomorphic plea for God to "arise" (Ps 68:1) implies a period of seeming inaction, setting the stage for His decisive intervention. The two similes in verse 2 are chosen precisely because they illustrate rapid, complete, and inevitable destruction stemming from contact with an opposing force (wind for smoke, fire for wax). The phrase "before God" emphasizes the absolute incompatibility of evil with His holy presence. This theological principle extends throughout Scripture, from His holy fire on Mount Sinai to the final judgment where no unrighteousness can stand before His throne. The verse reflects a common motif in Israelite understanding of their God, not merely as a protector but as a formidable warrior who actively wages war against chaos and unrighteousness.
Psalm 68 2 Commentary
Psalm 68:2 serves as a vivid imprecation and declaration of God's unstoppable power over all who oppose Him. The dual similes brilliantly convey a two-fold aspect of divine judgment: dispersion (like smoke) and utter dissolution (like wax). The imagery of smoke driven away speaks to the impermanence and futility of any human or spiritual opposition to the Almighty; they are inconsequential and will be scattered without effect. The melting wax imagery, conversely, conveys a more profound and consuming destruction, implying that in the overwhelming heat of God's holy presence, His adversaries lose their very substance and being, utterly perishing. This verse, therefore, underlines that God's mere arising and presence are sufficient to bring about the complete downfall of the wicked. It is a profound statement of divine sovereignty, asserting that justice will prevail, not by human striving, but by God's intrinsic nature as a consuming fire to all that is unholy. It encourages trust in God's ultimate power to defeat all forms of evil, ensuring that ultimately, His kingdom will stand.