Psalm 97:5 - Let the Earth Rejoice

New International Version
The mountains melt like wax before the LORD, before the Lord of all the earth.New Living Translation
The mountains melt like wax before the LORD, before the Lord of all the earth.English Standard Version
The mountains melt like wax before the LORD, before the Lord of all the earth.Berean Standard Bible
The mountains melt like wax at the presence of the LORD, before the Lord of all the earth.King James Bible
The hills melted like wax at the presence of the LORD, at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.New King James Version
The mountains melt like wax at the presence of the LORD, At the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.New American Standard Bible
The mountains melted like wax at the presence of the LORD, At the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.NASB 1995
The mountains melted like wax at the presence of the LORD, At the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.NASB 1977
The mountains melted like wax at the presence of the LORD, At the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.Legacy Standard Bible
The mountains melt like wax at the presence of Yahweh, At the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.Amplified Bible
The mountains melted like wax at the presence of the LORD, At the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.Christian Standard Bible
The mountains melt like wax at the presence of the LORD — at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.Holman Christian Standard Bible
The mountains melt like wax at the presence of the LORD— at the presence of the Lord of all the earth. American Standard Version
The mountains melted like wax at the presence of Jehovah, At the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.Contemporary English Version
Mountains melt away like wax in the presence of the LORD of all the earth. English Revised Version
The hills melted like wax at the presence of the LORD, at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth;GOD'S WORD® Translation
The mountains melt like wax in the presence of the LORD, in the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.Good News Translation
The hills melt like wax before the LORD, before the Lord of all the earth. International Standard Version
Mountains melt like wax in the LORD's presence— In the presence of the LORD of all the earth.Majority Standard Bible
The mountains melt like wax at the presence of the LORD, before the Lord of all the earth.NET Bible
The mountains melt like wax before the LORD, before the Lord of the whole earth. New Heart English Bible
The mountains melt like wax at the presence of the LORD, at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.Webster's Bible Translation
The hills melted like wax at the presence of the LORD, at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.World English Bible
The mountains melt like wax at the presence of Yahweh, at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
Hills, like wax, melted before YHWH, "" Before the Lord of all the earth.Young's Literal Translation
Hills, like wax, melted before Jehovah, Before the Lord of all the earth.Smith's Literal Translation
The mountains melted as wax from before the face of Jehovah, from before the face of the Lord of all the earth.

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
The mountains melted like wax, at the presence of the Lord: at the presence of the Lord of all the earth. Catholic Public Domain Version

Audio Bible

Context

Let the Earth Rejoice
…4His lightning illuminates the world; the earth sees and trembles. 5The mountains melt like wax at the presence of the LORD, before the Lord of all the earth. 6The heavens proclaim His righteousness; all the peoples see His glory.…

Cross References

Nahum 1:5
The mountains quake before Him, and the hills melt away; the earth trembles at His presence—the world and all its dwellers.Micah 1:4
The mountains will melt beneath Him, and the valleys will split apart, like wax before the fire, like water rushing down a slope.Isaiah 64:1-3
If only You would rend the heavens and come down, so that mountains would quake at Your presence, / as fire kindles the brushwood and causes the water to boil, to make Your name known to Your enemies, so that the nations will tremble at Your presence! / When You did awesome works that we did not expect, You came down, and the mountains trembled at Your presence.Judges 5:5
The mountains quaked before the LORD, the One of Sinai, before the LORD, the God of Israel.Habakkuk 3:6
He stood and measured the earth; He looked and startled the nations; the ancient mountains crumbled; the perpetual hills collapsed. His ways are everlasting.Isaiah 42:15
I will lay waste the mountains and hills and dry up all their vegetation. I will turn the rivers into dry land and drain the marshes.Isaiah 2:19
Men will flee to caves in the rocks and holes in the ground, away from the terror of the LORD and from the splendor of His majesty, when He rises to shake the earth.Isaiah 2:21
They will flee to caverns in the rocks and crevices in the cliffs, away from the terror of the LORD and from the splendor of His majesty, when He rises to shake the earth.Revelation 6:14-17
The sky receded like a scroll being rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved from its place. / Then the kings of the earth, the nobles, the commanders, the rich, the mighty, and every slave and free man hid in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains. / And they said to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of the One seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb. ...Revelation 16:20
Then every island fled, and no mountain could be found.Revelation 20:11
Then I saw a great white throne and the One seated on it. Earth and heaven fled from His presence, and no place was found for them.Exodus 19:18
Mount Sinai was completely enveloped in smoke, because the LORD had descended on it in fire. And the smoke rose like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked violently.Psalm 114:4-7
the mountains skipped like rams, the hills like lambs. / Why was it, O sea, that you fled, O Jordan, that you turned back, / O mountains, that you skipped like rams, O hills, like lambs? ...Isaiah 40:4
Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill made low; the uneven ground will become smooth, and the rugged land a plain.Isaiah 41:15
Behold, I will make you into a threshing sledge, new and sharp, with many teeth. You will thresh the mountains and crush them, and reduce the hills to chaff.

