Psalm 18:8-16
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
8 [a]The earth rocked and shook;
the foundations of the mountains trembled;
they shook as his wrath flared up.(A)
9 Smoke rose from his nostrils,
a devouring fire from his mouth;
it kindled coals into flame.
10 He parted the heavens and came down,
a dark cloud under his feet.(B)
11 Mounted on a cherub[b] he flew,
borne along on the wings of the wind.
12 He made darkness his cloak around him;
his canopy, water-darkened stormclouds.
13 From the gleam before him, his clouds passed,
hail and coals of fire.(C)
14 The Lord thundered from heaven;
the Most High made his voice resound.(D)
15 He let fly his arrows[c] and scattered them;
shot his lightning bolts and dispersed them.(E)
16 Then the bed of the sea appeared;
the world’s foundations lay bare,(F)
At your rebuke, O Lord,
at the storming breath of your nostrils.
Footnotes
- 18:8–16 God appears in the storm, which in Palestine comes from the west. The introduction to the theophany (Ps 18:8–9) is probably a description of a violent, hot, and dry east-wind storm. In the fall transition period from the rainless summer to the rainy winter such storms regularly precede the rains, cf. Ex 14:21–22.
- 18:11 Cherub: a winged creature, derived from myth, in the service of the deity (Gn 3:24; Ex 25:18–20; 37:6–9). Cherubim were the throne bearers of the deity (Ps 80:2; 99:1; 1 Kgs 6:23–28; 8:6–8).
- 18:15 Arrows: lightning.
Scripture texts, prefaces, introductions, footnotes and cross references used in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC All Rights Reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.