How does Psalm 37:20 describe the fate of the wicked? Scripture in Focus “But the wicked will perish; the enemies of the LORD like the glory of the fields. They will vanish—like smoke they will fade away.” (Psalm 37:20) What the Verse Actually Says • The wicked “will perish.” • They are called “enemies of the LORD.” • Their end is compared to the short-lived “glory of the fields.” • They “will vanish—like smoke they will fade away.” Four Word Pictures of Final Ruin 1. “Perish” – not mere setback but complete ruin (cf. Psalm 1:6). 2. “Enemies of the LORD” – opposition to God seals their destiny (James 4:4). 3. “Glory of the fields” – a flower’s brief beauty gone with the next heat (Isaiah 40:6-8). 4. “Like smoke” – insubstantial, swiftly dispersed; one moment visible, the next gone (Hosea 13:3). How These Images Unfold • Final: no hint of recovery or reincarnation—“perish” is definitive. • Swift: fields bloom and wither in a day; smoke rises, curls, and disappears almost immediately. • Inevitable: the Lord Himself oversees the outcome; no one can resist His decree (Job 9:12). • Comprehensive: both their existence and their supposed “glory” evaporate. Echoes Throughout Scripture • Proverbs 10:25 – “When the storm has passed, the wicked are gone, but the righteous stand firm forever.” • Malachi 4:1 – wicked will be “stubble… so that it will leave them neither root nor branch.” • Matthew 13:40-42 – weeds (representing the wicked) are gathered and burned. • Revelation 20:14-15 – the lake of fire, “the second death,” awaits those not in the Book of Life. Why the Imagery Matters • God’s justice is sure; apparent earthly success of the wicked is temporary (Psalm 73:18-20). • Earthly brilliance (“glory of the fields”) is no indicator of eternal safety. • The righteous should neither envy nor fear evildoers (Psalm 37:1-2). Practical Takeaways • Do not measure life by the fleeting shine of wicked prosperity. • Anchor hope in God’s Word, which “stands forever” (1 Peter 1:24-25). • Maintain compassion and gospel witness; today’s enemy of the Lord can become tomorrow’s redeemed follower (Acts 9:1-6). In One Sentence Psalm 37:20 pictures the wicked’s destiny as sudden, total, and vapor-thin—here for a moment, then gone forever under God’s righteous judgment. |
    |