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Selected Verse: Psalms 11:6 - King James
| Verse |
Translation |
Text |
| Ps 11:6 |
King James |
Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup. |
Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse
| A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882] |
Their punishment is described by vivid figures denoting abundant, sudden, furious, and utter destruction (compare Gen 19:24; Job 18:15; Psa 7:15; Psa 9:15).
cup--is a frequent figure for God's favor or wrath (Psa 16:5; Psa 23:5; Mat 20:22-23). |
| Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834] |
Upon the wicked - Upon all the wicked.
He shall rain - He shall pour down as in a furious tempest.
Snares - It seems rather incongruous to speak of raining down "snares, " - understanding by the word snares, as it is used with us, that which entangles, as the snares by which we catch a bird, or by which a wild animal is taken. Compare the notes at Job 18:8-10. The word used here, however, seems to refer to anything by which one is taken in his career or course, or is involved in difficulties; and the meaning is, that God would arrest or seize upon the wicked, as a wild beast is secured by the snares or the toils of the hunter. By their being sent down as in a "rain," is denoted that such means of their arrest and punishment would exist in abundance, so that they could not escape.
Fire and brimstone - There is probably an allusion here to the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, Gen 19:24. As those cities were eminent for their wickedness, and were destroyed on account of their guilt, they furnished an illustration of the manner in which God would treat the wicked in all future times. As they were destroyed on account of their wickedness, so will all the wicked be destroyed.
And an horrible tempest - As a furious blast of wind sweeps away houses and trees, spreading wide desolation, so will the wicked be swept away by the manifestation of the wrath of God.
This shall be the portion of their cup - That is, this shall be what they shall drink. See the note at Isa 51:17. The idea is, that the Lord holds out to them a cup for them to drink - a cup containing a deadly mixture. The allusion is to the mode of administering punishment by a poisonous draught - not an unfrequent mode of punishment in ancient times. The idea in the whole verse is, that the wicked would be destroyed, and that, therefore, there was nothing ultimately to be apprehended from them. God would protect his own friends, and would destroy all those that sought their hurt. In these circumstances the righteous should confide in him as their protector, and not "flee." |
| Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65] |
| Rain - Send them plentifully, swiftly, and suddenly, as rain commonly falls from heaven. Snares - Grievous plagues or judgments, which are called snares, because wicked men are often surprized with them when they least expect them. And because they cannot escape them, or get out of them; but are held fast and destroyed by them. Horrible tempests - Dreadful judgments so called, in allusion to the destruction of Sodom by these means. But this he seems to speak not so much of present calamities, as of eternal punishments. This - Is their portion, and as it were the meat and drink appointed them by God. |
| Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826 |
Upon the wicked he shall rain - This is a manifest allusion to the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.
Snares - Judgments shall fall upon them suddenly and unawares.
Fire - Such as shall come immediately from God, and be inextinguishable.
Brimstone - Melted by the fire, for their drink! This shall be the portion of their cup.
A horrible tempest - רוח זלעפות roach zilaphoth, "the spirit of terrors." Suffering much, and being threatened with more, they shall be filled with confusion and dismay. My old MS. has "gost of stormis." See at the end, Psa 11:7 (note). Or, the blast of destructions. This may refer to the horribly suffocating Arabian wind, called Smum.
Mohammed, in describing his hell, says, "The wicked shall drink nothing there but hot stinking water; breathe nothing but burning winds; and eat nothing but the fruit of the tree zakon, which shall be in their bellies like burning pitch." Hell enough!
The portion of their cup - Cup is sometimes put for plenty, for abundance; but here it seems to be used to express the quantum of sorrow and misery which the wicked shall have on the earth. See Psa 75:8; Isa 51:17, Isa 51:21-23; Jer 25:15; Jer 49:12; Lam 4:21, Lam 4:22. It is also used in reference to the afflictions of the righteous, Mat 20:22; Mat 26:39, Mat 26:42; Joh 18:11.
We find a similar metaphor among the heathens. The following, from Homer, Il. xxiv., ver. 525, is in point: -
Ὡς γαρ επεκλωσαντο θεοι δειλοισι βροτοισι,
Ζωειν αχνυμενους· αυτοι δε τ' ακηδεες εισι,
Δοιοι γαρ τε πιθοι κατακειαται εν Διος ουδει
Δωρων, οια διδωσι, κακων· ἑτερος δε εαων·
Ὡ μεν καμμιξας δῳη Ζευς τερπικεραυνος,
αλλοτε μεν τε κακῳ ὁγε κυρεται, Αλλοτε δ' εσθλῳ.
Such is, alas! the god's severe decree,
They, only they are bless'd, and only free.
Two urns by Jove's high throne have ever stood,
The source of evil one, and one of good.
From thence the Cup of mortal man he fills:
Blessings to these; to those distributes ills.
To most he mingles both: the wretch decreed
To taste the bad unmixed, is curs'd indeed.
- Pope. |
22 But Jesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They say unto him, We are able.
23 And he saith unto them, Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with: but to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father.
5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
5 The LORD is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot.
15 The heathen are sunk down in the pit that they made: in the net which they hid is their own foot taken.
15 He made a pit, and digged it, and is fallen into the ditch which he made.
15 It shall dwell in his tabernacle, because it is none of his: brimstone shall be scattered upon his habitation.
24 Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven;
17 Awake, awake, stand up, O Jerusalem, which hast drunk at the hand of the LORD the cup of his fury; thou hast drunken the dregs of the cup of trembling, and wrung them out.
24 Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven;
8 For he is cast into a net by his own feet, and he walketh upon a snare.
9 The gin shall take him by the heel, and the robber shall prevail against him.
10 The snare is laid for him in the ground, and a trap for him in the way.
11 Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?
42 He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.
39 And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.
22 But Jesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They say unto him, We are able.
22 The punishment of thine iniquity is accomplished, O daughter of Zion; he will no more carry thee away into captivity: he will visit thine iniquity, O daughter of Edom; he will discover thy sins.
21 Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom, that dwellest in the land of Uz; the cup also shall pass through unto thee: thou shalt be drunken, and shalt make thyself naked.
12 For thus saith the LORD; Behold, they whose judgment was not to drink of the cup have assuredly drunken; and art thou he that shall altogether go unpunished? thou shalt not go unpunished, but thou shalt surely drink of it.
15 For thus saith the LORD God of Israel unto me; Take the wine cup of this fury at my hand, and cause all the nations, to whom I send thee, to drink it.
21 Therefore hear now this, thou afflicted, and drunken, but not with wine:
22 Thus saith thy Lord the LORD, and thy God that pleadeth the cause of his people, Behold, I have taken out of thine hand the cup of trembling, even the dregs of the cup of my fury; thou shalt no more drink it again:
23 But I will put it into the hand of them that afflict thee; which have said to thy soul, Bow down, that we may go over: and thou hast laid thy body as the ground, and as the street, to them that went over.
17 Awake, awake, stand up, O Jerusalem, which hast drunk at the hand of the LORD the cup of his fury; thou hast drunken the dregs of the cup of trembling, and wrung them out.
8 For in the hand of the LORD there is a cup, and the wine is red; it is full of mixture; and he poureth out of the same: but the dregs thereof, all the wicked of the earth shall wring them out, and drink them.
7 For the righteous LORD loveth righteousness; his countenance doth behold the upright.