Psalms 68:2

2 May you blow them away like smoke— as wax melts before the fire, may the wicked perish before God.

Psalms 68:2 in Other Translations

2 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.

2 As smoke is driven away, so you shall drive them away; as wax melts before fire, so the wicked shall perish before God!

2 Blow them away like smoke. Melt them like wax in a fire. Let the wicked perish in the presence of God.

2 Gone like a puff of smoke, like a blob of wax in the fire - one look at God and the wicked vanish.

2 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.

2 Blow them away like smoke. Let wicked people melt in God's presence like wax next to a fire.

2 As smoke is blown away, so You blow [them] away. As wax melts before the fire, so the wicked are destroyed before God.

2 As wind blows smoke away, so may God blow them away. As fire melts wax, so may he destroy sinful people.

Psalms 68:2 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 68:2

As smoke is driven away, so drive [them] away
This both describes the character of wicked men, Christ's enemies; as their darkness and ignorance, their will worship and superstition, and their detestableness to God, ( Revelation 9:2 ) ( Isaiah 65:5 ) ; and the manner of their destruction; which is as easily brought about as smoke is driven by the wind, and is as irretrievable, like smoke that vanisheth into air ^F15; see ( Psalms 37:20 ) ( Isaiah 51:6 ) ;

as wax melteth before fire;
whereby its consistency, form, and strength, are lost. Respect may be had, both in this and the foregoing metaphor, to the fire of, divine wrath, and the smoke of eternal torments; since it follows:

[so] let the wicked perish at the presence of God;
the appearance of Christ, either in his awful dispensation against the Jews, or in the last judgment; when the wicked shall not be able to stand before his face, but shall call to the rocks and mountains to hide them from him; and when they shall be bid to depart from him, and shall be punished with everlasting destruction in soul and body, from the presence of the Lord, and the glory of his power.

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FOOTNOTES:

F15 "----et tenues fugit, ceu fumus in auras". Virgil. Aeneid. 5. prope finem.

Psalms 68:2 In-Context

1 May God arise, may his enemies be scattered; may his foes flee before him.

2 May you blow them away like smoke— as wax melts before the fire, may the wicked perish before God.

3 But may the righteous be glad and rejoice before God; may they be happy and joyful.

4 Sing to God, sing in praise of his name, extol him who rides on the clouds ; rejoice before him—his name is the LORD.

5 A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling.

Cross References

• 1. S Psalms 37:20; Hosea 13:3
• 2. S Psalms 22:14; Isaiah 9:18; Micah 1:4
• 3. S Numbers 10:35; Psalms 9:3; Psalms 80:16