Focused Passage

Psalms 18:7-15

The LORD My Rock, Deliverer, and King

The psalm moves from David’s love and praise for the LORD as refuge, through the memory of deathly distress and divine rescue, into cosmic theophany, righteous vindication, renewed strength for battle, victory over enemies and nations, and final praise to the LORD who gives great victories to his king and shows unfailing love to David and his descendants forever.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

7 Then the earth shook and quaked, and the foundations of the mountains trembled; they were shaken because He burned with anger.

8 Smoke rose from His nostrils, and consuming fire came from His mouth; glowing coals blazed forth.

9 He parted the heavens and came down with dark clouds beneath His feet.

10 He mounted a cherub and flew; He soared on the wings of the wind.

11 He made darkness His hiding place, and storm clouds a canopy around Him.

12 From the brightness of His presence His clouds advanced—hailstones and coals of fire.

13 The LORD thundered from heaven; the voice of the Most High resounded—hailstones and coals of fire.

14 He shot His arrows and scattered the foes; He hurled lightning and routed them.

15 The channels of the sea appeared, and the foundations of the world were exposed, at Your rebuke, O LORD, at the blast of the breath of Your nostrils.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 7

Original words

Then the earth הָאָ֗רֶץ H776 Article | Noun - feminine singular shook וַתִּגְעַ֬שׁ H1607 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular and quaked וַתִּרְעַ֨שׁ׀ H7493 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular and the foundations וּמוֹסְדֵ֣י H4144 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct of the mountains הָרִ֣ים H2022 Noun - masculine plural trembled יִרְגָּ֑זוּ H7264 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural they were shaken וַ֝יִּתְגָּֽעֲשׁ֗וּ H1607 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hitpael - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural because כִּי־ H3588 Conjunction He burned with anger חָ֥רָה H2734 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Verse 8

Original words

Smoke עָשָׁ֨ן׀ H6227 Noun - masculine singular rose עָ֘לָ֤ה H5927 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular from His nostrils בְּאַפּ֗וֹ H639 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular and consuming תֹּאכֵ֑ל H398 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular fire וְאֵשׁ־ H784 Conjunctive waw | Noun - common singular came from מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃ H4480 Preposition | third person masculine singular His mouth מִפִּ֥יו H6310 Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular glowing coals גֶּ֝חָלִ֗ים H1513 Noun - masculine plural blazed forth בָּעֲר֥וּ H1197 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Verse 9

Original words

He parted וַיֵּ֣ט H5186 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular the heavens שָׁ֭מַיִם H8064 Noun - masculine plural and came down וַיֵּרַ֑ד H3381 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular with dark clouds וַ֝עֲרָפֶ֗ל H6205 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular beneath תַּ֣חַת H8478 Preposition His feet רַגְלָֽיו׃ H7272 Noun - feminine dual construct | third person masculine singular
Verse 10

Original words

He mounted וַיִּרְכַּ֣ב H7392 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular . . . עַל־ H5921 Preposition a cherub כְּ֭רוּב H3742 Noun - masculine singular and flew וַיָּעֹ֑ף H5774 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular He soared וַ֝יֵּ֗דֶא H1675 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular on עַל־ H5921 Preposition the wings כַּנְפֵי־ H3671 Noun - feminine plural construct of the wind רֽוּחַ׃ H7307 Noun - common singular
Verse 11

Original words

He made יָ֤שֶׁת H7896 Verb - Qal - Imperfect Jussive - third person masculine singular darkness חֹ֨שֶׁךְ׀ H2822 Noun - masculine singular His hiding place סִתְר֗וֹ H5643 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular [and] storm מַ֝֗יִם H4325 Noun - masculine plural clouds עָבֵ֥י H5645 Noun - common plural construct - שְׁחָקִֽים׃ H7834 Noun - masculine plural a canopy סֻכָּת֑וֹ H5521 Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular . . . חֶשְׁכַת־ H2824 Noun - feminine singular construct around Him סְבִֽיבוֹתָ֥יו H5439 Adverb | third person masculine singular
Verse 12

Original words

From the brightness מִנֹּ֗גַהּ H5051 Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular of His presence נֶ֫גְדּ֥וֹ H5048 Preposition | third person masculine singular His clouds עָבָ֥יו H5645 Noun - common plural construct | third person masculine singular advanced עָבְר֑וּ H5674 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural hailstones בָּ֝רָ֗ד H1259 Noun - masculine singular and coals וְגַֽחֲלֵי־ H1513 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct of fire אֵֽשׁ׃ H784 Noun - common singular

BSB notes

  • Or bolts of lightning; also in verse 13
Verse 13

Original words

The LORD יְֽהוָ֗ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular thundered וַיַּרְעֵ֬ם H7481 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular from heaven בַּשָּׁמַ֨יִם׀ H8064 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine plural the voice קֹל֑וֹ H6963 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular of the Most High וְ֭עֶלְיוֹן H5945 Conjunctive waw | Adjective - masculine singular resounded יִתֵּ֣ן H5414 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular hailstones בָּ֝רָ֗ד H1259 Noun - masculine singular and coals וְגַֽחֲלֵי־ H1513 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct of fire אֵֽשׁ׃ H784 Noun - common singular

BSB notes

  • Most Hebrew manuscripts; some Hebrew manuscripts and LXX do not include —hailstones and coals of fire; see 2 Samuel 22:14.
Verse 14

Original words

He shot וַיִּשְׁלַ֣ח H7971 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular His arrows חִ֭צָּיו H2671 Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular and scattered [the foes] וַיְפִיצֵ֑ם H6327 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine plural He hurled רָ֝ב H7232 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular lightning וּבְרָקִ֥ים H1300 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural and routed them וַיְהֻמֵּֽם׃ H2000 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine plural
Verse 15

Original words

The channels אֲפִ֥יקֵי H650 Noun - masculine plural construct of the sea מַ֗יִם H4325 Noun - masculine plural appeared וַיֵּ֤רָא֨וּ׀ H7200 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural [and] the foundations מוֹסְד֪וֹת H4146 Noun - feminine plural construct of the world תֵּ֫בֵ֥ל H8398 Noun - feminine singular were exposed וַֽיִּגָּלוּ֮ H1540 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural at Your rebuke מִגַּעֲרָ֣תְךָ֣ H1606 Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular O LORD יְהוָ֑ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular at the blast מִ֝נִּשְׁמַ֗ת H5397 Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular construct of the breath ר֣וּחַ H7307 Noun - common singular construct of Your nostrils אַפֶּֽךָ׃ H639 Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.