Psalms 124

If the Lord had not been on our side

f the Lord had not been on our side— let Israel say—a ²if the Lord had not been on our side when people attacked us, ³they would have swallowed us alive when their anger flared against us; ⁴the flood would have engulfed us, the torrent would have swept over us, ⁵the raging waters would have swept us away.

⁶Praise be to the Lord, who has not let us be torn by their teeth. ⁷We have escaped like a bird from the fowler’s snare; the snare has been broken, and we have escaped.b ⁸Our help is in the name of the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.c

Commentary

Psalm 124 is a corporate song of thanksgiving, attributed to David, celebrating Israel's deliverance from a catastrophic threat. The psalm vividly portrays the nation as a bird escaping the fowler's snare, emphasizing that their survival was entirely the work of the Lord. It begins

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Bible Dictionary· Psalms 124(3)

Heaven Israel The Way

References· Psalms 124

a: v.1 — Romans 8:31, Psalms 56:9, Psalms 54:4, Psalms 120:1, Hebrews 13:5-6, Psalms 94:17, Psalms 118:6-7, Isaiah 8:9-10, Psalms 121:1, Psalms 125:1
b: v.7 — Psalms 91:3, Proverbs 6:5, Psalms 25:15, 1 Samuel 25:29, 2 Timothy 2:26, 1 Samuel 23:26-27, 2 Samuel 17:21-22, Jeremiah 18:22, 2 Samuel 17:2, 1 Samuel 24:14-15
c: v.8 — Psalms 121:2, Acts 4:24, Psalms 146:5-6, Genesis 1:1, Psalms 134:3, Jeremiah 32:17, Psalms 115:15, Isaiah 37:16-20

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