Psalms 18:9

9 He spread apart the heavens and came down with a dark cloud 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 shook and quaked. Even the foundations of the mountains trembled. They shook violently because he was angry.

8 Smoke went up from his nostrils, and a raging fire came out of his mouth. Glowing coals flared up from it.

9 He spread apart the heavens and came down with a dark cloud under his feet.

10 He rode on one of the angels as he flew, and he soared on the wings of the wind.

11 He made the darkness his hiding place, the dark rain clouds his covering.