Psalms 66:11

Psa 66:11 Thou broughtest us into the net; thou laidst affliction upon our loins.

Ver. 11. Thou broughtest us into the net] A metaphor from hunters or fowlers, Utitur figuris tanquam in poemate.

Thou layedst affliction upon our loins] Coarctationem in lumbis; we are not only hampered, as in a net, but fettered, as with chains; as if we had been in the jailor’s or hangman’s hands.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Psa 66:11-12. Thou broughtest us into the net — Which our enemies had laid for us, and which could never have taken or held us but by thy permission, and the disposal of thy providence, which gave us into their hands. Thou hast caused men — Weak, mortal, and miserable men, as the word signifies, no better nor stronger than ourselves, if thou hadst not given them power over us; to ride over our heads — To trample upon us, and insult over us; to abuse, nay, and make perfect slaves of us. They have said to our souls, Bow down, that we may go over, Isa 51:23. We went through fire and water — Through afflictions of different kinds; through various and dangerous trials and calamities. The end of one trouble was the beginning of another; when we got clear of one sort of dangers, we found ourselves involved in dangers of another sort. Such may be the troubles of the best of God’s saints; but he has promised, When thou passest through the waters, through the fire, I will be with thee. Thou broughtest us into a wealthy place — Hebrew, לריוה, larevajah, a well- watered place, and therefore fruitful, like the garden of the Lord, Gen 13:10. Such was Canaan, both literally, Deu 8:7-9, and figuratively, as being replenished with divine graces, privileges, and blessings. Thus God brings his people into trouble, that their comforts afterward may be the sweeter, and that their affliction may thus yield the peaceable fruits of righteousness, which will make the poorest place in the world a wealthy place.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

11. Net—More properly a fastness, a stronghold, as the word almost always means; here referring to the prison of their captivity, like the labyrinths of a mountain cavern. Psa_66:11-12 describe their sufferings and degradation.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

11. (Psa 66:11) Thou hast caused us to come into the net; thou hast put pressure on our loins. The first clause is descriptive of complicated difficulties and embarrassments, the second of suffering and weakness. The word translated net occurs above in the very different sense of a tower or fortress, Psa 18:2. But even when so used, it strictly means a hunting tower, i.e. a post of observation and of safety used by hunters, and from the same root (to hunt) may be deduced the sense of net or snare, as a customary implement of hunting, in which sense it is certainly employed by Ezekiel in Eze 12:13. The word translated pressure occurs only here, but its essential meaning is clear from its etymological affinities. Compare the cognate form in Psa 55:3. Some suppose the idea to be that of a superincumbent pressure, load, or burden, corresponding to the verb as used in Amo 1:13. Others make pressure mean contraction, stricture, and by necessary implication, pain or anguish. The loins are mentioned as the seat of strength (Deu 33:11), an injury to which implies both pain and weakness. See below, on Psa 69:23.

Joseph Addison Alexander, The Psalms Translated and Explained (1850) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

66:11 God decrees and permits the many trying circumstances his people experience.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

The condition of the Church is here described, which is to be led by God’s providence into troubles to be subject under tyrants, and to enter into manifold dangers.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

affliction--literally, "pressure," or, as in Psa 55:3, "oppression," which, laid on the

loins--the seat of strength (Deu 33:11), enfeebles the frame.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 11. Thou broughtest us into the net] This refers well to the case of the Israelites, when, in their departure from Egypt, pursued by the Egyptians, having the Red Sea before them, and no method of escape, Pharaoh said, "The wilderness hath shut them in,-they are entangled;" comparing their state to that of a wild beast in a net.

Affliction upon our loins.] Perhaps this alludes to that sharp pain in the back and loins which is generally felt on the apprehension of sudden and destructive danger.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(11) Net.—The Hebrew in Eze_12:13 certainly means “net,” as LXX. and Vulg. here. But Aquila, Symmachus, and Jerome prefer the usual meaning, “stronghold” (2Sa_5:7, &c), which is more in keeping with the other images of violence and oppression. The fortress, the hard labour, the subjection as by foes riding over the vanquished, the passage through fire and water, all raise a picture of the direst tyranny.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

11. Thou broughtest us into the net] God had deliberately brought them into the power of their enemies, to punish them for their sins. Cp. for the figure Job_19:6. Some commentators render into the dungeon, a figure for the loss of freedom (Isa_42:22), but the usage of the word is not in favour of this rendering.

