Psalm 18:11 kjv
He made darkness his secret place; his pavilion round about him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies.
Psalm 18:11 nkjv
He made darkness His secret place; His canopy around Him was dark waters And thick clouds of the skies.
Psalm 18:11 niv
He made darkness his covering, his canopy around him? the dark rain clouds of the sky.
Psalm 18:11 esv
He made darkness his covering, his canopy around him, thick clouds dark with water.
Psalm 18:11 nlt
He shrouded himself in darkness,
veiling his approach with dark rain clouds.
Psalm 18 11 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Exod 19:9 | The Lord said to Moses, "I will come to you in a thick cloud..." | God's presence in a thick cloud on Sinai |
| Exod 19:16 | On the morning of the third day there were thunders and lightnings and a thick cloud on the mountain... | Cloud, thunder, and lightning on Sinai |
| Deut 4:11 | ...you came near and stood at the foot of the mountain, while the mountain burned with fire to the heart of heaven, wrapped in darkness, cloud, and thick gloom. | Sinai wrapped in darkness, cloud, gloom |
| Deut 5:22 | ...and he wrote them on two tablets of stone and gave them to me. These words the Lord spoke to all your assembly at the mountain out of the midst of the fire, the cloud, and the thick darkness. | God speaking from thick darkness at Sinai |
| 1 Kgs 8:12 | Then Solomon said, "The Lord has said that he would dwell in thick darkness." | God chooses to dwell in thick darkness |
| 2 Chr 6:1 | Then Solomon said, "The Lord has said that he would dwell in thick darkness." | Reiterates God dwelling in thick darkness |
| Psa 29:3 | The voice of the Lord is over the waters; the God of glory thunders; the Lord is over many waters. | God's voice over waters and thunder |
| Psa 97:2 | Clouds and thick darkness are all around him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne. | Clouds/darkness surround God, His attributes |
| Psa 104:3 | He lays the beams of his upper chambers on their waters; he makes the clouds his chariot; he rides on the wings of the wind; | Clouds as God's chariot, divine mobility |
| Isa 45:15 | Truly, you are a God who hides himself, O God of Israel, the Savior. | God as one who hides himself |
| Nah 1:3 | The Lord is slow to anger and great in power, and the Lord will by no means clear the guilty. His way is in whirlwind and storm, and clouds are the dust of his feet. | God's path in storm and clouds |
| Hab 3:3 | God came from Teman, and the Holy One from Mount Paran... His glory covered the heavens, and the earth was full of his praise. | Theophany from wilderness, glory covers earth |
| Hab 3:10 | The mountains saw you and writhed; the raging waters swept on; the deep gave forth its voice; it lifted its hands on high. | Waters respond to God's presence |
| Job 23:8-9 | Behold, I go forward, but he is not there, and backward, but I do not perceive him... he hides himself on the right, so that I cannot see him. | God's unsearchable presence |
| Job 26:9 | He encloses the face of the moon and spreads his cloud upon it. | God's power over celestial bodies via clouds |
| Jer 4:28 | Therefore the earth shall mourn, and the heavens above grow dark... | Darkness as sign of judgment |
| Eze 1:4 | As I looked, behold, a stormy wind came out of the north, and a great cloud, with brightness around it, and fire flashing forth continually from the midst of it... | God's throne in a stormy cloud with fire |
| Joel 2:2 | a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness! | Darkness/clouds as imagery for Day of the Lord |
| Rom 11:33 | Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! | God's unsearchable wisdom and ways |
| Heb 12:18-19 | For you have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom and storm, to a trumpet blast or to such a voice speaking words... | Contrast to Mount Sinai's fearsome display |
| Rev 1:7 | Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. | Christ's return with clouds, echoing theophanies |
Psalm 18 verses
Psalm 18 11 Meaning
This verse paints a profound picture of God's majestic and transcendent nature. It describes the Almighty appearing enshrouded in the elemental forces of a tempest—darkness, dense clouds, and powerful waters—as His immediate presence and dwelling. This imagery signifies His inscrutable mystery, unapproachable holiness, and absolute sovereignty over all creation, from which He operates in power, particularly to rescue His anointed.
Psalm 18 11 Context
Psalm 18 is a triumphant psalm of thanksgiving, attributed to David (2 Sam 22), commemorating God's powerful deliverance from all his enemies, especially Saul. It begins with David's passionate declaration of love for God, followed by an elaborate and dramatic depiction of God's personal intervention as a Divine Warrior. Theophany, the visible manifestation of God, is central to the Psalm's middle section (vv. 7-15), with verse 11 describing the divine appearance. The immediate verses preceding it describe God's shaking of the earth in response to David's cry, and subsequent verses elaborate on the destructive forces of the storm He unleashes. Historically, it reflects the life of King David, marked by severe trials and profound victories, where God consistently proved to be his fortress and deliverer. The imagery, particularly the storm theophany, also serves as a polemic, implicitly demonstrating Yahweh's unparalleled sovereignty over creation compared to pagan storm deities.
Psalm 18 11 Word analysis
- He made (וַיָּשֶׁת - vayyā́šet): A strong, active verb indicating God's intentional and powerful agency. He does not merely inhabit darkness, but actively sets or appoints it as His hidden sphere.
- darkness (חֹשֶׁךְ - ḥṓšek): Not synonymous with evil here, but rather a symbol of divine transcendence, unapproachable holiness, and profound mystery. It represents a veil protecting humanity from His raw, overwhelming glory (Exod 33:20). It hints at primordial power, like the darkness before creation's form took shape (Gen 1:2).
- his secret place (סִתְרֹו - sit̄rố): Signifies a concealed sanctuary, a place of divine inaccessibility and intimate sovereign operation. It underscores God's ability to act hiddenly and beyond human full comprehension or scrutiny.
- his pavilion (סֻכָּתוֹ - suk̄kātố): From sukka, meaning a booth, tabernacle, or dwelling. This implies God's personal habitation or cover. While it might recall the earthly Tabernacle, here it's a cosmic, temporary yet mighty, structure composed of natural elements, revealing God's control over creation itself.
- round about him (סְבִיבֹתָיו - səb̠îḇōṯā́yw): Emphasizes the encompassing nature of God's presence, fully enveloped by these elements. He is completely shrouded.
- dark waters (חֶשְׁכַת־מַיִם - ḥešḵat-máyim): Not simply dark; literally "darkness of waters." These are not ordinary waters, but deep, vast, often chaotic, or primordial waters (Gen 1:2; Job 38:8-11). Here, they are under God's complete control, serving as His immediate surroundings, symbolizing overwhelming power and depth. Often, waters are metaphors for overwhelming trouble or danger, emphasizing God's control even over chaotic elements.
- thick clouds (עָבֵי - ʿāḇế): From ‘ab, meaning dense, thick clouds. These are impenetrable and symbolize the heavy, ominous elements of a severe storm, signaling awe, power, and often judgment or the revelation of glory.
- of the skies (שְׁחָקִים - šəḥāqîm): Refers to the heavens or vast expanse of the skies, emphasizing the high, immense scale of God's dwelling place. The clouds are high above, linking to divine heights.