Psalms 68:2

2 As the driving away of smoke Thou drivest away, As the melting of wax before fire, The wicked perish at the presence of God.

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 To the Overseer. -- A Psalm, a song of David. Rise doth God -- scattered are His enemies! And those hating Him flee from His face.

2 As the driving away of smoke Thou drivest away, As the melting of wax before fire, The wicked perish at the presence of God.

3 And the righteous rejoice, they exult before God, And they joy with gladness.

4 Sing ye to God -- praise His name, Raise up a highway for Him who is riding in deserts, In Jah [is] His name, and exult before Him.

5 Father of the fatherless, and judge of the widows, [Is] God in His holy habitation.