Smoke rose from His nostrils, and consuming fire came out of His mouth. lightning flashes blazed from Him.
These strong anthropomorphic images describe God’s wrath and judicial power. They should not be taken as a literal physical description, as though God, in bodily form, gives off smoke. Poetic language shows the fearful holiness of His presence. In Holy Scripture, fire is often connected with purification, judgment, and the mighty revelation of God. David sees his deliverance not as a random event, but as the intervention of the righteous God. The believer must be careful not to present God’s love as though He is indifferent toward evil. His love is holy love, and His righteousness is real. At the same time, these images do not give us the right to sanctify personal anger. God’s judicial fire belongs to Him. Our calling is to stand against evil with righteousness, entrusting vengeance to the Lord.