Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 68:2
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. The verbs should be rendered as in Psa 68:1 by futures: As smoke so shalt thou drive them away: as wax so shall the wicked perish at the presence of God. The smoke scattered by the wind is an apt emblem for total disappearance (Psa 37:20; Hos 13:3); the wax melted by the fire for unresisting impotence (Psa 97:5; Mic 1:4). “At the blast of the breath of Jehovah” the wicked vanish, leaving no trace behind; the consuming fire of His wrath they are powerless to withstand.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
As smoke is driven away – To wit, by the wind. Smoke – vapor – easily disturbed and moved by the slightest breath of air – represents an object of no stability, or having no power of resistance, and would thus represent the real weakness of the most mighty armies of men as opposed to God.
So drive them away – With the same ease with which smoke is driven by the slightest breeze, so do the enemies of God disappear before his power. Compare the notes at Psa 1:4.
As wax melteth before the fire – Compare Psa 22:14. The meaning here is plain. As wax is melted down by fire – losing all its hardness, its firmness, its power of resistance, so must the most mighty armies melt away before God.
So let the wicked perish at the presence of God – That is, those who rise up against him; his enemies. It will be as easy for God to destroy wicked men as it is for fire to melt down wax.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
As smoke is driven away; as smoke at first mounts high and fills a great space of air, but speedily vanisheth into air, or is dispersed with the wind.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
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, Re 9:2; 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 o; see Ps 37:20;
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.
o “—-et tenues fugit, ceu fumus in auras”. Virgil. Aeneid. 5. prope finem.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(2) Smoke.The figure of the vanishing smoke has occurred before (see Psa. 37:20); for that of the melting wax see Psa. 97:5. Both figures are too obvious to need reference to the cloud and fire of the ancient encampment.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
2. Smoke wax Emblems of the feebleness and instability of such as fight against God.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Psa 68:2. As smoke is driven away i.e. “As smoke is violently scattered and dispersed by the wind, so do thou shake and entirely disperse them with a force that they cannot resist.” See Schultens in Pro 21:6.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Here are two strong similitudes made use of, to represent the fleeting transitory continuance of all the enemies of our Christ. Smoke may for the moment seem to eclipse the sun; and wax, from its hardness and adhesive nature, may form an obstruction; but both must instantly give way before the light and heat of the sun’s beams. So Jesus, when he appears, makes every enemy fall before him.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Psa 68:2 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.
Ver. 2. As smoke is driven away, &c. ] Smoke at first sight seemeth formidable, but soon vanisheth; and the higher it ascendeth the sooner it is dissipated: so here. Guicciardine saith of Charles VIII of France, that he came into the field like thunder and lightning, but went out like a snuff; more than a man at first, and less than a woman at last. A semblably of God’s enemies.
As wax melteth before the fire, &c.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
driven away = driven about.
wicked = lawless. Hebrew. rasha’. App-44.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
As smoke: Psa 37:20, Isa 9:18, Hos 13:3
as wax: Psa 97:5, Isa 64:2, Mic 1:4, in the presence, Psa 76:7, Psa 80:16, Nah 1:5, Nah 1:6, 2Th 1:8, 2Th 1:9, Rev 6:16, Rev 6:17
Reciprocal: Gen 4:16 – went Exo 15:15 – melt Lev 26:17 – set Num 10:35 – Lord 1Sa 2:10 – adversaries 1Sa 14:16 – melted away 2Sa 18:32 – The enemies Job 24:19 – so doth Psa 5:10 – let Psa 7:6 – Arise Psa 9:3 – they shall Psa 9:19 – Arise Psa 22:14 – heart Psa 64:10 – righteous Psa 83:13 – as the Psa 92:9 – For Psa 104:35 – sinners Isa 31:2 – arise Jer 46:15 – the Lord Eze 22:21 – and ye Eze 39:2 – I will Nah 1:10 – they shall Heb 10:27 – which