Psalms 18:9

“He bowed the heavens also, and came down, etc.] To execute wrath and vengeance on wicked men; which is always the sense of these phrases when they go together; (see <19E406>Psalm 144:6-8 <236401>Isaiah 64:1,2); The Targum is, “he bowed the heavens, and his glory appeared”; that is, the glory of his power, and of his mighty hand of vengeance; for not his grace and mercy, but his indignation and wrath, showed themselves; for it follows, and darkness [was] under his feet; the Targum is, “a dark cloud”, expressive of the awfulness of the dispensation to wicked men; who are not allowed to see the face of God, are debarred his presence, and denied, communion with him, and to whom everything…”

“darkness--or, a dense cloud (Exo 19:16; Deu 5:22).”

“He bowed the heavens also - He seemed to bend down the heavens - to bring them nearer to the earth. “He inclines the canopy of the heavens, as it were, toward the earth; wraps himself in the darkness of night, and shoots forth his arrows; hurls abroad his lightnings, and wings them with speed.” Herder, Spirit of Hebrew Poetry (Marsh), ii. 157. The allusion is still to the tempest, when the clouds ran low; when they seem to sweep along the ground; when it appears as if the heavens were brought nearer to the earth - as if, to use a common expression, “the heavens and earth were coming together.” And came down - God himself seemed to descend in the fury of the storm. And darkness was under his…”

“Bowed - By producing thick and dark clouds, whereby the heavens seem to come down to the earth. Came - Not by change of place, but by the manifestation of his presence and power on my behalf. Psalms 18:10”

“18:9-11 The Lord’s sovereignty extends over all of nature (see 104:2-4; 148:5-6).”

“He bowed: Jehovah is here represented as a mighty warrior going forth to fight the battles of David. When He descended to the engagement, the very heavens bowed to render his descent more awful: His military tent was substantial darkness; the voice of His thunder was the warlike alarm which sounded to battle; the chariot in which He rode was the thick clouds of heaven, conducted by cherubs, and carried on by the irresistible force and rapid wings of an impetuous tempest; and the darts and weapons He employed were thunder-bolts, lightnings, fiery hail, deluging rains, and stormy winds! No wonder that when God arose all His enemies were scattered, and those that hated Him fled before Him. Psa…”