Psalms 18:9

9 He lowered heaven and came down with thick darkness under his feet.

Psalms 18:9 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 18:9

He bowed the heavens also, and came down
To execute wrath and vengeance on wicked men; which is always the sense of these phrases when they go together; see ( Psalms 144:6-8 ) ( Isaiah 64:1 Isaiah 64:2 ) ; The Targum is, "he bowed the heavens, and his glory appeared"; that is, the glory of his power, and of his mighty hand of vengeance; for not his grace and mercy, but his indignation and wrath, showed themselves; for it follows,

and darkness [was] under his feet;
the Targum is, "a dark cloud", expressive of the awfulness of the dispensation to wicked men; who are not allowed to see the face of God, are debarred his presence, and denied, communion with him, and to whom everything appears awful and terrible, ( Psalms 97:2-5 ) .

Psalms 18:9 In-Context

7 "Then the earth quaked and shook, the foundations of the mountains trembled. They were shaken because he was angry.

8 Smoke arose in his nostrils; out of his mouth came devouring fire; sparks blazed forth from him.

9 He lowered heaven and came down with thick darkness under his feet.

10 He rode on a keruv; he flew, swooping down on the wings of the wind.

11 He made darkness his hiding-place, his canopy thick clouds dark with water.