What is the meaning of Psalm 37:20? But the wicked and enemies of the LORD • Scripture draws a clear line: those who refuse God’s reign are labeled “wicked,” and their hostility makes them “enemies of the LORD.” Psalm 1:4–6 and Psalm 73:27 confirm that this category is real and unchanging, not a poetic exaggeration. • The verse begins with “But,” contrasting these rebels with the righteous described earlier in Psalm 37 (v. 3–7). God’s Word presents two paths—not shades of gray (Matthew 7:13-14). • Because Scripture is accurate and literal, this warning is not hypothetical; every person outside Christ faces it (John 3:36). will perish like the glory of the fields • “Perish” speaks of complete, irreversible ruin—just as Psalm 92:9 states, “Surely all evildoers will be scattered.” • The “glory of the fields” pictures springtime grass or wildflowers that burst into color and then wither when the sun blazes (Isaiah 40:6-8; James 1:10-11). Their beauty is real yet fleeting; so is the apparent success of the ungodly. • This simile presses us to view prosperity through God’s timetable. What seems impressive today may be gone tomorrow (Luke 12:16-21). They will vanish • Vanishing is sudden; the wicked can be flourishing in the morning and gone by evening (Psalm 37:10; Job 20:7). • God’s judgment operates on His schedule, but when it arrives, it leaves no trace of the rebel’s security or legacy (Proverbs 10:25). • The statement is factual, not rhetorical flourish—history and prophecy agree (Revelation 20:11-15). like smoke they will fade away • Smoke drifts upward, thins out, and disappears. Psalm 68:2 echoes this: “As smoke is blown away, You will drive them out.” • Hosea 13:3 adds another picture: the wicked “will disappear like smoke from a chimney.” Together these passages hammer home the certainty and totality of their end. • Smoke also leaves a lingering smell—reminding us that sin has consequences even after the sinner is gone (Galatians 6:7-8). summary Psalm 37:20 assures believers that God’s justice is not only future but definite. The wicked—those who oppose the Lord—will perish, their short-lived splendor will shrivel, their presence will suddenly vanish, and their memory will dissipate like smoke. This literal promise encourages the righteous to trust God’s timing, resist envy, and rest in the certainty that He will set all things right. |
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