Psalm 97:5 kjv
The hills melted like wax at the presence of the LORD, at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.
Psalm 97:5 nkjv
The mountains melt like wax at the presence of the LORD, At the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.
Psalm 97:5 niv
The mountains melt like wax before the LORD, before the Lord of all the earth.
Psalm 97:5 esv
The mountains melt like wax before the LORD, before the Lord of all the earth.
Psalm 97:5 nlt
The mountains melt like wax before the LORD,
before the Lord of all the earth.
Psalm 97 5 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference Note |
|---|---|---|
| Exod 19:18 | Now Mount Sinai was wrapped in smoke because the Lord had descended... the whole mountain trembled greatly. | Sinai's trembling at God's presence. |
| Judg 5:5 | The mountains quaked before the Lord, even Sinai before the Lord, the God of Israel. | Mountains shaking before the Lord. |
| Pss 18:7-8 | Then the earth reeled and rocked; the foundations of the mountains trembled and quaked, because he was angry. Smoke went up from his nostrils... | Earth's upheaval at divine wrath/presence. |
| Pss 29:5-6 | The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars; the Lord breaks in pieces the ced cedars of Lebanon. He makes Lebanon to skip like a calf, and Sirion like a young wild ox. | God's powerful voice over creation. |
| Pss 68:7-8 | O God, when you went out before your people... the earth trembled, the heavens poured down rain, before God, the One of Sinai, before God, the God of Israel. | God's powerful advance causing earth to tremble. |
| Pss 97:4 | His lightning flashes light up the world; the earth sees and trembles. | Direct chapter context, earth's fear of the Lord. |
| Pss 104:32 | He who looks at the earth, and it trembles; who touches the mountains, and they smoke! | God's touch affecting mountains and earth. |
| Pss 114:4-7 | The mountains skipped like rams, the hills like lambs... Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob. | Mountains personified, trembling at God. |
| Isa 6:1 | I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. | God's sublime presence. |
| Isa 40:4 | Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low... | Geological transformation at God's coming. |
| Isa 64:1-3 | Oh that you would rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains might quake at your presence... as when fire kindles brushwood... | Plea for God's manifesting power. |
| Mic 1:3-4 | For behold, the Lord is coming out from his place, and will come down and tread on the high places of the earth. And the mountains will melt under him... | Prophetic image of mountains melting. |
| Nah 1:5 | The mountains quake before him; the hills melt... the world and all who dwell in it. | Mountains and hills melting before God. |
| Hab 3:6 | He stood and measured the earth; he looked and shook the nations; then the eternal mountains were scattered; the everlasting hills sank low... | Everlasting mountains disrupted by God. |
| Zech 4:14 | ...These are the two anointed ones who stand by the Lord of the whole earth. | "Lord of the whole earth" title. |
| Heb 12:18-21 | For you have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; and to darkness and gloom and a whirlwind... so terrifying was the sight... | Referencing Sinai's fear-inducing presence. |
| 2 Pet 3:10 | But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved... | Cosmic elements dissolving in God's judgment. |
| Rev 6:14-17 | The sky vanished like a scroll that is being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place. Then the kings... hid themselves in the caves... | Earth's cataclysm at the Lamb's wrath. |
| Rev 20:11 | Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. | Earth and sky fleeing from God's judgment seat. |
| 2 Tim 4:1 | I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom. | "His appearing" relates to divine presence. |
Psalm 97 verses
Psalm 97 5 Meaning
Psalm 97:5 declares the awe-inspiring power of God. It states that when the Lord manifests His presence, even the most solid and enduring elements of creation, such as mountains, lose their stability and become utterly fluid and vulnerable, likened to wax melting under heat. The repetition of "at the presence of the Lord" emphasizes His personal and irresistible agency, underscoring His universal dominion over all the earth. This verse vividly illustrates God's absolute sovereignty, capable of transforming and mastering any part of His creation at will.
