Contradiction with Psalm 37:25
In contrast to Psalm 37:20, which suggests the wicked will vanish, this verse mentions never seeing the righteous forsaken or their descendants begging for bread, implying ongoing provision and support.
Psalm 37:25: I have been young, and [now] am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.
Contradiction with Ecclesiastes 9:2
While Psalm 37:20 implies a distinction between the righteous and the wicked in their end, Ecclesiastes 9:2 states that the same fate awaits both categories, suggesting commonality in their ultimate destiny.
Ecclesiastes 9:2: All [things come] alike to all: [there is] one event to the righteous, and to the wicked; to the good and to the clean, and to the unclean; to him that sacrificeth, and to him that sacrificeth not: as [is] the good, so [is] the sinner; [and] he that sweareth, as [he] that feareth an oath.
Contradiction with Matthew 5:45
Psalm 37:20 implies the wicked will be destroyed, whereas Matthew 5:45 notes that God causes the sun to rise on both the evil and the good, suggesting that both receive blessings in this life.
Matthew 5:45: That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
Paradox #1
The verse describes the wicked as eventually perishing, like smoke that vanishes. A potential contradiction might arise when comparing this depiction with other parts of the Bible that suggest the wicked might face eternal punishment instead. This inconsistency could be seen in differing interpretations of the fate of the wicked—temporary versus eternal consequences.
Paradox #2
The contradiction in the concept of "the wicked will vanish like smoke" could relate to the idea of people physically disappearing in a way that defies natural laws. In reality, humans do not spontaneously vanish or transform like smoke; the processes of human decomposition and energy transfer after death are well understood and observable phenomena.