He directeth it under the whole heaven, and his lightning unto the ends of the earth.
Ver. 3. He directeth it under the whole heaven] Heb. He maketh it to go right forward, meaning the thunder, the vehement noise or sound whereof (not altogether unlike that of cloth violently torn, or of air thrust out of bellows, or of a chestnut burst in the fire, but far louder) is brought through the air to our ears with such a mighty force, that it drowns all noises, clappings, clatterings, roarings even of many waters; making the earth to shake again, and all things tremble, non secus quam siquis currum onustum per plateam lapidibus stratum ducat (Lavat.). And this dreadful noise is by God directed to this or that place under the heavens, at his pleasure. The word rendered directeth signifieth also beholdeth; whence some interpret this text of God's seeing all things under heaven. But the former sense is better.
And his lightning unto the ends of the earth] God commands the lightning to cleave the clouds, and to scatter its flames through the world. Lightning is the brightness of a shining flame, running through the whole air in a moment, rising of a small and thin exhalation kindled in a cloud. See Psalms 18:13. The natural end and effect of thunder and lightning is to clear the air, by wasting poisonous vapours. The supernatural is, to show God's excellent majesty and might, which the mightiest must acknowledge, Psalms 29:1,2; to be his officers about him to make room for him, Psalms 97:1; Psalms 97:4, to execute his wrath upon his enemies, Exodus 9:23; Exodus 9:27 Psalms 77:18,19 1Sa 2:10 Isaiah 29:6, and his mercy toward his people for the humbling of them, 1 Samuel 12:18,20, &c., raising them again to an assured confidence, Psalms 29:11, &c. But that God can shoot these arrows of his so far, Matthew 24:27 Psalms 77:18; Psalms 97:3,4, and here; yea, and that at the same time when it rains, when one would think that the one should quench the other, Psalms 135:7; this is a just wonder, and Jeremiah urgeth it twice as such, Jeremiah 10:13; Jeremiah 51:16 .