Psalm 68 (67):3Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

They raised themselves from the flames of their animosity to the mist of arrogance and against Heaven they lifted their voices, shouting, Crucify, crucify (John 19:6). They ridiculed Him who was taken as a prisoner, they derided Him who was crucified, and soon they faced defeat. The very Person against whom they celebrated their victory caused their downfall. Just as wax melts in the presence of fire, so let the wicked dissolve before the sight of God. While this passage may refer to those whose hardened hearts are softened into tears of repentance, it can also be interpreted as a warning of impending judgment; for although in this life, like smoke, they dissipate in self-exaltation, that is, in pride, they will ultimately encounter Him at the final judgment. In that day, as His glory manifests like consuming fire to punish the unrighteous and shine as light upon the just, they shall perish from His presence forever.

"Let those who oppose Him retreat from His presence." He did not utter, "let them be destroyed," but rather, "let them flee," since transgressors cannot endure the sight of God. "As smoke dissipates, let them disappear" (Psalm 67:3): this does not imply an utter annihilation, but rather a cessation of wrongdoing. "As wax melts in the fire." Just as wax melts without altering its essential properties, so too shall they not be lost, but rather soften in their hardened state, thus having the opportunity to repent and find salvation.

Just as smoke is scattered by the breeze and wax softens when it nears the flames, Your arrival, O Lord, will cause those who are found wanting in the eyes of humanity to be completely vanquished. The individuals referred to as sinners by the seventy translations are labeled as wicked by other translators. This is how both the Hebrew text and the Syriac translator designate them.

As the smoke dissipates, may it be removed entirely! Just as smoke dissipates or scatters in the breeze, so too are God's adversaries—demons—driven away and dispersed by the Holy Spirit. Wax melts before the flames; let sinners vanish from the sight of God. Just as wax succumbs to the heat of fire, so do sinners, as noted by Athanasius—demons, dissolve in the presence of Christ, who is the purifying fire that consumes sin. Here, the term perish signifies not their total obliteration but rather their absence from the realms overshadowed by Christ’s divine presence. Evil spirits are labeled sinners because they were the originators of sin and its teachers to humanity.

In this passage, David carries forward the Mosaic imagery of God’s glorious presence. He identifies a third group among those who oppose the Lord: sinners. Although these individuals do not openly rebel against the reign of Christ or consciously reject His teachings, they fail to demonstrate their discipleship through their actions. Instead, they are filled with earthly arrogance and remain attached to worldly desires in their hearts. The prophet uses the imagery of smoke and wax to illustrate their nature and ultimate destiny. Their pride, like smoke, shrouds them in darkness; their desires, akin to wax, ensnare them in moral decay. As their pride ascends, it only becomes more insubstantial; similarly, their indulgent passions stoke the flames of divine judgment upon their ruin.

The author introduces the themes of this psalm with a preface that reveals his intentions. The essence of the message is that while God may allow the wicked to trouble His church for a time, He will ultimately intervene to bring justice; it is enough for the faithful to seek refuge in His support. These words find their origin in the fourth book of Moses, in Numbers 10:34. The practice of this prayer was mandated when the tabernacle was relocated, serving as a tangible reminder of God's presence, providing safety to the believers. This suggests that God does not require elaborate preparations to vanquish His foes; they are already within His dominion, and a mere gesture from Him can disperse them effortlessly.

This Psalm composed for David by the Holy Spirit reflects the establishment of God's covenant in Jerusalem and the intentional defeat of many foes. It articulates the countless blessings of God, as revealed in the Old Testament, including the liberation of the Israelites from Egypt, the giving of the Law on Mount Sinai, and it prophetically honors the sacraments of the New Testament: the incarnation of Christ the Savior, His baptism, transfiguration, suffering, resurrection, ascension, the descent of the Holy Spirit, and other profound acts of the Divine. The path to the West invites reflection on the Passion and death of Christ, who, through the divine power, liberated Adam and others from the realm of the dead.

The nations that opposed Israel were filled with fear upon hearing of the might of the God of Israel (Num. 2:11); however, their terror escalated when they confronted the Israelites, led directly by God Himself, and they dissipated like smoke in the breeze. The name of Jesus Christ, proclaimed in faith, and the sign of the cross, made in faith, wield a similar force against the powers of darkness. Just as wax melts in the presence of fire, so shall the wicked face destruction before God - those who melt away from God's wrath include, in the Old Testament, the enemies of God's chosen people and the corrupt within this nation; in the New Testament, the adversaries of Christianity, along with its internal foes, such as heretics and schismatics.