What is the meaning of Psalm 35:5? May they be like chaff • David is asking God to treat his persecutors the way a farmer treats chaff—the light, useless husks that are separated from valuable grain. • Scripture consistently pictures the ungodly as chaff: “Not so the wicked! For they are like chaff driven off by the wind” (Psalm 1:4). Job 21:18 echoes the same image, underscoring utter worthlessness before God’s judgment. • By choosing this metaphor, David affirms that the enemies’ schemes have no lasting substance. They may look formidable for a moment, but in God’s eyes they are already judged and disposable. in the wind • The “wind” signals the irresistible force of divine judgment. Isaiah 17:13 describes nations being “chased like chaff on the mountains before the wind,” showing that when God stirs, no human power can stand. • The picture also carries a note of swiftness. Wind scatters chaff immediately; likewise, God can bring sudden reversal. Proverbs 10:25 says, “When the whirlwind passes, the wicked are no more, but the righteous are secure forever.” • For believers, this assures us that God’s timing may feel delayed, yet when He moves, deliverance is quick and decisive. as the angel of the LORD • David does not rely on mere circumstances; he invokes the personal intervention of “the angel of the LORD.” This divine messenger safeguards God’s people (Psalm 34:7) and executes judgment (2 Kings 19:35). • The angel who shielded Israel at the Red Sea (Exodus 14:19) is the same One David trusts to defend him now. God is not distant—He sends His own representative to act. • This reinforces the truth that spiritual battles are ultimately settled in the heavenly realm. Earthly enemies must reckon with supernatural authority. drives them away • The verb pictures relentless pursuit until the threat is completely removed. Isaiah 41:16 promises, “The wind will carry them away; a whirlwind will scatter them.” • Unlike the farmer who merely tosses chaff into the air, the angel deliberately “drives” it away, ensuring it cannot regroup or return. • Jesus picks up this theme when He “will clear His threshing floor… burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire” (Matthew 3:12). God’s final judgment is thorough, leaving no loose ends. summary Psalm 35:5 paints a vivid, literal scene: David prays that his enemies become weightless chaff, instantly scattered by God’s decisive wind, with the angel of the LORD personally chasing them far from the righteous. The verse comforts believers that God’s judgment is sure, swift, and executed by His own heavenly agent, guaranteeing that evil cannot outlast His sovereign hand. |
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