Psalms 18:8

Psa 18:8 There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it.

Ver. 8. There went up a smoke out of his nostrils] As angry men breathe vehemently, and seem to spit fire by their blustering speeches and menaces, so here ανθρωποπαθως omnia, quae tamen θεοπρεπως sunt intelligenda.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Ver. 8. There went up a smoke out of his nostrils. A violent oriental method of expressing fierce wrath. Since the breath from the nostrils is heated by strong emotion, the figure portrays the Almighty Deliverer as pouring forth smoke in the heat of his wrath and the impetuousness of his zeal. Nothing makes God so angry as an injury done to his children. He that toucheth you toucheth the apple of mine eye. God is not subject to the passions which govern his creatures, but acting as he does with all the energy and speed of one who is angry, he is here aptly set forth in poetic imagery suitable to human understandings. The opening of his lips is sufficient to destroy his enemies;

and fire out of his mouth devoured. This fire was no temporary one but steady and lasting;

Coals were kindled by it. The whole passage is intended to depict God's descent to the help of his child, attended by earthquake and tempest: at the majesty of his appearing the earth rocks, the clouds gather like smoke, and the lightning as flaming fire devours, setting the world on a blaze. What grandeur of description is here! Bishop Mant very admirably rhymes the verse thus:

"Smoke from his heated nostrils came, And from his mouth devouring flame;

Hot burning coals announced his ire, And flashes of careering fire."

Ver. 8. There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, (wkab Nve hle). Or there ascended into his nose, as the words literally rendered, signify. The ancients placed the seat of anger in the nose, or nostrils; because when it grows warm and violent, it discovers itself, as it were, by a heated vehement breath, that proceeds from them. Samuel Chandler, D.D., F.R. and A.S.S., 1766.

Ver. 8-19. David calls the full force of poetical imagery to aid, to describe in a becoming manner the marvels of his deliverances. He means to say that they were as manifest as the signs of heaven and earth, as sudden and powerful as the phenomena in the kingdom of nature surprise terrified mortals. Deliverance being his theme, he might have taken the figure from the peaceable phenomena of the heavens. But since man heeds heaven more in anger than in blessing, and regards God more when he descends on earth in the storm than in the rainbow, David describes the blessed condescension of God by the figure of a tempest. In order to thoroughly appreciate the beauty and truthfulness of this figure, we should endeavour to realise the full power of an Oriental storm, as it is described in Ps 29:1-11. Solitary lightning precedes the dischargethis is meant by the coals in Ps 18:8: the clouds approach the mountain summitsthe heavens bow, as Ps 18:9 has it; the storm shakes its pinions; enwraped in thick clouds as in a tent, God descends to the earth; hail (not infrequently attending Eastern storms) and lightning issue from the black clouds, through the dissolving layers of which is seen the fiery splendour which hides the Lord of nature. He speaks, and thunder is his voice; he shoots, and flashes of lightning are his arrows. At his rebuke, and at the blast of his breath the earth recedesthe sea foams up, and its beds are seenthe land bursts, and the foundations of the world are discovered. And lo! an arm of deliverance issues forth from the black clouds, and the destructive fire grasps the wretched one who had cried out from the depths, pulls him forth, and delivers him from all his enemies! Yes, the hand of the Lord has done marvellous things in the life of David. But the eye of faith alone could perceive in them all the hand of God. Thousands whose experiences of the delivering hand of God are not less signal than those of David, stop short at the powers of nature, and instead of bending the knee before the All merciful God, content themselves to express with cold hearts their admiration of the changes of the destiny of man. Augustus F. Tholuck, D.D., Ph.D. 1856.

None.

Psalms 18:9*

Ver. 8-19. See Psalms on "Ps 18:9" for further information.

Ver. 8-19.

Ver. 9-11:

"He also bowed the heavens,

And thence he did descend;

And thickest clouds of darkness did

Under his feet attend."

"And he upon a cherub rode,

And thereon he did fly;

Yea, on the swift wings of the wind,

His flight was from on high."

"He darkness made his secret place;

About him for his tent

Dark waters were, and thickest clouds

Of the airy firmament." Scotch Version, 1649.

Ver. 9-12:

"In his descent, bowed heaven with earth did meet,

And gloomy darkness rolled beneath his feet;

A golden winged cherub he bestrid,

And on the swiftly flying tempest rid."

"He darkness made his secret cabinet;

Thick fogs and dropping clouds about him set;

The beams of his bright presence these expel,

Whence showers of burning coals and hailstones fell." George Sandys, 1577-1643.

Ver. 8-19. See Psalms on "Ps 18:9" for further information.

Ver. 9-11:

"He also bowed the heavens,

And thence he did descend;

And thickest clouds of darkness did

Under his feet attend."

"And he upon a cherub rode,

And thereon he did fly;

Yea, on the swift wings of the wind,

His flight was from on high."

