Psalms 18:7-15

Forthwith David's prayer is answered by the Advent of Jehovah for the discomfiture of his enemies. He manifests Himself in earthquake and storm. The majestic though terrible phenomena of nature are the expression of His presence. Nature in its stern and awful aspect is a revelation of His judicial wrath. We may call this an -ideal" description of a Theophany; for though it is possible that David refers to some occasion when his enemies were scattered by the breaking of a terrible storm (cp. Joshua 10:11; Judges 5:20 f.; 1 Samuel 7:10), we have no record of such an event having actually happened in his life; and in any case the picture is intended to serve as a description of God's providential interposition for his deliverance in general, and not upon any single occasion. His power was exerted as really and truly as if all these extraordinary natural phenomena had visibly attested His Advent. Compare the accounts of the Exodus and the Giving of the Law. See Exodus 19:16-18; Judges 5:4-5; Psalms 68:7-8; Psalms 77:16-18: and cp. Psalms 50:2 ff., Psalms 97:2 ff., Psalms 114; Isaiah 29:6; Isaiah 30:27 ff; Isaiah 64:1 ff; Habakkuk 3:3 ff.

Psalms 29 should be compared as illustrating David's sense of the grandeur and significance of natural phenomena.

The earthquake (Psalms 18:7); the distant lightnings (Psalms 18:8); the gathering darkness of the storm (Psalms 18:9); the final outburst of its full fury (Psalms 18:12); are pictured in regular succession.