Psalms 18:8

8 Smoke went up from his nostrils, and devouring fire from his mouth; glowing coals flamed forth from him.

Psalms 18:8 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 18:8

There went up a smoke out of his nostrils
This, with what follows, describes a storm of thunder; the "smoke" designs thick black clouds, gathered together; "fire" intends lightning; and "coals of fire", hot thunderbolts; and the whole is borrowed from, and is an allusion to what was at the giving of the law on Mount Sinai, ( Exodus 19:16 Exodus 19:18 ) ; The majesty of God is here set forth in much such language as is the leviathan in ( Job 41:19-21 ) ; the "smoke of his nostrils" seems to intend the indignation of God against the enemies of David, of Christ, and of his people, and the punishment be will inflict upon them, ( Isaiah 65:5 ) ( Revelation 14:11 ) . The Targum interprets it of the pride and insolence of Pharaoh;

and fire out of his mouth devoured;
God is a wall of fire round about his people, and a consuming one to his and their enemies. This expresses the wrath of God upon the Jewish nation, and his sending the Roman armies to burn their city, ( Matthew 22:7 ) ;

coals were kindled by it;
the Jews being as dry trees, were fit fuel for the fire of divine wrath, and so presently became as coals of fire; so the antichristian party, upon the pouring out of the fourth vial, will be scorched with heat, and blaspheme the name of God, ( Revelation 16:8 Revelation 16:9 ) .

Psalms 18:8 In-Context

6 In my distress I called upon the Lord; to my God I cried for help. From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry to him reached his ears.

7 Then the earth reeled and rocked; the foundations also of the mountains trembled and quaked, because he was angry.

8 Smoke went up from his nostrils, and devouring fire from his mouth; glowing coals flamed forth from him.

9 He bowed the heavens, and came down; thick darkness was under his feet.

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