The Meaning of Psalms 68:2 Explained

Psalms 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.

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

Darby: As smoke is driven, thou wilt drive them away; as wax melteth before the fire, the wicked shall perish at the presence of God.

ASV: 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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Psalms 68:2 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalms 68:1-11 - The Leader Of His People
This is one of the grandest odes in literature. It was probably composed when the Ark was brought in triumph from the house of Obed-edom to the newly acquired hill of the Lord, 2 Samuel 6:1-23. It is evidently a processional hymn, intended to be sung by bands of white-robed priests and Levites. In this paragraph the Ark was lifted to the shoulders of its bearers, while a measured strain was chanted, Psalms 68:1-6. Then, as the procession moved forward, the march through the wilderness was recited, Psalms 68:7-11.
Let God arise! These opening words are borrowed from the formula used by Moses, Numbers 10:35. Through the smoke of many a battlefield have they rung out! Cromwell's "Ironsides" charged to their music. In Psalms 68:5-6 we learn that God has a special care for lonely people and prisoners. The former He introduces to families, John 19:26-27. The latter are brought out into prosperity. Psalms 68:11, r.v. seems to have a modern fulfillment in the exodus of noble women from happy homes in Christian lands to publish the gospel of Christ to the heathen. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalms 68

1  A prayer at the removing of the ark
4  An exhortation to praise God for his mercies
7  for his care of the church
19  for his great works

What do the individual words in Psalms 68:2 mean?

As is driven away smoke [So] drive [them] away as melts wax before the fire [So] let perish the wicked at the presence of God
כְּהִנְדֹּ֥ף עָשָׁ֗ן תִּ֫נְדֹּ֥ף כְּהִמֵּ֣ס דּ֭וֹנַג מִפְּנֵי־ אֵ֑שׁ יֹאבְד֥וּ רְ֝שָׁעִ֗ים מִפְּנֵ֥י אֱלֹהִֽים

כְּהִנְדֹּ֥ף  As  is  driven  away 
Parse: Preposition-k, Verb, Nifal, Infinitive construct
Root: נָדַף  
Sense: to drive, drive away, drive asunder.
עָשָׁ֗ן  smoke 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: עָשָׁן  
Sense: smoke.
תִּ֫נְדֹּ֥ף  [So]  drive  [them]  away 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: נָדַף  
Sense: to drive, drive away, drive asunder.
כְּהִמֵּ֣ס  as  melts 
Parse: Preposition-k, Verb, Nifal, Infinitive construct
Root: מָסַס  
Sense: to dissolve, melt.
דּ֭וֹנַג  wax 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: דֹּונַג  
Sense: wax (always figurative ‘of melting’).
מִפְּנֵי־  before 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
אֵ֑שׁ  the  fire 
Parse: Noun, common singular
Root: אֵשׁ  
Sense: fire.
יֹאבְד֥וּ  [So]  let  perish 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: אָבַד  
Sense: perish, vanish, go astray, be destroyed.
רְ֝שָׁעִ֗ים  the  wicked 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural
Root: רָשָׁע  
Sense: wicked, criminal.
מִפְּנֵ֥י  at  the  presence 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, common plural construct
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
אֱלֹהִֽים  of  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).