Psalms 18:11
He made darkness his secret place; his pavilion round about him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies.
Original Language Analysis
חֹ֨שֶׁךְ׀
darkness
H2822
חֹ֨שֶׁךְ׀
darkness
Strong's:
H2822
Word #:
2 of 9
the dark; hence (literally) darkness; figuratively, misery, destruction, death, ignorance, sorrow, wickedness
סִתְר֗וֹ
his secret place
H5643
סִתְר֗וֹ
his secret place
Strong's:
H5643
Word #:
3 of 9
a cover (in a good or a bad, a literal or a figurative sense)
סְבִֽיבוֹתָ֥יו
round about
H5439
סְבִֽיבוֹתָ֥יו
round about
Strong's:
H5439
Word #:
4 of 9
(as noun) a circle, neighbour, or environs; but chiefly (as adverb, with or without preposition) around
מַ֝֗יִם
waters
H4325
מַ֝֗יִם
waters
Strong's:
H4325
Word #:
7 of 9
water; figuratively, juice; by euphemism, urine, semen
Cross References
Psalms 97:2Clouds and darkness are round about him: righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his throne.Deuteronomy 4:11And ye came near and stood under the mountain; and the mountain burned with fire unto the midst of heaven, with darkness, clouds, and thick darkness.Psalms 81:7Thou calledst in trouble, and I delivered thee; I answered thee in the secret place of thunder: I proved thee at the waters of Meribah. Selah.Psalms 91:1He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.Joel 2:2A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains: a great people and a strong; there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it, even to the years of many generations.
Historical Context
Storm imagery was common in ancient Near Eastern divine warrior portrayals, but uniquely applied to Yahweh who controls nature rather than being nature.
Questions for Reflection
- How do you respond to God's mystery and incomprehensibility?
- In what ways does God's hiddenness actually protect or preserve you?
Analysis & Commentary
God made darkness His covering, His canopy around Him 'thick clouds dark with water.' The Hebrew 'sukkah' (covering/booth) and 'chashekah' (darkness) create paradox—God dwells in inaccessible light (1 Timothy 6:16) yet here in darkness. This suggests mystery and hiddenness. Reformed theology affirms God's incomprehensibility—even in revelation, He remains beyond full human grasp (Isaiah 55:8-9).