Psalm 18:8

8 There went up a smoke in his wrath, and fire burst into a flame at his presence: coals were kindled at it.

Psalm 18:8 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 18:8

There went up a smoke out of his nostrils
This, with what follows, describes a storm of thunder; the "smoke" designs thick black clouds, gathered together; "fire" intends lightning; and "coals of fire", hot thunderbolts; and the whole is borrowed from, and is an allusion to what was at the giving of the law on Mount Sinai, ( Exodus 19:16 Exodus 19:18 ) ; The majesty of God is here set forth in much such language as is the leviathan in ( Job 41:19-21 ) ; the "smoke of his nostrils" seems to intend the indignation of God against the enemies of David, of Christ, and of his people, and the punishment be will inflict upon them, ( Isaiah 65:5 ) ( Revelation 14:11 ) . The Targum interprets it of the pride and insolence of Pharaoh;

and fire out of his mouth devoured;
God is a wall of fire round about his people, and a consuming one to his and their enemies. This expresses the wrath of God upon the Jewish nation, and his sending the Roman armies to burn their city, ( Matthew 22:7 ) ;

coals were kindled by it;
the Jews being as dry trees, were fit fuel for the fire of divine wrath, and so presently became as coals of fire; so the antichristian party, upon the pouring out of the fourth vial, will be scorched with heat, and blaspheme the name of God, ( Revelation 16:8 Revelation 16:9 ) .

Psalm 18:8 In-Context

6 And when I was afflicted I called upon the Lord, and cried to my God: he heard my voice out of this holy temple, and my cry shall enter before him, even into his ears.

7 Then the earth shook and quaked, and the foundations of the mountains were disturbed, and were shaken, because God was angry with them.

8 There went up a smoke in his wrath, and fire burst into a flame at his presence: coals were kindled at it.

9 And he bowed the heaven, and came down: and thick darkness was under his feet.

10 And he mounted on cherubs and flew: he flew on the wings of winds.