He covered himself with darkness; thick clouds, full of water, surrounded him.

Hailstones and flashes of fire came from the lightning before him and broke through the dark clouds.

You walked through the waves; you crossed the deep sea, but your footprints could not be seen.

But the people continued to stand a long way off, and only Moses went near the dark cloud where God was.

The dazzling light of the LORD's presence came down on the mountain. To the Israelites the light looked like a fire burning on top of the mountain. The cloud covered the mountain for six days, and on the seventh day the LORD called to Moses from the cloud.

Moses went on up the mountain into the cloud. There he stayed for forty days and nights.

"Tell your children how you went and stood at the foot of the mountain which was covered with thick clouds of dark smoke and fire blazing up to the sky.

Tell them how the LORD spoke to you from the fire, how you heard him speaking but did not see him in any form at all.

As the priests were leaving the Temple, it was suddenly filled with a cloud

Then Solomon prayed: "You, LORD, have placed the sun in the sky, yet you have chosen to live in clouds and darkness.

The LORD does not easily become angry, but he is powerful and never lets the guilty go unpunished. Where the LORD walks, storms arise; the clouds are the dust raised by his feet!

How great are God's riches! How deep are his wisdom and knowledge! Who can explain his decisions? Who can understand his ways?

The kingdom that God has given you will last forever and ever. You rule over your people with justice;

you love what is right and hate what is evil. That is why God, your God, has chosen you and has poured out more happiness on you than on any other king.

Your kingdom is founded on righteousness and justice; love and faithfulness are shown in all you do.

Mighty king, you love what is right; you have established justice in Israel; you have brought righteousness and fairness.

Surely you won't kill the innocent with the guilty. That's impossible! You can't do that. If you did, the innocent would be punished along with the guilty. That is impossible. The judge of all the earth has to act justly."

About the Son, however, God said: "Your kingdom, O God, will last forever and ever! You rule over your people with justice.

You love what is right and hate what is wrong. That is why God, your God, has chosen you and has given you the joy of an honor far greater than he gave to your companions."

Kings cannot tolerate evil, because justice is what makes a government strong.