The mountains melt like wax at the presence of the LORD, before the Lord of all the earth.
Parallel translations
- WEB The mountains melt like wax at the presence of Yahweh, at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.
- KJV The hills melted like wax at the presence of the LORD, at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.
- NKJV The mountains melt like wax at the presence of the Lord, At the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.
- NASB The mountains melted like wax at the presence of the Lord, At the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.
- NLT The mountains melt like wax before the Lord, before the Lord of all the earth.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Even mountains melt like wax before the LORD of all the earth. The most enduring parts of creation cannot withstand His presence.
Overview
Mountains symbolize stability and permanence, yet they dissolve before God, showing the overwhelming greatness of His glory (cf. Micah 1:4). The title 'Lord of the whole earth' affirms His universal sovereignty over every nation and place. This humbling picture exalts God as the supreme King to whom all creation must yield.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 15
- Nah 1:5The mountains quake before Him, and the hills melt away; the earth trembles at His presence—the world and all its dwellers.
- Mic 1:3–4For behold, the LORD comes forth from His dwelling place; He will come down and tread on the high places of the earth.
- Isa 24:19–20The earth is utterly broken apart, the earth is split open, the earth is shaken violently.
- Isa 64:1–2If only You would rend the heavens and come down, so that mountains would quake at Your presence,
- Hab 3:6He stood and measured the earth; He looked and startled the nations; the ancient mountains crumbled; the perpetual hills collapsed. His ways are everlasting.
- Ps 47:2How awesome is the LORD Most High, the great King over all the earth!
- Ps 46:6Nations rage, kingdoms crumble; the earth melts when He lifts His voice.
- Ps 83:18May they know that You alone, whose name is the LORD, are Most High over all the earth.
- Josh 3:11Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth will go ahead of you into the Jordan.
- Judg 5:4–5O LORD, when You went out from Seir, when You marched from the land of Edom, the earth trembled, the heavens poured out rain, and the clouds poured down water.
- 1 Cor 1:2To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours:
- Mic 4:13Rise and thresh, O Daughter of Zion, for I will give you horns of iron and hooves of bronze to break to pieces many peoples. Then you will devote their gain to the LORD, their wealth to the Lord of all the earth.
- Zech 4:14So he said, “These are the two anointed ones who are standing beside the Lord of all the earth.”
- Isa 54:5For your husband is your Maker—the LORD of Hosts is His name—the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; He is called the God of all the earth.
- Mark 11:3If anyone asks, ‘Why are you doing this?’ tell him, ‘The Lord needs it and will return it shortly.’”
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
The Psalms are Christ's own prayer book and a gallery of his portraits — the suffering one of Psalm 22, the risen Lord of Psalm 16, the priest-king of Psalm 110, the Son to whom the nations are given.
How Psalms 97:5 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.