Psalms 18:11

11 He maketh darkness His secret place, Round about Him His tabernacle, Darkness of waters, thick clouds of the skies.

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 And He inclineth the heavens, and cometh down, And thick darkness [is] under His feet.
10 And He rideth on a cherub, and doth fly, And He flieth on wings of wind.
11 He maketh darkness His secret place, Round about Him His tabernacle, Darkness of waters, thick clouds of the skies.
12 From the brightness over-against Him His thick clouds have passed on, Hail and coals of fire.
13 And thunder in the heavens doth Jehovah, And the Most High giveth forth His voice, Hail and coals of fire.
Young's Literal Translation is in the public domain.