"He darkness made his secret place;

About him for his tent

Dark waters were, and thickest clouds

Of the airy firmament." Scotch Version, 1649.

Ver. 9-12:

"In his descent, bowed heaven with earth did meet,

And gloomy darkness rolled beneath his feet;

A golden winged cherub he bestrid,

And on the swiftly flying tempest rid."

"He darkness made his secret cabinet;

Thick fogs and dropping clouds about him set;

The beams of his bright presence these expel,

Whence showers of burning coals and hailstones fell." George Sandys, 1577-1643.

Ver. 8-19. See Psalms on "Ps 18:8" for further information.

Ver. 8-19. See Psalms on "Ps 18:9" for further information.

Ver. 8-19. See Psalms on "Ps 18:8" for further information.

Ver. 8-19. See Psalms on "Ps 18:8" for further information.

Ver. 8-19. See Psalms on "Ps 18:8" for further information.

Ver. 8-19. See Psalms on "Ps 18:8" for further information.

Ver. 8-19. See Psalms on "Ps 18:8" for further information.

Ver. 8-19. See Psalms on "Ps 18:8" for further information.

Charles H. Spurgeon's The Treasury of David (1869–1885) — public domain. Psalms only. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Psa 18:8. There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, &c. — Here “the further effects of God’s indignation are represented by those of fire, which is the most terrible of the created elements, burning and consuming all before it: scorching the ground, and causing the mountains to smoke. Under this appearance God descended on the top of Sinai; thus he visited the cities of the plain; and thus he is to come at the end of time.” — Horne. In the poetical figure of the smoke issuing from God’s nostrils, the psalmist is thought to allude to the well-known circumstance, that when the passion of anger becomes warm and violent in any man it is wont to discover itself by the heated, vehement breath which proceeds from his nose and mouth. The latter clause of the verse is better rendered, Fire out of his mouth devoured, coals burned from before, or around him.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

9. (Psa 18:8). There went up smoke in his wrath, and fire from his mouth devours: coals are kindled from it. Smoke and fire are mentioned as natural combatants and parallel figures, both denoting anger, and suggested by the phrase it was inflamed to him in the preceding verse. Compare Deu 32:22; Deu 29:19 (20), Psa 24:1. The translation nostrils rests on a confusion of two collateral derivatives from the verb to breathe. (See my note on Isa 48:9.) Nor is this sense required by the parallelism, unless mouth and nose must always go together. There seems to be some allusion to the fire and smoke at Sinai, Exo 19:18. From it may have reference to fire; but the nearest antecedent is his mouth. Compare Job 41:11-13 (19-21). There is no need of supplying any object with devours; the idea is that of a devouring fire, i.e. one capable of consuming whatever combustible material it may meet with.

Joseph Addison Alexander, The Psalms Translated and Explained (1850) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

18:8 his nostrils . . . his mouth: The psalmist likens God to an angry person or a fierce creature (see Job 41:12-22). • The terrifying images of smoke, flames, and glowing coals express God’s wrath against sin.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

He showeth how horrible God’s judgments shall be to the wicked.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

smoke out . . . his nostrils--bitter in His wrath (compare Psa 74:1).

by it--that is, the fire (Exo 19:18).

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 8. There went up a smoke out of his nostrils] - Or, 'There ascended into his nostrils a smoke,' as the words, literally rendered, signify. The ancients placed the seat of anger in the nose, or nostrils; because when the passions are warm and violent, it discovers itself by the heated vehement breath which proceeds from them. Hence the physiognomists considered open wide nostrils as a sign of an angry, fiery disposition.

"This description of a smoke arising into and a fire breaking forth from the nostrils of God, denotes, by a poetical figure, the greatness of his anger and indignation.

"Fire out of his mouth devoured - means that consuming fire issued out of his mouth. Coals were kindled by it, thus we render the next clause; but the words do not mean that fire proceeding from God kindled coals, but that burning coals issued from his mouth; and it should be rendered 'living coals from his mouth burned, and consumed around him.'-Chandler.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