Treasury of Scripture

The hills melted like wax at the presence of the LORD, at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.

hills

Judges 5:4,5
LORD, 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…

Isaiah 24:19,20
The earth is utterly broken down, the earth is clean dissolved, the earth is moved exceedingly…

Isaiah 64:1,2
Oh that thou wouldest rend the heavens, that thou wouldest come down, that the mountains might flow down at thy presence, …

the Lord of

Psalm 47:2
For the LORD most high is terrible; he is a great King over all the earth.

Psalm 83:18
That men may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the most high over all the earth.

Isaiah 54:5
For 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.

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Psalm 97

The mountains melt like wax
This phrase vividly illustrates the overwhelming power and majesty of God. In the Hebrew text, the word for "mountains" is "הָרִים" (harim), which often symbolizes stability, strength, and permanence. Mountains are typically seen as immovable and enduring, yet in the presence of the Lord, they "melt like wax." The imagery of wax melting is drawn from the Hebrew word "מוֹג" (môg), which conveys the idea of dissolving or becoming fluid. This metaphor emphasizes the transformative power of God's presence, suggesting that even the most formidable and enduring aspects of creation are subject to His will. Historically, mountains have been places of divine encounter, such as Mount Sinai, where Moses received the Ten Commandments. This phrase reassures believers of God's supreme authority over all creation, encouraging them to trust in His power to overcome any obstacle.

at the presence of the LORD
The phrase "at the presence of the LORD" underscores the immediacy and impact of God's nearness. The Hebrew word for "presence" is "פָּנִים" (panim), which can also mean "face." This suggests a personal and direct encounter with God. The use of "LORD" in all capital letters indicates the translation of the divine name "YHWH" (Yahweh), the covenant name of God, emphasizing His eternal and unchanging nature. In the biblical narrative, the presence of the LORD is often associated with awe-inspiring events, such as the burning bush or the pillar of cloud and fire that guided the Israelites. This phrase invites believers to recognize the transformative power of God's presence in their lives, encouraging them to live in reverence and awe of His majesty.

before the Lord of all the earth
This phrase expands the scope of God's dominion, affirming His sovereignty over the entire earth. The Hebrew word for "Lord" here is "אָדוֹן" (Adon), which denotes mastery and authority. By stating "of all the earth," the psalmist emphasizes that God's rule is not limited to a specific region or people but extends universally. This declaration aligns with the biblical theme of God's kingship over creation, as seen in passages like Psalm 24:1, "The earth is the LORD’s, and the fullness thereof." Historically, this assertion would have been a powerful reminder to the Israelites of God's supremacy over the pagan gods of surrounding nations. For contemporary believers, it serves as a reminder of God's ultimate authority and the assurance that His purposes will prevail throughout the world.

(5) The hills melted.--Comp. Psalm 68:8, Note: Micah 1:4.

The Lord of the whole earth.--An expression first met with exactly in Joshua 3:11-13, though Abraham speaks of God as judge of the whole earth (Genesis 18:25). (Comp. Micah 4:13; Zechariah 4:10; Zechariah 6:5.) Though Jehovah was the tribal God, yet in marked distinction to surrounding tribes Israel regarded Him as having universal dominion. . . .

Verse 5. - The hills melted like wax at the presence of the Lord (comp. Judges 5:5; Isaiah 64:1; Micah 1:4). The earth itself is regarded as not only shaken (ver. 4), but as melting and crumbling away at the descent of God from heaven to earth (comp. 2 Peter 3:10). At the presence of the Lord of the whole earth (comp. Joshua 3:11, 13; Micah 4:13; Zechariah 4:14; Zechariah 6:5). Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

The mountains
הָרִ֗ים (hā·rîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 2022: Mountain, hill, hill country

melt
נָ֭מַסּוּ (nā·mas·sū)
Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 4549: To liquefy, to waste, to faint

like wax
כַּדּוֹנַ֗ג (kad·dō·w·naḡ)
Preposition-k, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1749: Wax (as melting)

at the presence
מִלִּפְנֵ֣י (mil·lip̄·nê)
Preposition-m, Preposition-l | Noun - common plural construct
Strong's 6440: The face

of the LORD,
יְהוָ֑ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

before
מִ֝לִּפְנֵ֗י (mil·lip̄·nê)
Preposition-m, Preposition-l | Noun - common plural construct
Strong's 6440: The face

the Lord
אֲד֣וֹן (’ă·ḏō·wn)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 113: Sovereign, controller

of all
כָּל־ (kāl-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

the earth.
הָאָֽרֶץ׃ (hā·’ā·reṣ)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 776: Earth, land

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