The Meaning of Psalms 11:6 Explained

Psalms 11:6

KJV: Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup.

YLT: He poureth on the wicked snares, fire, and brimstone, And a horrible wind is the portion of their cup.

Darby: Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone; and scorching wind shall be the portion of their cup.

ASV: Upon the wicked he will rain snares; Fire and brimstone and burning wind shall be the portion of their cup.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Upon the wicked  he shall rain  snares,  fire  and brimstone,  and an horrible  tempest:  [this shall be] the portion  of their cup. 

What does Psalms 11:6 Mean?

Verse Meaning

God will eventually punish those who oppose His will. He may use any of a multitude of traps and punishments at His disposal. David seems to have had the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah in mind (cf. Genesis 19:24; Ezekiel 38:22).

Context Summary

Psalms 11:1-7 - God Our Refuge And Defense
The first of these is a debate between fear and faith, and dates from Saul's persecutions. Timid friends, anxious for David's safety, urged him to flee to the mountains. Such counsels of expediency are frequently given to the servants of God, Nehemiah 6:1-19. Luther's diaries are full of such references. But unless our duty is performed, we must stand our ground; we "can do no other." We must remember that God's love is with us, and that He always exchanges glances of love with His suffering ones. Compare Psalms 11:7 with Exodus 3:7.
The opening words of the next psalm appeal for help in bad and evil days. See Micah 7:2. A double heart is literally "a heart and a heart," Psalms 12:2. Let us be true in act and speech, else we forfeit the Spirit of truth, Ephesians 4:25; Colossians 3:9. Our sighing will make God arise, Acts 7:56. We shall be helped and kept, Psalms 12:7 and Isaiah 54:17. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalms 11

1  David encourages himself in God against his enemies
4  The providence and justice of God

What do the individual words in Psalms 11:6 mean?

He will rain Upon the wicked coals Fire and brimstone and a wind burning [Shall be] the portion of their cup
יַמְטֵ֥ר עַל־ רְשָׁעִ֗ים פַּ֫חִ֥ים אֵ֣שׁ וְ֭גָפְרִית וְר֥וּחַ זִלְעָפ֗וֹת מְנָ֣ת כּוֹסָֽם

יַמְטֵ֥ר  He  will  rain 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect Jussive, third person masculine singular
Root: מָטַר  
Sense: to rain.
עַל־  Upon 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
רְשָׁעִ֗ים  the  wicked 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural
Root: רָשָׁע  
Sense: wicked, criminal.
פַּ֫חִ֥ים  coals 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: פַּח 
Sense: bird trap, trap, snare.
אֵ֣שׁ  Fire 
Parse: Noun, common singular
Root: אֵשׁ  
Sense: fire.
וְ֭גָפְרִית  and  brimstone 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine singular
Root: גָּפְרִית  
Sense: brimstone.
וְר֥וּחַ  and  a  wind 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, common singular construct
Root: רוּחַ  
Sense: wind, breath, mind, spirit.
זִלְעָפ֗וֹת  burning 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural
Root: זַלְעָפָה  
Sense: burning heat, raging heat.
מְנָ֣ת  [Shall  be]  the  portion 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: מְנָת  
Sense: portion.
כּוֹסָֽם  of  their  cup 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: כֹּוס 
Sense: cup.