8. There went up a smoke by [or out of] his nostrils, etc The Hebrew word אף, aph, properly signifies the nose, or the nostrils. But as it is sometimes taken metaphorically for wrath, some translate it thus, There went up a smoke in his wrath, which, in my opinion, is not at all appropriate. David compares the mists and vapours which darken the air to the thick smoke which a man sends forth from his nostrils when he is angry. And when God, by his very breath, covers the heaven with clouds, and taking away from us the brightness of the sun and of all the stars, overwhelms us in darkness, by this we are very impressively taught how dreadful is his wrath. By the rendering which I have given, the figure here strikingly harmonises with the one in the clause which immediately follows, namely, that fire proceeding from his mouth consumed The Psalmist means, that God, without great labor or effort, as soon as he shall have sent forth a breath or blast from his nostrils, and opened his mouth, will kindle such a fire that its smoke will darken the whole world, and its intense heat devour it. What he adds, Coals were kindled by it, serves to distinguish this dreadful fire from a flame which blazes for a moment, and then is extinguished. The bowing of the heavens, denotes a time when the heavens are covered and obscured with clouds. When dense vapours occupy the middle of the air, the clouds seem to us to come down and to lie upon our heads. And not only so, but the majesty of God then approaching, as it were, nearer us, strikes us with dread dismay, and greatly distresses us, although before, when the sky was fair, agreeable, and tranquil, we took ample scope, and enjoyed ourselves with much gaiety. Again, let us remember, that the Scripture, under these descriptions of a clouded and darkened sky, pourtray to us the anger of God. When the sky is clear and unclouded, it seems as if it were the pleasant and benignant countenance of God beaming upon us, and causing us to rejoice; whereas, on the other hand, when the atmosphere is troubled, we feel a depression of the animal spirits which constrains us to look sad, as if we saw God coming against us with a threatening aspect. At the same time, we are taught that no change takes place either in the atmosphere or in the earth, but what is a witness to us of the presence of God.

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

(8) A smoke.—Now the thunder-cloud forms—smoke, as it were, from the nostrils of God (comp. Psa_74:1; Deu_29:20 : the literal rendering is, “there ascended smoke in his nostrils”)—and intermittent flashes of lightning dart forth and play about the distant summits, seeming to devour everything in its path. (Comp. the expression lambent flame.”)

Coals were kindled by it.—Rather, flaming coals blazed from it.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

8. The startling boldness of the language will be intelligible if the distinctive character of Hebrew symbolism is borne in mind. It is no “gross anthropomorphism,” for the poet did not intend that the mind’s eye should shape his figures into a concrete form. His aim is vividly to express the awfulness of this manifestation of God’s wrath, and he does it by using figures which are intended to remain as purely mental conceptions, not to be realised as though God appeared in any visible shape. See some excellent remarks in Archbishop Trench’s Common the Epistles to the Seven Churches, p. 43.

a smoke] The outward sign of the pent-up fires of wrath. So anger is said to smoke (Psa_74:1; Psa_80:4 marg.). This bold figure is suggested by the panting and snorting of an infuriated animal. See the description of the crocodile in Job_41:19-21.

out of his nostrils] Cp. Psa_18:15. In his wrath (R.V. marg.) is a possible rendering, but the context and parallelism are against it.

fire] The constant emblem of the consuming wrath of God. See Exo_15:7; Deu_32:22; Psa_97:3; Heb_12:29.

coals &c.] Or, hot burning coals came out of it: the fiery messengers of vengeance (Psa_140:10).

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

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 Psa 144:6; 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, Psa 97:2.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

There went up a smoke out of his nostrils - Margin, “by his;” that is, as it is understood in the margin, the smoke seemed to be produced “by” his nostrils, or to be caused by his breathing. The comparison, according to Rosenmuller and DeWette, is derived from wild beasts when excited with anger, and when their rage is indicated by their violent breathing. Compare Psa 74:1; Deu 29:20; Isa 65:5.

And fire out of his mouth devoured - That is, the clouds seemed to be poured forth from his nostrils, and the lightning from his mouth. So in Hab 3:5 : “Before him went the pestilence, and burning coals went forth at his feet.”

Coals were kindled by it - Everything seemed to glow and burn. The lightning, that appeared to flash from his mouth, set everything on fire. The heavens and the earth were in a blaze.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Smoke out of his nostrils; as is usual in persons transported with great anger and rage. He manifestd his great displeasure against my adversaries.

Coals were kindled by it; which notes the fervency, constancy, and efficacy of his anger.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

8. There went up a smoke—Compare, on Sodom, Gen_19:27-28; also, on Sinai, Exo_19:18—a token of God’s majesty and his anger against sin.

Fire out of his mouth—See the passages last quoted.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

There went up a smoke out of his nostrils. Emissions of smoke are a common feature of volcanic disturbances, with which earthquakes are closely connected. The LXX give, instead of "out of his nostrils," in his anger ( en orgh autou ), which is better, since the Hebrew prefix B, "in," certainly cannot mean "out of." And fire out of his mouth devoured. Fire-balls are said to have accompanied some earthquakes, as especially that one by which Julian"s design of rebuilding Jerusalem was frustrated. Coals were kindled by it. The fire-balls above spoken of are declared to have scorched and burnt the workmen employed by Julian (Amm. Marc., 23. 1).

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

There went, &c. - All these seem to be figurative expressions, denoting the greatness of his anger.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

The earth shook and quaked This is not connected to the preceding verse, but its beginning is connected to its end; i.e., when He was angered, the earth shook and quaked. [The word] כי is used as an expression of “when.” When He was angered and came to wreak the vengeance of His people, His servants, on Pharaoh and his people, the earth shook and quaked.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.