Psalms 37:20 Made Simple

KJV ORIGINAL

But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the LORD shall be as the fat of lambs: they shall consume; into smoke shall they consume away.

Close to the original. Clear modern English.

✦ MADE SIMPLE

But evil people will be destroyed, and those who oppose the Lord will be like the fat from sacrificed lambs—they will burn up and disappear completely like smoke.

⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE

This verse is saying that those who live wickedly and oppose God will ultimately be completely destroyed and vanish.

📚 Historical Context

This psalm was written by David, likely during a time when he witnessed both righteous and wicked people in Israel. In ancient Hebrew culture, the fat of sacrificial lambs was burned on the altar as an offering to God, creating smoke that quickly disappeared. David uses this familiar image to describe how completely the wicked will be consumed.

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2 Chronicles 34:4

In front of King Josiah, they tore down the altars dedicated to the false gods called Baal. He cut down the idols that were placed high above these altars. He also destroyed the sacred poles, carved statues, and metal idols, breaking them into pieces and grinding them into dust. Then he scattered this dust over the graves of those who had worshiped these false gods.

Ezekiel 23:37

They've been completely unfaithful to me, and there's blood on their hands. They cheated on me with their fake gods, and then — this is the worst part — they sacrificed their own children in the fire to those same idols. The children I gave them.

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📚 Historical Context

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