Psalm 18:9 - Printer Friendly

ESV: He bowed the heavens and came down; thick darkness was under his feet.

NIV: He parted the heavens and came down; dark clouds were under his feet.

NASB: He also bowed the heavens down low, and came down With thick darkness under His feet.

CSB: He bent the heavens and came down, total darkness beneath his feet.

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

KJV: He bowed the heavens also, and came down: and darkness was under his feet.

NKJV: He bowed the heavens also, and came down With darkness under His feet.

A poetic description of God's powerful response (Psalm 18:7–8) to David's pleas continues. David portrays the Lord as descending from heaven like a black cloud. The imagery suggests the sky was dropping down to the earth, engulfing it in an ominous darkness. Earlier passages compared God's wrath to an earthquake, and possibly to a volcanic eruption. This verse might follow that pattern, depicting the dust, smoke, and ash of such an event. An alternative image might be that of a massive tornado.

When God judges the wicked in the tribulation, the seven-year period that follows His removal of Christians from the earth (1 Thessalonians 4:13–17), thick darkness will fall upon the earth. Joel 2:2 describes this period as "a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness." Revelation 16:10 prophesies that during the fifth bowl judgment the kingdom of the beast will be plunged into darkness and people will gnaw their tongues in anguish. Whereas the events of Revelation 16:10 are at least partially literal, David's description of God's descending like a black cloud is figurative. Nevertheless, both descriptions provide a terrifying account of God's furious judgment.

Psalm 18:1–19 expresses David's love for the Lord and his praise to God for delivering him from his enemies. This is very similar—perhaps an updated version—of David's song of praise recorded in 2 Samuel chapter 22. Psalms 3—5 recall David's prayer for deliverance from his foes and his trust in the Lord to deliver him from them. Psalms 48:1; 96:4; 145:3; and 150 also express praise to the Lord. An account of David's deliverance from his enemies is found in 2 Samuel 19—21. Other passages of Scripture that reveal God's deliverance of His people include Exodus 14; Joshua 10; Judges 7; 2 Kings 19:20–37; and Revelation 19:11–21.

In 2 Samuel chapter 22, David expresses praise for all the times in his life where God gave him victory. That prayer or song is copied almost identically here. Psalm 18, itself, might have been adapted for use in public worship. David remembers dire situations where God rescued him. He dramatically recounts how God provided rescue and power. David also credits God with rewarding his obedience by making him a powerful and successful military leader. For these reasons, David commits himself to the praise and worship of the Lord.

This psalm is David's prayer to the Lord in which David praises the Lord for making him victorious over his enemies. Second Samuel 5, 8, and 10 are companion chapters, and 2 Samuel 22 provides another version of this psalm. Second Samuel 22:1 tells us David composed Psalm 18 on the day the Lord delivered him from his enemies and Saul. Second Samuel 19 reports David's victorious return to Jerusalem after David vanquished his enemies.

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.