Psalm 97 5 Context
Psalm 97 is a psalm of enthronement, celebrating the Lord's universal reign. It begins with "The Lord reigns, let the earth rejoice" (Ps 97:1) and describes His coming in power and judgment, accompanied by clouds, darkness, fire, and lightning. The trembling of the earth and the melting of mountains (verse 5) serve as vivid expressions of the overwhelming majesty and unstoppable force of His divine presence, which consumes all obstacles and reveals His glory. This sets the stage for the declaration of His righteousness and salvation (Ps 97:6). Historically, the imagery recalls God's fearful descent on Mount Sinai (Exod 19), where the mountain quaked and was engulfed in smoke and fire at His presence, demonstrating His unparalleled power to the ancient Israelites and emphasizing His uniqueness over all perceived gods of the nations, whose power was limited to specific domains or even non-existent.
Psalm 97 5 Word analysis
- The mountains (הָרִים - harim): This refers to high, naturally occurring elevations of land. In ancient thought and throughout the Bible, mountains often symbolize permanence, strength, stability, and enduring power. They are seen as immovable and enduring landmarks.
- melt (נָמַסּוּ - namassu): This Hebrew verb means "to melt," "to dissolve," "to waste away," or "to fail." It conveys a process of dissolution or decomposition due to heat, implying complete yielding and loss of form and integrity.
- like wax (כַּדּוֹנַג - kaddônag): This is a vivid simile. Wax is a soft substance easily affected by heat, losing its solid shape and becoming fluid. The comparison underscores the complete vulnerability and utter powerlessness of even the mightiest parts of creation when confronted by God's manifest presence. It emphasizes transformation from solid to liquid, from fixed to fluid.
- at the presence of the Lord (מִלִּפְנֵי יְהוָה - milliphne YHWH): This phrase literally means "from before the face of Yahweh" or "from the face of Yahweh." It signifies the immediate, active manifestation or appearing of God. This is not merely His omnipresence, but a visible or powerfully sensed demonstration of His divine reality and power. It indicates a theophany or divine encounter.
- at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth (מִלִּפְנֵי אֲדוֹן כָּל־הָאָרֶץ - milliphne Adon kol-hā’āreṣ): The repetition serves to intensify the statement and emphasize divine causality. "Adon" signifies "Lord," "master," or "sovereign," asserting absolute authority. "Kol-hā’āreṣ" means "all the earth" or "the entire world." This reinforced title confirms God's absolute and universal dominion over every square inch and every living thing, highlighting that His power is not limited to one region or people but extends to all creation.
- The mountains melt like wax: This phrase presents a striking paradox. What is naturally unmoving and formidable (mountains) becomes utterly pliable and dissolves. It signifies God's absolute sovereignty and control over creation, implying that no physical barrier or natural law can withstand His will or presence.
- at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth: This emphatic repetition highlights the immediate and direct source of this extraordinary phenomenon. It confirms that the dissolution of mountains is a direct result of God's active manifestation and power, not a natural event. The addition of "of the whole earth" confirms that His sovereignty is not regional but global and universal, applicable to every aspect of creation.
Psalm 97 5 Bonus section
This verse subtly underscores the reality of God as the sole true deity. In ancient Near Eastern cultures, mountains were often seen as sacred dwelling places for gods, or even personified as gods themselves. By depicting mountains melting "at the presence of the Lord," the psalmist declares Yahweh's ultimate supremacy over all other deities, real or imagined. No other god, or no force in creation, possesses such absolute power over the fundamental elements of the cosmos. This contributes to the monotheistic affirmation prevalent throughout the Psalms, where the Lord God of Israel is consistently portrayed as the King over all the earth, demanding universal allegiance and worship.
Psalm 97 5 Commentary
Psalm 97:5 paints a breathtaking picture of divine power. When God, the Creator and Sovereign, chooses to reveal His "presence" – a powerful manifestation of His being, His glory, or His intent – the natural order is dramatically altered. The melting of mountains is a hyperbole to illustrate that the strongest, most stable parts of creation are utterly unable to stand against Him. This imagery is not to be taken as a literal geological event in every instance but powerfully conveys the immense, irresistible force of God. It underlines His complete authority and reign over the entire world, implying that all obstacles, whether natural or human, ultimately crumble before His divine purpose and coming judgment or salvation. The message for believers is one of awe, reverence, and profound trust in a God whose power knows no bounds. For those who stand against Him, it serves as a powerful warning of the futility of resistance.