The hills melted like wax at the presence of the LORD, at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.
Parallel translations
- WEB The mountains melt like wax at the presence of Yahweh, at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.
- BSB The mountains melt like wax at the presence of the LORD, before the Lord of all the 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 at him, and the hills melt, and the earth is burned at his presence, yea, the world, and all that dwell therein.
- Mic 1:3–4For, behold, the LORD cometh forth out of his place, and will come down, and tread upon the high places of the earth.
- Isa 24:19–20The earth is utterly broken down, the earth is clean dissolved, the earth is moved exceedingly.
- Isa 64:1–2Oh that thou wouldest rend the heavens, that thou wouldest come down, that the mountains might flow down at thy presence,
- Hab 3:6He stood, and measured the earth: he beheld, and drove asunder the nations; and the everlasting mountains were scattered, the perpetual hills did bow: his ways are everlasting.
- Ps 47:2For the LORD most high is terrible; he is a great King over all the earth.
- Ps 46:6The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: he uttered his voice, the earth melted.
- Ps 83:18That men may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the most high over all the earth.
- Josh 3:11Behold, the ark of the covenant of the LORD of all the earth passeth over before you into Jordan.
- Judg 5:4–5LORD, when thou wentest out of Seir, when thou marchedst out of the field of Edom, the earth trembled, and the heavens dropped, the clouds also dropped water.
- 1 Cor 1:2Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:
- Mic 4:13Arise and thresh, O daughter of Zion: for I will make thine horn iron, and I will make thy hoofs brass: and thou shalt beat in pieces many people: and I will consecrate their gain unto the LORD, and their substance unto the Lord of the whole earth.
- Zech 4:14Then said he, These are the two anointed ones, that stand by the LORD of the whole earth.
- Isa 54:5For thy Maker is thine husband; the LORD of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called.
- Mark 11:3And if any man say unto you, Why do ye this? say ye that the Lord hath need of him; and straightway he will send him hither.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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.