Psalm 18 Part 3: Seeing The Glory And Majesty Of God

 

Psalm 18:6-7  In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears. 7  Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations also of the hills moved and were shaken, because he was wroth. 

We noted in our last post that this Psalm of David was also Messianic, in that it has portions that foreshadow the Lord Jesus Christ in some manner.

The next several verses describe the majesty and power of God and imply His holiness and righteousness and judgments.

Psalm 18:8  There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it. 

The ancients said that the seat of human anger was centered in the nose, or nostrils. 

They thought that when our passions are hot they are revealed by stronger than normal breathing, much like an angry moose that snorts loudly.

Therefore in ancient times, flared nostrils and snorting was a sign of an angry, fiery disposition.

The idea of a smoke arising a fire breaking forth from the nostrils of God, is a poetical description of the greatness of His anger and indignation.

Psalm 18:9  He bowed the heavens also, and came down: and darkness was under his feet. 

God made the heavens bend under Him when He descended to take vengeance on His enemies. 

David expressed the appearance of God's majesty as like a glorious cloud, descending to the earth from heaven. 

Underneath it appeared very dark like our storm clouds, but above, it was bright, and shining with exceeding glory, just as when a jet breaks through the highest clouds and bursts into brilliant sunlight.

Such a spectacular image of God coming to earth would appear as if the heavens were bending down toward us.

Matthew 17:1-8  And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, 2  And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. 3  And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him. 4  Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. 5  While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him. 6  And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid. 7  And Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid. 8  And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only. 

We have many hints of Christ's glory, such as the Mount of transfiguration, where it was briefly exposed and the disciples fell to their faces in awe and fear.

Jesus' face was bright as the sun and His garments glowed with the glory of God.

His Father spoke from an intensely bright cloud.

All of this is in accord with what David is describing about God.

Moses saw the glory of God on Mount Sinai and said it looked like a devouring fire (See Exodus 24:17).

Daniel saw God in His glory that appeared like fiery light upon His countenance (See Daniel 7:9-10).

Saul was converted to Christ on the road to Damascus when he saw the glory of Jesus shining from heaven and he was blinded for several days (See Acts 9).

When Jesus returns He will come in a cloud with great power and bright, piercing glory (See Mark 13:36).

Psalm 18:10  And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: yea, he did fly upon the wings of the wind. 

It helps to remember that much of this language is poetic.

God does not ride on chariots or fly upon the wings of the wind. 

Poetically, it pictures the LORD as a mighty warrior who rides upon His cherubim, those fascinating, powerful beings that Ezekiel saw.

It pictures the irresistible power of God that overflows everywhere and cannot be hindered in any way.

Psalm 104:1-4  Bless the LORD, O my soul. O LORD my God, thou art very great; thou art clothed with honour and majesty. 2  Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment: who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain: 3  Who layeth the beams of his chambers in the waters: who maketh the clouds his chariot: who walketh upon the wings of the wind: 4  Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire: 

David's poetry is similar to other portions of the Psalms and shows us how we ought to think of God.

He is omnipotent, meaning His power has no bounds, no limits and no restrictions.

He is omnipresent, meaning that He is everywhere present at the same time because He is not restricted by time or space or matter.

Thus, Jehovah is pictured as stretching all the starry host of heaven across the vast, uncharted expanse of space like pulling a curtain across a window at night.

God's dwelling place is described in human terms. The beams or foundation reaches into the depths of the oceans and His rooftop is higher than the heavens above us. 

Psalm 18:11  He made darkness his secret place; his pavilion round about him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies. 

David looked at the enveloping, thick darkness of night that was not pierced by any man made light sources.

Such darkness seemed impenetrable and unfathomable to human eyes.

Yet, scripture tells us that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all (See 1 John 1:5). 

Psalm 139:11-12  If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. 12  Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee. 

In this Psalm of David, he reminds us that even though men may seek to do evil things under cover of darkness, God sees their wicked acts.

He is light and He is the source of all light.

God is unaffected by light or by darkness. They are the same to His all seeing eyes.

John 4:24  God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

Light and dark are all the same to God. He is unaffected by either, for God is light and God is a Spirit and must be worshiped in spirit and in truth.

Psalm 18:12-14  At the brightness that was before him his thick clouds passed, hail stones and coals of fire. 13  The LORD also thundered in the heavens, and the Highest gave his voice; hail stones and coals of fire. 14  Yea, he sent out his arrows, and scattered them; and he shot out lightnings, and discomfited them. 

Now, David depicts the LORD as a powerful storm swiftly rolling in.

Flashing brightness pictures lightning bolts and hail often accompanies strong storms. As they draw near, the clouds are a dark, ominous hue.

Thunder comes after a flash of lightning and this pictures the LORD sending out his wrath and judgment upon nations for their sins.

What David is doing is helping us see the glory and majesty and power of God and to remind us that this same God loves and cares for each one who trusts Him.

Perhaps the text from Exodus is the best way to conclude this portion of Psalm 18.

Moses witnesses Jehovah descending upon Mount Sinai and his description is very similar to David's.

Indeed, it profoundly impacted Moses to such a degree that he said "I exceedingly fear and quake" (See Hebrews 12:21).

Exodus 19:16-19  And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled. 17  And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with God; and they stood at the nether part of the mount. 18  And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly. 19  And when the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and waxed louder and louder, Moses spake, and God answered him by a voice. 

May all these texts help us to reflect upon the power, majesty and greatness of God.

May our faith be strengthened as we remember that this same God is the one who saves us from our sins.

Our salvation is secure through repentant faith in Jesus Christ.

Our future home in heaven is a sure promise from God and this is why we have hope, even when all around us seems hopeless.

Bob