Psalm 66 11

Psalm 66:11 kjv

Thou broughtest us into the net; thou laidst affliction upon our loins.

Psalm 66:11 nkjv

You brought us into the net; You laid affliction on our backs.

Psalm 66:11 niv

You brought us into prison and laid burdens on our backs.

Psalm 66:11 esv

You brought us into the net; you laid a crushing burden on our backs;

Psalm 66:11 nlt

You captured us in your net
and laid the burden of slavery on our backs.

Psalm 66 11 Cross References

VerseTextReference
Psa 18:19He brought me forth also into a large place...God rescues and grants space.
Psa 31:8And hast not shut me up into the hand of the enemy; thou hast set my foot in a large room.Deliverance from confinement to freedom.
Job 36:16Yea, he would have removed thee out of the strait into a broad place...God's desire to bring relief from distress.
Prov 4:12When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.God guides into freedom of movement.
Isa 43:2When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee...God's presence in trials (water & fire).
Isa 48:10Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction.God's refining purpose in affliction.
Zec 13:9And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried...Divine testing leading to purification.
Mal 3:3And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver...God purifies His people through testing.
Deu 8:2And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart...God's testing in the wilderness.
Deu 8:16...that he might humble thee, and that he might prove thee, to do thee good at thy latter end;Purpose of testing for ultimate good.
Lam 3:1-3I am the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of his wrath. He hath led me, and brought me into darkness, but not into light. Surely against me is he turned...Lament over affliction, recognizing God's hand.
Rom 5:3-5...tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope...Tribulation's process leading to hope.
Heb 12:6For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.God's fatherly discipline.
Heb 12:11Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.Present pain for future righteous fruit.
1 Pet 1:6-7...ye are greatly grieved through manifold temptations: that the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire...Faith tried by fire.
1 Pet 4:12Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you...Fiery trials are part of the Christian life.
Jam 1:2-4My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work...Joy in trials for completeness.
Hos 2:14-15Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably unto her. And I will give her her vineyards from thence, and the valley of Achor for a door of hope...God leads into wilderness for restoration.
Ps 4:1Thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress...God provides space during distress.
Isa 30:20-21And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity, and the water of affliction, yet shall not thy teachers be removed into a corner anymore...God's discipline provides hidden blessings.
Gen 50:20But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good...God's sovereign hand uses evil for good.
Phil 1:12But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel...Hardship contributes to gospel advancement.

Psalm 66 verses

Psalm 66 11 Meaning

Psalm 66:11 describes God's deliberate process of refining His people through trials and hardships, bringing them to the very brink of destruction (implied by fire and water imagery), only to then lead them out into a place of abundance, refreshment, and wide expanse. It portrays the divine hand orchestrating difficult circumstances, not for punishment alone, but for purification and ultimately for blessed release.

Psalm 66 11 Context

Psalm 66 is a communal psalm of thanksgiving, inviting all the earth to praise God for His mighty deeds. The first part (verses 1-12) focuses on God's awe-inspiring power and His specific deliverance of Israel. It begins with a general call to worship (1-4), then recalls God's historic acts, such as parting the Red Sea and leading Israel through the wilderness (5-7). Verses 8-12 specifically recount a period of severe testing and oppression faced by the people, culminating in verse 11's depiction of intense suffering followed by God's rescue. This verse serves as the climax of the people's collective experience of trial and divine faithfulness, setting the stage for their vows and offerings in the latter half of the psalm (13-20). The historical context points to a collective experience, likely related to national adversity or captivity, reflecting the cycle of sin, judgment, repentance, and deliverance common in Israel's history.

Psalm 66 11 Word analysis

  • Thou hast brought us into the net:
    • Thou hast brought us: Points to God's sovereign agency. The Lord is active, not merely allowing.
    • into the net: Hebrew "māṣōr" (מָצוֹר) related to 'distress' or 'siege' and "resheth" (רֶשֶׁת) for 'net' or 'trap'. This imagery signifies a state of being entrapped, restricted, and captured, implying loss of freedom and impending danger. It suggests a snare laid for the purpose of restraint or capture.
  • thou laidst affliction upon our loins:
    • laidst affliction: Hebrew "lāḥaṣ" (לָחַץ), meaning 'to oppress,' 'crush,' 'press hard upon,' or 'squeeze.' It indicates a severe and burdensome pressure from God.
    • upon our loins: "Motnayim" (מָתְנַיִם). The loins are considered the seat of strength, vitality, procreative power, and the central part of the body. Affliction upon the loins indicates a crippling blow, debilitating the very source of physical power and stability. It implies a severe and personal weakening.
  • Thou didst cause men to ride over our heads:
    • didst cause men to ride: "Rākav" (רָכַב), meaning 'to ride,' or 'to mount upon.' Here, causative form implies God enabled or allowed their oppressors to dominate them.
    • over our heads: A powerful metaphor for utter subjugation, humiliation, and severe oppression. It implies absolute mastery and contempt by those in authority, trampling underfoot. This refers to the invasion or domination by enemy nations.
  • we went through fire and through water:
    • fire and water: These are classic biblical metaphors for extreme, overwhelming danger and distress. "Fire" suggests trials of purification, intense heat, pain, destruction, and refining. "Water" signifies overwhelming floods, deep troubles, engulfment, and chaos. Together, they represent a gauntlet of trials encompassing all forms of mortal peril and suffering. It means they faced circumstances that threatened to consume or drown them.
  • but thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place:
    • but thou broughtest us out: Highlights God's ultimate role as Deliverer after the permitted trials.
    • into a wealthy place: Hebrew "rawayah" (רְוָיָה), literally means 'satiation,' 'abundance,' 'well-watered place,' or 'wide expanse.' It conveys a sense of refreshing, flourishing, relief, freedom from confinement, and prosperity. It is not necessarily financial wealth, but a spacious, secure, and abundant condition—a place of refreshing for the soul and body after oppressive experiences. The LXX translates this as "into refreshment" (εἰς ἀναψυχήν).

Psalm 66 11 Bonus section

The deliberate language ("Thou hast brought," "Thou laidst," "Thou didst cause") emphasizes God's direct agency in allowing, and even orchestrating, the trials. This theological point, though difficult, underscores divine sovereignty, reassuring believers that no suffering is outside of God's knowledge or purpose. The passage illustrates the refining power of adversity, a concept seen throughout scripture. Just as gold is purified by fire, the faith of God's people is refined through tribulations, proving its genuineness and drawing them into a closer walk with Him. The transition from intense suffering to abundance speaks of the ultimate redemptive arc of God's plan for His elect, culminating in peace and restoration.

Psalm 66 11 Commentary

Psalm 66:11 reveals God's meticulous sovereignty over suffering, presenting it not as arbitrary hardship but as a divinely ordained crucible for His people. The progression of metaphors—net (entrapment), affliction on loins (debilitating pressure), men riding over heads (humiliation and subjugation), and fire/water (overwhelming danger)—depicts an escalation of distress that leads to utter dependence on God. This refining process purifies, strengthens, and proves the faith of His people, much like a refiner's fire extracts dross from metal. Yet, God's intent is never merely punitive. He ultimately brings His people out into a "wealthy place," which signifies a spacious, refreshing, and abundant state of life, demonstrating His restorative power and faithfulness. This journey teaches invaluable lessons: that trials originate from God's permission and serve His redemptive purposes, preparing individuals for greater blessings and a deeper intimacy with Him.