Psalm 18 (17):9Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The heartfelt cries of the repentant grew louder as they learned of God's warnings to the unrighteous. His fiery countenance burns fiercely. The intense love that follows repentance ignites from the understanding of Him. Fiery coals emanate from His presence. Those who were once lifeless, abandoned in the chill of despair and darkness, were revived by the flames of righteous longing and the illumination of truth, experiencing new life once more.

The smoke of His anger arose, as the Psalmist indicates by using the term ‘smoke.’ The flames from His presence will ignite. This action, executed invisibly against the opposing powers of the Son of God, extinguishes their fire with a far greater and more potent fire. When the demons beheld the Lord at His arrival, they were consumed by His presence, reduced to ashes before Him. This represents the nature of being illuminated by the communion with the Divine fire.

The Prophet spoke these words, not as definitive truth, but as a reflection of faith's understanding. God not only enacted judgment but also instilled fear in people through elements like lightning, thunder, earthquakes, and fire. His intention was to instill dread in Israel, exemplified by the sight of Mount Sinai engulfed in flames. Consequently, the Prophet similarly depicted the consequences faced by the foes. He also instructs others to avoid such actions to prevent experiencing comparable afflictions.

The smoke of His indignation ascended. When the Creator became displeased with the demons for ravaging His creation, the first sign was the smoke of divine retribution, which temporarily halted the tyranny of demons in the world. This occurred as He distinguished believers from them and expelled unclean spirits from those ensnared by demonic influence. Yet, this marks merely the commencement of complete retribution, akin to how smoke heralds the forthcoming blaze. Consequently, the expelled demons lamented: 'What do we have in common with you, Jesus, Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the appointed time?' (Matthew 8:29).

Question: What does David imply when he says, “The coals were kindled by Him”?

Answer: The Scriptures often depict the Divine essence as an incorporeal fire. The heavenly hosts and the souls of the just are ignited by drawing close to God; thus, they fittingly bear the name coals, as they illuminate the world as beacons, having seen the living Word. We understand that fire has two primary effects: it burns and it gives light. Fire consumes what is stagnant (such as decay) without trepidation (without endangering itself); it also purifies greatly, incinerating what comes into contact with it. When one maintains a safe distance, fire emits radiance. We have been instructed that those skilled in healing often use cauterization to alleviate ailments previously unhealed.

The saints are likened to embers ignited by the Divine, that is, by God. Since our God is described as a consuming fire (Hebrews 12:29), those who seek to understand Him are aptly referred to as coals due to their sanctity. Through their union with God, they are set aflame, transforming into lights that illuminate the world.

David likens the clouds and mists that shroud the sky to the dense smoke that billows from the nostrils of an enraged man, illustrating the severity of God's wrath. When He exhales, the heavens grow dark, the sun and stars lose their brilliance, and we are engulfed in shadow. This imagery is echoed in the phrase: "fire shall be kindled from His face," indicating that God, with no exertion, can ignite flames in an instant. As soon as the smoke escapes His nostrils and His mouth is opened, fire can swiftly consume and envelop the world in darkness, leaving only ashes in its wake. He emphasizes that "the coals are kindled by Him" to highlight the fleeting nature of the flame about to emerge.

During the period of divine judgment upon humanity for their transgressions, the incense from the saints' prayers ascends (Rev. 8:4); in fear, sinners are transformed by the fervor of Christ's love, leading them to true repentance. All earthly elements serve as instruments of God's justice, creating confusion and terror when the Lord manifests on earth to deliver retribution to the wicked. Recall the devastation of Sodom and Gomorrah due to grievous offenses, the downfall of 185,000 troops at the gates of Jerusalem for their blasphemies, the demise of Ananus and 23,000 Israelites in the wilderness for their unfaithfulness, the ruin of Jerusalem in 70 and 132 AD, and the calamity of Martinique at the dawn of the 20th century, among other events.