Psalms

Psalm 18:8–15

⁸Smoke rose from His nostrils,

and consuming fire came from His mouth;

glowing coals blazed forth.

⁹He parted the heavens and came down

with dark clouds beneath His feet.

¹⁰He mounted a cherub and flew;

He soared on the wings of the wind.

¹¹He made darkness His hiding place,

and storm clouds a canopy around Him.

¹²From the brightness of His presence

His clouds advanced —

hailstones and coals of fire.^a

¹³The LORD thundered from heaven;

the voice of the Most High resounded —

hailstones and coals of fire.^b

¹⁴He shot His arrows and scattered the foes;

He hurled lightning and routed them.

¹⁵The channels of the sea appeared,

and the foundations of the world were exposed,

at Your rebuke, O LORD,

at the blast of the breath of Your nostrils.

Footnotes

a 18:12 Or bolts of lightning; also in verse 13
b 18:13 Most Hebrew manuscripts; some Hebrew manuscripts and LXX do not include —hailstones and coals of fire; see 2 Samuel 22:14|2SA 22:14.

Read all of Psalm 18

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Psalm 18:8

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Smoke	עָשָׁ֨ן׀	‘ā·šān	Noun - masculine singular	H6227 smoke
rose	עָ֘לָ֤ה	‘ā·lāh	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H5927 go up, ascend, climb
from His nostrils	בְּאַפּ֗וֹ	bə·’ap·pōw	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H639 nostril, nose, face, anger
and consuming	תֹּאכֵ֑ל	tō·ḵêl	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular	H398 eat
fire	וְאֵשׁ־	wə·’êš-	Conjunctive waw; Noun - common singular	H784 fire
came from	מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃	mim·men·nū	Preposition; third person masculine singular	H4480 out of, from, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not
His mouth	מִפִּ֥יו	mip·pîw	Preposition-m; Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H6310 mouth
glowing coals	גֶּ֝חָלִ֗ים	ge·ḥā·lîm	Noun - masculine plural	H1513 ember
blazed forth	בָּעֲר֥וּ	bā·‘ă·rū	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural	H1197 burn, consume

Psalm 18:9

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
He parted	וַיֵּ֣ט	way·yêṭ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H5186 stretch out, spread out, extend, incline, bend
the heavens	שָׁ֭מַיִם	šā·ma·yim	Noun - masculine plural	H8064 sky, aloft
and came down	וַיֵּרַ֑ד	way·yê·raḏ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H3381 come or go down, descend
with dark clouds	וַ֝עֲרָפֶ֗ל	wa·‘ă·rā·p̄el	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular	H6205 cloud, heavy cloud
beneath	תַּ֣חַת	ta·ḥaṯ	Preposition	H8478 the under part
His feet	רַגְלָֽיו׃	raḡ·lāw	Noun - feminine dual construct; third person masculine singular	H7272 foot

Psalm 18:10

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
He mounted	וַיִּרְכַּ֣ב	way·yir·kaḇ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H7392 mount and ride, ride
a cherub	כְּ֭רוּב	kə·rūḇ	Noun - masculine singular	H3742 cherub
and flew	וַיָּעֹ֑ף	way·yā·‘ōp̄	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H5774 fly
He soared	וַ֝יֵּ֗דֶא	way·yê·ḏe	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H1675 fly swiftly, dart through the air
on	עַל־	‘al-	Preposition	H5921 height
the wings	כַּנְפֵי־	kan·p̄ê-	Noun - feminine plural construct	H3671 wing, extremity
of the wind	רֽוּחַ׃	rū·aḥ	Noun - common singular	H7307 breath, wind, spirit

Psalm 18:11

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
He made	יָ֤שֶׁת	yā·šeṯ	Verb - Qal - Imperfect Jussive - third person masculine singular	H7896 put, set
darkness	חֹ֨שֶׁךְ׀	ḥō·šeḵ	Noun - masculine singular	H2822 darkness, obscurity
His hiding place	סִתְר֗וֹ	siṯ·rōw	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H5643 covering, hiding-place, secrecy
storm	מַ֝֗יִם	ma·yim	Noun - masculine plural	H4325 water, juice, urine
clouds	עָבֵ֥י	‘ā·ḇê	Noun - common plural construct	H5645 dark cloud, cloud-mass, thicket
a canopy	סֻכָּת֑וֹ	suk·kā·ṯōw	Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H5521 thicket, booth
around Him	סְבִֽיבוֹתָ֥יו	sə·ḇî·ḇō·w·ṯāw	Adverb; third person masculine singular	H5439 circuit, round about

