Psalm 18:8

Translations

Modern

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

Traditional

There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it.

Literal

Smoke went up from His nostril, and a devouring fire from His mouth; coals were kindled from it.

Latin

Ascendit fumus in ira ejus, et ignis a facie ejus exarsit; carbones succensi sunt ab eo.

Original

Hebrew

English

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

Notes

Psalms 18:8

His nostrils … His mouth: The psalmist compares God to an angry person or a fierce creature (see Job 41:12–22).
The frightening images of smoke, flames, and glowing coals show God’s anger against sin.

Psalms 18:7–15

The psalmist describes the Lord coming down from heaven to earth. This moment includes powerful signs such as earthquakes, fire, smoke, darkness, and rain. All creation trembles when God appears.

The psalm shows God as the Divine Warrior (a title that describes God fighting for his people, see Psalm 97:2–5) and as the Judge who rules with justice (see 50:1–6).

Psalms 18:1–50

This psalm describes a royal story of God rescuing his king. A similar version of this psalm appears in 2 Samuel 22:1–51. The psalm encourages those who hear the earlier prayers for help in Psalms 16 and 17.

The psalmist describes the dramatic nature of God’s rescue in three different ways (Psalm 18:7–15, 16–19, 30–36). The psalm also offers hope that a future Son of David will completely defeat evil (Psalm 18:43–50; compare Psalm 2).

Psalms 15:1–19:14

The psalms in this section emphasize integrity and purity (Psalms 17:15; 18:20–26; 19:13–14). They describe people as living in God’s presence (Psalms 16:9–11; 17:15) and remaining steadfast (15:5; 16:8).

Theme notes and profiles

David God Works through Prayer Praise Psalms Royal Psalms Salvation in the Psalms The Cloud and Fire The Poor and Needy in the Psalms Wisdom Psalms

Related verses

Psalm 21:9
You will place them in a fiery furnace at the time of Your appearing. In His wrath the LORD will engulf them, and the fire will consume them.
Psalm 11:6
On the wicked He will rain down fiery coals and sulfur; a scorching wind will be their portion.
Nahum 1:5–6
The mountains quake before Him, and the hills melt away; the earth trembles at His presence—the world and all its dwellers.
Leviticus 10:2
So fire came out from the presence of the LORD and consumed them, and they died in the presence of the LORD.
Daniel 7:10
A river of fire was flowing, coming out from His presence. Thousands upon thousands attended Him, and myriads upon myriads stood before Him. The court was convened, and the books were opened.
Genesis 19:28
He looked down toward Sodom and Gomorrah and all the land of the plain, and he saw the smoke rising from the land like smoke from a furnace.
Psalm 144:5–6
Part Your heavens, O LORD, and come down; touch the mountains, that they may smoke.
Numbers 16:35
And fire came forth from the LORD and consumed the 250 men who were offering the incense.
Amos 4:11
“Some of you I overthrew as I overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, and you were like a firebrand snatched from a blaze, yet you did not return to Me,” declares the LORD.
Psalm 104:32
He looks on the earth, and it trembles; He touches the mountains, and they smolder.
Psalm 50:3
Our God approaches and will not be silent! Consuming fire precedes Him, and a tempest rages around Him.
Deuteronomy 29:20
The LORD will never be willing to forgive him. Instead, His anger and jealousy will burn against that man, and every curse written in this book will fall upon him. The LORD will blot out his name from under heaven

Psalm 18:8

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