From the brightness before Him the clouds passed by, becoming hail and flashes of fire.
In the darkness, the brightness of God suddenly appears. The clouds cannot cover His glory. The hail and the fiery lightning are images of judgment that show God’s mighty intervention. David’s poetic description reminds us that the Lord’s presence may remain hidden from the human eye for a moment, but then be revealed through His works. In the believer’s life as well, there can be times when God’s work does not at first appear clearly, and then becomes more distinct. Yet even before that, His presence and glory are real. The verse also teaches us not to make light of God’s judgment. He does not make peace with sin. At the same time, these images of judgment do not give us the right to justify our own anger and vengeance. They humble us and remind us that final judgment belongs to the Lord.