Psalms 18:15
Then the channels of waters were seen, and the foundations of the world were discovered at thy rebuke, O LORD, at the blast of the breath of thy nostrils. Then the channels of waters were seen, and the foundations of the world were discovered at thy rebuke, O LORD, at the blast of the breath of thy nostrils.
In plain poetic terms the verse describes God's rebuke as a blast of His breath that exposes the channels of waters and lays bare the foundations of the world, the word for blast being the Hebrew neshama meaning simply air or breath in motion.
It belongs to David's song of thanksgiving for deliverance from the hand of Saul after his victory and establishment as king, preserved in Psalm 18 which is the same as 2 Samuel 22 with very slight changes in language.
It pictures Jehovah answering David's cry from deep trouble by coming in power with shaking earth and darkened heavens, bowing the heavens and riding upon a cherub to take him and draw him out of many waters in triumph over his enemies.
In its setting David's kingdom typifies Christ's kingdom, giving a prophetic picture of Christ's struggles and feelings in temptation and suffering and of His victory for and in His people over sin and spiritual foes, whose moral principles also concern Christians.
The Lord's rebuke here brings upheaval in the earth through volcanic and seismic forces gathered by His mandate, and supplies the image of nations fading away at the blast of God's breath when they persistently ignore His calls and fail their appointed work.
It shows faith as the Christian's lever that moves not only earth but Heaven also because its resting-place is the throne of the eternal God.
Setting and Language
Psalm 18:15 belongs to the eighteenth psalm, which is the same as the twenty-second chapter of Second Samuel with very slight changes in language, the two records not being exactly alike but showing some difference in wording. It is part of David's psalm of thanksgiving for deliverance from the hand of Saul. It was composed after his victory over Saul and establishment as king but before his great sin, with its historical connection shown in 2 Samuel 22 while Psalm 18 preserves it among the collection of David's writings.
The word rendered blast is the Hebrew neshama, whose primary meaning is simply air, breath, or air in motion. In this place it is used in the sense of a blast, picturing God's rebuke as a blast of His breath, and is also understood as the breath of God or the wind of His anger. Neshama occurs twenty-four times in all, rendered breath seventeen times, blast three times, spirit only twice, soul once and inspiration once, showing that breath is almost exclusively its meaning and that it never means an immortal soul or an immortal entity in man.
In plain poetic terms the verse describes God's rebuke as a blast of His breath that exposes the channels of waters and the watery depths and lays bare the foundations of the world and of the earth. The Lord's rebuke and power thus bring upheaval in the earth, so that the channels of water and the world's foundations are exposed and made visible.
Divine Deliverance and Christ
Psalm 18:15 belongs to David's testimony from deep trouble when he cried to the Lord, and to a song of triumph that celebrates God's power and goodness and his deliverance from enemies. It is the celebration of one drawn out of great distress into victory over those who opposed him. The deliverance remembered is personal and complete, triumph following earnest prayer in extremity.
It pictures Jehovah answering that plea for help by coming in power, with the earth shaking and the heavens darkening before him. He bows the heavens and comes down with darkness under his feet, riding upon a cherub and flying upon the wings of the wind. He sends from above and takes the afflicted one and draws him out of many waters. That coming is also a coming to judge a guilty world.
In this setting the psalm belongs to a prophetic picture of Christ's life and struggles. It helps reveal what he felt in his inmost soul as he faced temptation and suffering. David's kingdom typifies Christ's kingdom, and the defeat of enemies points to Christ's victory for and in his people over sin and spiritual foes. Although an Old Testament psalm, its moral principles are not confined to Israel but also concern Christians.
Judgment and Present Application
The rebuke of the Lord in this verse brings upheaval in the earth, exposing the channels of water and laying bare the foundations of the world by His power. It applies to volcanic and seismic disasters, for the forces within the earth are the means by which such destruction occurs. Those destructive elements are brought together by God's mandate.
The blast of God's breath is the image of nations fading away, for when a nation persistently ignores His providential calls and fails its appointed work He can bring it to ruin. Faith is the Christian's lever that moves not only earth but Heaven also, because its resting-place is the throne of the eternal God. This belongs to David's testimony from deep trouble when he cried unto the Lord, when God bowed the heavens and came down with darkness under His feet and rode upon a cherub and flew upon the wings of the wind to send from above and take him and draw him out of many waters.