After reading psalm 18, I immediately thought of the "Fire and Brimstone God" that is often spoken of by certain religious groups. Reading this psalm (as well as many others), it's no surprise that some see God as a much more severe deity. He fights, judges, rages, and his followers will kill in his name. Line 9 really stuck out at me, because the image of God is anything but an all-good, forgiving God: ...for smoke rose from His nostrils/and fire from His mouth consumed/coals blazed up around Him.
It's no wonder that this image of God would be used, though. I mean, who would want their war leader to be soft and quiet? That would hardly instill bravery and confidence into the troops, so it only makes sense (especially in this time period) to have God be this omnipotent being. If you believe that God, this amazing, strong, scary, all-powerful deity, was on your side, wouldn't you feel just a little bit better?
Addressing the question about it being a problem that elements of this God have been borrowed from other religions, I would say I don't find it problematic at all. In fact, I think it's more helpful than anything else! God is capable of everything, right? Well, than why can't he be like other Gods from other religions? I think defining God is a tricky business, so his definition can always change and be used to suit different situations. So God is sometimes terrible and powerful...just like other Gods from different religions. But He is also good and all-knowing, caring for his followers and protecting them from harm. It all depends on what type of God the people need...whether it be a war God or a forgiving one.
Here's some fire and brimstone preaching I found interesting. Reverend John Killian is at a Ron Paul rally, and he's talking both about God and how Ron Paul is the right man for president. I thought it was a great example of using God to fit a certain situation (in this case, a political rally):
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