Psalms 18:10

10 He mounted the cherubim and flew; he soared on the wings of the wind.

Psalms 18:10 in Other Translations

10 And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: yea, he did fly upon the wings of the wind.

10 He rode on a cherub and flew; he came swiftly on the wings of the wind.

10 Mounted on a mighty angelic being, he flew, soaring on the wings of the wind.

10 He's riding a winged creature, swift on wind-wings.

10 And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly; Yea, he soared upon the wings of the wind.

10 He rode on one of the angels as he flew, and he soared on the wings of the wind.

10 He rode on a cherub and flew, soaring on the wings of the wind.

10 He got on the cherubim and flew. The wings of the wind lifted him up.

Psalms 18:10 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 18:10

And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly
The Targum renders it in the plural number, "cherubim"; and so the Septuagint, Syriac, and Arabic versions; and by whom may be meant, either the angels, who are as horses and chariots, on whom Jehovah rides, and who art he makes use of as executioners of his wrath and vengeance, ( Zechariah 6:5 ) ( Psalms 68:17 ) ; and to whom wings are assigned as a token of swiftness, ( Isaiah 6:2 ) ; or rather the ministers of the Gospel, who are the living creatures in ( Revelation 4:7 Revelation 4:8 ) ; and answer to the "cherubim" in Ezekiel's visions; and whom God made use of, especially after the death of Christ, and when the Gospel was rejected by the Jews, to carry it into the Gentile world, which was done by them with great speed and swiftness; and Maimonides ^F21 gives a caution, not to understand the phrase, "he did fly", as of God, but of the cherub;

yea, he did fly upon the wings of the wind;
which may design the speedy help and assistance God gave to his Son, and gives to his people; and the swift destruction of their enemies; see ( Psalms 104:3 Psalms 104:4 ) ; the words in ( 2 Samuel 22:11 ) , with only the variation of a letter in one word, are, "and he was seen upon the wings of the wind"; which were both true; nor need a various reading be supposed, the psalmist using both words at different times, suitable to his purpose, and which both express his sense. Wings are ascribed to the winds by the Heathen poets, and they are represented as winged on ancient monuments ^F23.

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FOOTNOTES:

F21 Moreh Nevochim. par. 1. c. 49.
F23 Vide Cuperi Apotheos. Homeri, p. 178. Wings are given to the south wind by Ovid, Metamorph. l. 1. Fab. 7. and by Juvenal, Satyr. 5. v. 10. and by Virgil, Aeneid. 8. v. 430. and who also speaks of wings of lightning, Aeneid. 5. v. 319.

Psalms 18:10 In-Context

8 Smoke rose from his nostrils; consuming fire came from his mouth, burning coals blazed out of it.

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

10 He mounted the cherubim and flew; he soared on the wings of the wind.

11 He made darkness his covering, his canopy around him— the dark rain clouds of the sky.

12 Out of the brightness of his presence clouds advanced, with hailstones and bolts of lightning.

Cross References

• 1. S Genesis 3:24; Ezekiel 10:18; Psalms 80:1
• 2. S Deuteronomy 33:26
• 3. Psalms 104:3