thou laidst &c.] Thou layedst a crushing load upon our loins, bowing us down under its weight.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Thou broughtest us into the net,.... That is, suffered them to be taken in the net of wicked men, which they laid and spread for them; whereby they were drawn either into bad principles or bad practices, or into ruinous circumstances; though the Lord does not leave his own people there, but breaks the net or snare, sooner or later, and they escape; see Psa 9:15. Jarchi interprets it of a strait place, as in a prison; and which has often been literally true of the people of God, into which, though they have been cast by Satan, or by men instigated by him, yet, because permitted by the Lord, it is ascribed to him, Rev 2:10;

thou laidst affliction upon our loins: the Targum renders it "a chain": the word signifies anything that is binding and pressing; it seems to be a metaphor taken from the binding of burdens upon the backs of any creatures. Afflictions often lie heavy upon the saints, are very close upon them, and press them sore, even, as they sometimes think, beyond measure; though the Lord supports them, and will not suffer them to sink under them.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Thou broughtest us into the net - That is, Thou hast suffered or permitted us to be brought into the net; thou hast suffered us to be taken captive, as beasts are caught in a snare. See the notes at Psa 9:15. The allusion here is to the efforts made by their enemies to take them, as hunters lay gins, or spread nets, to capture wild beasts. The idea here is, that those enemies had been successful; God had suffered them to fall into their hands. If we suppose this psalm to have been composed on the return from the Babylonian captivity, the propriety of this language will be apparent, for it well describes the fact that the nation had been subdued by the Babylonians, and had been led captive into a distant land. Compare Lam 1:13.

Thou laidst affliction upon our loins - The loins are mentioned as the seat of strength (compare Deu 33:11; 1Ki 12:10; Job 40:16).; and the idea here is, that he had put their strength to the test; he had tried them to see how much they could bear; he had made the test effectual by applying it to the part which was able to bear most. The idea is, that he had called them to endure as much as they were able to endure. He had tried them to the utmost.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Thou broughtest us into the net which our enemies laid for us, and which could never have taken or held us but by the permission and disposal of thy providence, which gave us into their hands.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Ver. 11. Thou broughtest us into the net. The people of God in the olden time were often enclosed by the power of their enemies, like fishes or birds entangled in a net; there seemed no way of escape for them. The only comfort was that God himself had brought them there, but even this was not readily available, since they knew that he had led them there in anger as a punishment for their transgressions; Israel in Egypt was much like a bird in the fowler's net.

Thou laidest affliction upon our loins. They were pressed even to anguish by their burdens and pains. Not on their backs alone was the load, but their loins were pressed and squeezed with the straits and weights of adversity. God's people and affliction are intimate companions. As in Egypt every Israelite was a burden bearer, so is every believer while he is in this foreign land. As Israel cried to God by reason of their sore bondage, so also do the saints. We too often forget that God lays our afflictions upon us; if we remembered this fact, we should more patiently submit to the pressure which now pains us. The time will come when, for every ounce of present burden, we shall receive a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.

Ver. 11. Thou broughtest us into the net, etc. Our enemies have pursued us (like to wild beasts taken by the hunter) into most grievous straits (1Sa 13:6). They have used us like beasts of burden, and laid sore loads upon us, which they have fast bound upon our backs. Thou laidest affliction upon our loins. Coarctationenem in lumbis; we are not only hampered, as in a net, but fettered, as with chains; as if we had been in the jailor's or hangman's hands. John Trapp.

Ver. 11-12. The hand of God should be acknowledged.

I. In our temptations: Thou broughtest us.

II. In our bodily afflictions: Thou laidest, etc.

III. In our persecutions: Thou hast caused, etc.

IV. In our deliverances: Thou broughtest us out, etc. G. R.

Psalms 66:12*

Ver. 11-12. The hand of God should be acknowledged.

I. In our temptations: Thou broughtest us.

II. In our bodily afflictions: Thou laidest, etc.

III. In our persecutions: Thou hast caused, etc.

IV. In our deliverances: Thou broughtest us out, etc. G. R.

Charles H. Spurgeon's The Treasury of David (1869–1885) — public domain. Psalms only. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Thou broughtest us into the net. Professor Cheyne translates "into the dungeon." But mtsudah has nowhere else this meaning. It is always either "a net" or "a stronghold." Thou laidst affliction upon oar loins; or, a sore burden (Revised Version). The meaning is, "Thou crushedst us down under a heavy weight of oppression."

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Net - Which our enemies laid for us.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

You brought us into a trap A narrow place, like in a prison.

a chain Heb. מועקה, an expression of locking up, and every [expression of] מֵעִיק and מֵצִיק is like it.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.