Psalm 18:12

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
From the brightness	מִנֹּ֗גַהּ	min·nō·ḡah	Preposition-m; Noun - feminine singular	H5051 brightness
of His presence	נֶ֫גְדּ֥וֹ	neḡ·dōw	Preposition; third person masculine singular	H5048 what is conspicuous or in front
His clouds	עָבָ֥יו	‘ā·ḇāw	Noun - common plural construct; third person masculine singular	H5645 dark cloud, cloud-mass, thicket
advanced	עָבְר֑וּ	‘ā·ḇə·rū	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural	H5674 pass over, through, by, pass on
hailstones	בָּ֝רָ֗ד	bā·rāḏ	Noun - masculine singular	H1259 hail
and coals	וְגַֽחֲלֵי־	wə·ḡa·ḥă·lê-	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine plural construct	H1513 ember
of fire	אֵֽשׁ׃	’êš	Noun - common singular	H784 fire

Psalm 18:13

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
The LORD	יְֽהוָ֗ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
thundered	וַיַּרְעֵ֬ם	way·yar·‘êm	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H7481 thunder
from heaven	בַּשָּׁמַ֨יִם׀	baš·šā·ma·yim	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine plural	H8064 sky, aloft
the voice	קֹל֑וֹ	qō·lōw	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H6963 sound, voice
of the Most High	וְ֭עֶלְיוֹן	wə·‘el·yō·wn	Conjunctive waw; Adjective - masculine singular	H5945 high
resounded	יִתֵּ֣ן	yit·tên	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H5414 give, put, set
hailstones	בָּ֝רָ֗ד	bā·rāḏ	Noun - masculine singular	H1259 hail
and coals	וְגַֽחֲלֵי־	wə·ḡa·ḥă·lê-	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine plural construct	H1513 ember
of fire	אֵֽשׁ׃	’êš	Noun - common singular	H784 fire

Psalm 18:14

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
He shot	וַיִּשְׁלַ֣ח	way·yiš·laḥ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H7971 send
His arrows	חִ֭צָּיו	ḥiṣ·ṣāw	Noun - masculine plural construct; third person masculine singular	H2671 arrow
and scattered	וַיְפִיצֵ֑ם	way·p̄î·ṣêm	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular; third person masculine plural	H6327 be dispersed, scattered
He hurled	רָ֝ב	rāḇ	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H7232 shoot
lightning	וּבְרָקִ֥ים	ū·ḇə·rā·qîm	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine plural	H1300 lightning
and routed them	וַיְהֻמֵּֽם׃	way·hum·mêm	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular; third person masculine plural	H2000 make a noise, move noisily, confuse, discomfit

Psalm 18:15

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
The channels	אֲפִ֥יקֵי	’ă·p̄î·qê	Noun - masculine plural construct	H650 channel
of the sea	מַ֗יִם	ma·yim	Noun - masculine plural	H4325 water, juice, urine
appeared	וַיֵּ֤רָא֨וּ׀	way·yê·rā·’ū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Nifal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H7200 see
the foundations	מוֹסְד֪וֹת	mō·ws·ḏō·wṯ	Noun - feminine plural construct	H4146 foundation
of the world	תֵּ֫בֵ֥ל	tê·ḇêl	Noun - feminine singular	H8398 world
were exposed	וַֽיִּגָּלוּ֮	way·yig·gā·lū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Nifal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H1540 uncover, remove
at Your rebuke	מִגַּעֲרָ֣תְךָ֣	mig·ga·‘ă·rā·ṯə·ḵā	Preposition-m; Noun - feminine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H1606 rebuke
O LORD	יְהוָ֑ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
at the blast	מִ֝נִּשְׁמַ֗ת	min·niš·maṯ	Preposition-m; Noun - feminine singular construct	H5397 breath
of the breath	ר֣וּחַ	rū·aḥ	Noun - common singular construct	H7307 breath, wind, spirit
of Your nostrils	אַפֶּֽךָ׃	’ap·pe·ḵā	Noun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H639 nostril, nose, face, anger