Psalms 18:8

The startling boldness of the language will be intelligible if the distinctive character of Hebrew symbolism is borne in mind. It is no "gross anthropomorphism," for the poet did not intend that the mind's eye should shape his figures into a concrete form. His aim is vividly to express the awfulness of this manifestation of God's wrath, and he does it by using figures which are intended to remain as purely mental conceptions, not to be realised as though God appeared in any visible shape. See some excellent remarks in Archbishop Trench's Common the Epistles to the Seven Churches, p. 43.

a smoke The outward sign of the pent-up fires of wrath. So anger is said to smoke(Psalms 74:1; Psalms 80:4 marg.). This bold figure is suggested by the panting and snorting of an infuriated animal. See the description of the crocodile in Job 41:19-21.

out of his nostrils Cp. Psalms 18:15. In his wrath(R.V. marg.) is a possible rendering, but the context and parallelism are against it.

fire The constant emblem of the consuming wrath of God. See Exodus 15:7; Deuteronomy 32:22; Psalms 97:3; Hebrews 12:29.

coals&c. Or, hot burning coals came out of it: the fiery messengers of vengeance (Psalms 140:10).