Psa 11:6 | Clarke | e4.org | Verse 6. 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 ] ruach 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. . Or, the blast of destructions . This may refer to the horribly suffocating Arabian wind, called [Arabic] 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 ; ; ; . It is also used in reference to the afflictions of the righteous, ; . We find a similar metaphor among the heathens. The following, from Homer , Il. xxiv., ver. 525, is in point:- ωςγαρεπεκλωσαντοθεοιδειλοισιβροτοισι ζωειναχνυμενουςαυτοιδετακηδεεςεισι δοιοιγαρτεπιθοικατακειαταιενδιοςουδει δωρωνοιαδιδωσικακωνετεροςδεεαων ωμενκαμμιζαςδωηζευςτερπικεραυνος αλλοτεμεντεκακωογεκυρεταιαλλοτεδεσθλω 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.

‏ Psalms 11:6

Verse 6. 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] ruach 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. See Clarke on Ps 11:7. Or, the blast of destructions. This may refer to the horribly suffocating Arabian wind, called [Arabic] 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 Ps 75:8; Isa 51:17, 21-23; Jer 25:15; 49:12; La 4:21, 22. It is also used in reference to the afflictions of the righteous, Mt 20:22; 26:39, 42; Joh 18:11.

We find a similar metaphor among the heathens. The following, from Homer, Il. xxiv., ver. 525, is in point:-

ωςγαρεπεκλωσαντοθεοιδειλοισιβροτοισι

ζωειναχνυμενουςαυτοιδετακηδεεςεισι

δοιοιγαρτεπιθοικατακειαταιενδιοςουδει

δωρωνοιαδιδωσικακωνετεροςδεεαων

ωμενκαμμιζαςδωηζευςτερπικεραυνος

αλλοτεμεντεκακωογεκυρεταιαλλοτεδεσθλω

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.