Psalms 18:8

Psalms 18:8 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it.
• New International Version (NIV)Smoke rose from his nostrils; consuming fire came from his mouth, burning coals blazed out of it.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Smoke went up from his nostrils, and devouring fire from his mouth; glowing coals flamed forth from him.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Smoke went up from His nostrils, And devouring fire from His mouth; Coals were kindled by it.

Context of Psalms 18:8

6In my distress I called upon the LORD; I cried to my God for help. From His temple He heard my voice, and my cry for His help reached His ears. 7Then the earth shook and quaked, and the foundations of the mountains trembled; they were shaken because He burned with anger. Smoke 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.

Psalms 18:8 word by word

עָ֘לָ֤ה עָשָׁ֨ן׀ בְּאַפּ֗וֹ וְאֵשׁ־מִפִּ֥יו תֹּאכֵ֑ל גֶּ֝חָלִ֗ים בָּעֲר֥וּ מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃Read the interlinear

• Smokeעָשָׁן‛âshân · smokeH6227
• roseעָלָה‛âlâh · to ascend: riseH5927
• from His nostrilsאַף'aph · face: noseH639
• and consumingאָכַל'âkal · to eatH398
• fireאֵשׁ'êsh · fireH784
• came fromמִן־min minnîy minnêy · fromH4480
• His mouthפֶּהpeh · lipH6310
• glowing coalsגַּחֶ֫לֶתgechel gacheleth · coalH1513
• blazed forthבָּעַרbâ‛ar · to burn: burnH1197

Cross-references for Psalms 18:8

• Psalms 11:6On the wicked He will rain down fiery coals and sulfur; a scorching wind will be their portion.
• Psalms 21:9You 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.
• Psalms 74:1Why have You rejected us forever, O God? Why does Your anger smolder against the sheep of Your pasture?
• Psalms 104:32He looks on the earth, and it trembles; He touches the mountains, and they smolder.
• Psalms 144:5Part Your heavens, O LORD, and come down; touch the mountains, that they may smoke.
• Genesis 19:28He 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.
• Leviticus 10:2So fire came out from the presence of the LORD and consumed them, and they died in the presence of the LORD.
• Numbers 11:1Soon the people began to complain about their hardship in the hearing of the LORD, and when He heard them, His anger was kindled, and fire from the LORD blazed among them and consumed the outskirts of the camp.
• Numbers 16:35And fire came forth from the LORD and consumed the 250 men who were offering the incense.
• Deuteronomy 29:20The 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
• 2 Thessalonians 1:8in blazing fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.
• Daniel 7:10A 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.
• 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.
• Nahum 1:5The mountains quake before Him, and the hills melt away; the earth trembles at His presence— the world and all its dwellers.
• Revelation 11:5If anyone wants to harm them, fire proceeds from their mouths and devours their enemies. In this way, anyone who wants to harm them must be killed.

Commentaries on Psalms 18:8

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8There went up a smoke out of his nostrils - Or, 'There ascended into his nostrils a smoke,' as the words, literally rendered, signify. The ancients placed the seat of anger in the nose, or nostrils; because when the passions are warm and violent, it discovers itself by the heated vehement breath which proceeds from them. Hence the physiognomists considered open wide nostrils as a sign of an angry, fiery disposition. "This description of a smoke arising…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8There went up a smoke out of his nostrils - Margin, “by his;” that is, as it is understood in the margin, the smoke seemed to be produced “by” his nostrils, or to be caused by his breathing. The comparison, according to Rosenmuller and DeWette, is derived from wild beasts when excited with anger, and when their rage is indicated by their violent breathing. Compare Psalm 74:1; Deuteronomy 29:20; Isaiah 65:5. And fire out of his mouth devoured - That is…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8His 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.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 7-87-8. God's coming described in figures drawn from His appearance on Sinai (compare De 32:22).Read the comment

Topics related to Psalms 18:8

• God
• Meteorology and Celestial Phenomena
• Readings, Select

In the dictionaries

• Cherub
• Coal
• Eyesight
• Fortress
• Hell
• Mine
• Move
• Psalms
• Ride
• Stay

Commentaries on Psalms 18

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• The Treasury of David
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings