He rode on a cherub and flew; he came swiftly on the wings of the wind.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The imagery here isn't just about God arriving dramatically; it highlights His total control over the most powerful natural forces. He doesn't just use a cherub and the wind, but rather He "rode upon" and "flew upon" them, signifying that these immense powers are His to command and deploy at will.
He rode on a cherub and flew; he came swiftly on the wings of the wind.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The Psalmist is describing God's powerful and swift intervention, likening His arrival to a dramatic storm that shakes the earth. This imagery builds upon God's thunderous presence, with smoke and fire signifying His wrath, and the heavens bowing as He descends. The verse emphasizes God's majestic and awe-inspiring approach, riding on celestial beings and the very winds to execute His will.
When God arrives, it's not quiet. He doesn't just appear; He rides in on something extraordinary. What exactly is this 'cherub' He rides upon, and what does it signify?
In Psalm 18:10, David pictures God arriving in a powerful display of judgment or deliverance. He writes, 'He rode on a cherub and flew.' The cherub here isn't just a decorative angel; it's a symbol of God's presence and authority, acting as His 'throne' or 'chariot.'
Following the image of God riding a cherub, the verse explodes with speed: 'he came swiftly on the wings of the wind.' What does this incredible haste tell us about God's intervention?
The second part of the verse, 'yea, he did fly upon the wings of the wind,' amplifies the majesty and power of God's arrival. It's not just about His presence, but the and with which He acts.
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Understand the original words
kerub · Hebrew Noun
An angelic being associated with the throne and presence of God; they serve as a vehicle or guard for the manifestation of His divine glory and movement.
This passage describes the cherubim placed on the Ark of the Covenant, which were seen as a symbol of God's presence and throne, directly relating to the imagery of God 'riding upon a cherub'.
Ezekiel 1:4-14Ezekiel's vision of the cherubim and the divine chariot provides a powerful visual parallel to God's majestic and swift movement, emphasizing the awesome beings that accompany Him.
Psalm 104:3This verse speaks of God making 'the clouds his chariot' and 'walking on the wings of the wind,' which echoes the theme of God's swift, powerful, and majestic movement through the elements.
Isaiah 19:1This prophecy describes the Lord riding on a swift cloud to Egypt, mirroring the swift arrival and powerful intervention depicted in Psalms 18:10.
2 Samuel 22:11This is the parallel account of the same event in David's life, offering a slightly different wording ('He rode on a cherub and appeared' instead of 'flew'), which reinforces the imagery of God's visible manifestation and swift movement.
ellicottPsalms 18:10: "And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: yea, he did fly upon the wings of the wind."
(10) Cherub. —See Exodus 25:19 . This passage alone would show how naturally the idea of winged attendants on the Divine Being grew out of the phenomena of cloud and storm. No doubt many features of the developed conception were derived from contact with Assyrian art, but for the poetry of this passage we have only to think of those giant pinions into which cloud so often shapes itself, this clau…
clarkePsalms 18:10: "And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: yea, he did fly upon the wings of the wind."
He rode upon a cherub, and did fly - That is, as it is immediately explained, Yea, he did fly upon the wings of the wind. God was in the storm, and by the ministry of angels guided the course of it, and drove it on with such an impetuous force as nothing could withstand. He 'rides in the whirlwind and directs the storm.' Angels are in a peculiar sense the attendants and messengers of the Almighty…
The imagery here isn't just about God arriving dramatically; it highlights His total control over the most powerful natural forces. He doesn't just use a cherub and the wind, but rather He "rode upon" and "flew upon" them, signifying that these immense powers are His to command and deploy at will.
The Psalmist is describing God's powerful and swift intervention, likening His arrival to a dramatic storm that shakes the earth. This imagery builds upon God's thunderous presence, with smoke and fire signifying His wrath, and the heavens bowing as He descends. The verse emphasizes God's majestic and awe-inspiring approach, riding on celestial beings and the very winds to execute His will.
The Psalmist is describing God's powerful and swift intervention, likening His arrival to a dramatic storm that shakes the earth. This imagery builds upon God's thunderous presence, with smoke and fire signifying His wrath, and the heavens bowing as He descends. The verse emphasizes God's majestic and awe-inspiring approach, riding on celestial beings and the very winds to execute His will.
"He rode on a cherub and flew; he came swiftly on the wings of the wind." — The imagery here isn't just about God arriving dramatically; it highlights His total control over the most powerful natural forces. He doesn't just use a cherub and the wind, but rather He "rode up…
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Last reviewed October 2026