Psalms 124

A thanksgiving psalm for deliverance from overwhelming enemies.

Psalms 124 - Our Help Is in the Lord

Psalm 124 opens with a repeated conditional, "If it had not been the LORD who was on our side," as Israel reflects on how close they came to being swallowed up or overwhelmed by rising waters. The chapter's rescue theme echoes Romans 8:31's question of who can stand against a people God defends.


A Song of the Ascents, by David. Save `for' Jehovah -- who hath been for us, (Pray, let Israel say),

Save `for' Jehovah -- who hath been for us, In the rising up of man against us,

Then alive they had swallowed us up, In the burning of their anger against us,

Then the waters had overflowed us, The stream passed over our soul,

Then passed over our soul had the proud waters.

Blessed `is' Jehovah who hath not given us, A prey to their teeth.

Our soul as a bird hath escaped from a snare of fowlers, The snare was broken, and we have escaped.

Our help `is' in the name of Jehovah, Maker of the heavens and earth!

The psalm ends on a vivid image of relief, comparing the escaped soul to "a bird out of the snare of the fowlers," with the snare broken and the people set free. Continue the pattern of trust from <a href="/bible/ylt/psalms/chapter-123">Psalms 123</a>, or move ahead to <a href="/bible/ylt/psalms/chapter-125">Psalms 125</a> and its picture of Zion's unshakable security.