What does Psalm 66:11 mean?

The psalmist recalls Israel's past afflictions. These difficulties felt as if God had tangled them in a hunter's net and dropped a massive weight onto them. The imagery is clear: the people of Israel sometimes felt there was no way to escape their trials and they were greatly burdened by them. However, the Lord was disciplining them, so they would stop following worldly things and follow Him, instead (Jeremiah 32:33; Leviticus 26:21). In the end, the people came to where God intended them to be (Psalm 66:12).

Similarly, a born-again Christian faces discipline. The Father in heaven disciplines His erring children, in love, for their own good (Hebrews 12:5–9). Sin and waywardness often lead to serious consequences (Proverbs 8:35–36). Yet in His love, God often uses those consequences to turn a sinning believer away from something even worse. When that happens, the believer may sympathize with the prodigal son who left home, wasted his money on pleasure, only to wind up destitute. Those dire circumstances inspired a repentant heart and return home to his father (Luke 15:11–24).