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Psalms 124

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If the Lord Had Not Been on Our Side 1–5

1
A Song of degrees of David. If it had not been the LORD who was on our side, now may Israel say; ​
2
If it had not been the LORD who was on our side, when men rose up against us:
3
Then they had swallowed us up quick, when their wrath was kindled against us: ​
4
Then the waters had overwhelmed us, the stream had gone over our soul: ​
5
Then the proud waters had gone over our soul.

Praise for the Great Escape 6–8

6
Blessed be the LORD, who hath not given us as a prey to their teeth. ​
7
Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers: the snare is broken, and we are escaped. ​
8
Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth. ​

Bible text: King James Version (1769 Blayney text) · Public domain

Study Notes for Psalms 124

Verse 1

A Song of degrees of David — One of four Songs of degrees (maaloth) ascribed to David (Pss 122, 124, 131, 133). The psalm opens mid-thought: 'If it had not been the LORD who was on our side' (lulei, 'unless'), and Israel is told to say it aloud. Paul's 'If God be for us, who can be against us?' (Rom 8:31) rests on the same ground.

Verse 3

swallowed us up quick — Bala, to swallow, and chay, alive: 'quick' is the old word for living. It is the fate of Korah's company, when 'the earth open her mouth, and swallow them up… and they go down quick into the pit' (Num 16:30). The enemy's 'wrath' is literally their 'nostril' (aph) burning, 'kindled' against Israel.

Verse 4

the waters had overwhelmed us — Shataph is to gush over or sweep away, and nachal a torrent, which 'gone over' (abar) means passed right across. The 'soul' (nephesh) is the life itself. The same danger is prayed against in 'Let not the waterflood overflow me, neither let the deep swallow me up' (Ps 69:15).

Verse 6

a prey to their teeth — Tereph is what is torn, a beast's kill, and 'teeth' (shen) make the enemy a wild animal. The verse turns from 'if' to thanksgiving: barak, 'Blessed be the LORD', who did not hand Israel over ('given', nathan). The people credit their safety to him.

Verse 7

as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers — Two figures of the hunt: tsippor is a small bird, pach the snare, and yaqosh the fowler who sets it. The snare 'is broken' (shabar), and 'escaped' (malat) is said twice, of the soul and then of the whole people. The LORD promises the same release: 'he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler' (Ps 91:3).

Verse 8

in the name of the LORD — The people's help rests in who the LORD has shown himself to be, as the divine name (shem) stands for his character. 'Who made heaven and earth' is also said in Ps 121:2 and Ps 134:3, and the early church prayed to the same God: 'which hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea' (Acts 4:24).