Psalms 18:11

11 He shrouded himself in darkness, veiling his approach with dark rain clouds.

Psalms 18:11 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 18:11

He made darkness his secret place
Which, and the dark waters in the next clause, are the same with the thick clouds in the last, in which Jehovah is represented as wrapping himself, and in which he lies hid as in a secret place; not so as that he cannot see others, as wicked men imagine, ( Job 22:13 Job 22:14 ) ; but as that he cannot be beheld by others; the Targum interprets it,

``he caused his Shechinah to dwell in darkness;''

his pavilion round about him [were] dark waters, [and] thick clouds of
the skies;
these were as a tent or tabernacle, in which he dwelt unseen by men; see ( Job 36:29 ) ; all this may design the dark dispensation of the Jews, after their rejection and crucifixion of Christ; when God departed from them, left their house desolate, and them without his presence and protection; when the light of the Gospel was taken away from them, and blindness happened unto them, and they had eyes that they should not see, and were given up to a judicial darkness of mind and hardness of heart; which were some of the dark, deep, and mysterious methods of divine Providence, with respect to which God may be said to be surrounded with darkness, dark waters, and thick clouds; see ( Romans 11:7 Romans 11:8 Romans 11:25 Romans 11:32 Romans 11:33 ) .

Psalms 18:11 In-Context

9 He opened the heavens and came down; dark storm clouds were beneath his feet.

10 Mounted on a mighty angelic being, he flew, soaring on the wings of the wind.

11 He shrouded himself in darkness, veiling his approach with dark rain clouds.

12 Thick clouds shielded the brightness around him and rained down hail and burning coals.

13 The LORD thundered from heaven; the voice of the Most High resounded amid the hail and burning coals.