Psalms 68:2-3

68:2 As smoke is driven away by the wind, so you drive them away. ¹ 

As wax melts before fire,

so the wicked are destroyed before God.

68:3 But the godly ²  are happy;

they rejoice before God

and are overcome with joy. ³ 

[68:2]  ¹ tn Heb “as smoke is scattered, you scatter [them].”

[68:3]  ² tn By placing the subject first the psalmist highlights the contrast between God’s ecstatic people and his defeated enemies (vv. 1-2).

[68:3]  ³ tn Heb “and they are happy with joy” (cf. NEB). Some translate the prefixed verbal forms of v. 3 as jussives, “Let the godly be happy, let them rejoice before God, and let them be happy with joy!” (Cf. NASB, NIV, NRSV; note the call to praise in v. 4.)