Psalms 18:12 (ASV)

Passage

At the brightness before him his thick clouds passed, Hailstones and coals of fire.

Nearby Context

Psalms 18:10 And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly; Yea, he soared upon the wings of the wind.

Psalms 18:11 He made darkness his hiding-place, his pavilion round about him, Darkness of waters, thick clouds of the skies.

Psalms 18:12 At the brightness before him his thick clouds passed, Hailstones and coals of fire.

Psalms 18:13 Jehovah also thundered in the heavens, And the Most High uttered his voice, Hailstones and coals of fire.

Psalms 18:14 And he sent out his arrows, and scattered them; Yea, lightnings manifold, and discomfited them.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "brightness", "before", "thick", "clouds", "passed", "hailstones", "coals", and "fire". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "brightness" and "before", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 11's "He made darkness his hiding-place his pavilion..." into verse 13's "Jehovah also thundered in the heavens And...", so "brightness" and "before" belong inside that flow. In Psalms context, the local focus is worship, trust, the LORD's kingship, and covenant mercy.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "brightness" and "before" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.