Thou broughtest us into the net; Thou layedst a sore burden upon our loins.
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...
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.
God has not abandoned your foot to tottering unto overthrow, but cast you into a smelting-furnace to purify and prove you by suffering. The mountain-hold or prison of the enemy represents total loss of freedom; yet this is the means by which His ancient sovereign power is demonstrated afresh to all peoples.
AI summary
Commenting on Psalm 66:8-12