Psalms 124:3

Then they had swallowed us up quick, when their wrath was kindled against us:

Then {H233} they had swallowed us up {H1104} quick {H2416}, when their wrath {H639} was kindled {H2734} against us:

then, when their anger blazed against us, they would have swallowed us alive!

when their anger flared against us, then they would have swallowed us alive,

Then they had swallowed us up alive, When their wrath was kindled against us:

Context

Psalm 124 is a Psalm of Ascent, sung by pilgrims traveling to Jerusalem for festivals. This particular psalm is a song of national thanksgiving, reflecting on a time when Israel faced an existential threat that seemed insurmountable. The preceding verses (1-2) establish the premise: "If it had not been the LORD who was on our side," emphasizing that any deliverance was solely due to God's intervention. Verse 3 vividly describes the terrifying nature of the danger from which they were saved, setting the stage for the praise that follows.

Meaning of the Verse

Psalm 124:3 paints a graphic picture of overwhelming peril. The phrase "Then they had swallowed us up quick" uses a powerful metaphor of being consumed alive, indicating total annihilation and absorption without a trace. The Hebrew word for "quick" here, chay (חי), means "alive" or "whole," underscoring the complete and immediate destruction envisioned. This was not merely a defeat but an utter obliteration. The latter part, "when their wrath was kindled against us," highlights the intense, burning anger of the enemies. This wrath was so fierce that it would have consumed the people of God entirely, like a raging fire swallowing its prey. It speaks to the utter helplessness of Israel in the face of such ferocious human hostility, underscoring the magnitude of God's powerful deliverance.

Linguistic Insights

  • "Swallowed us up quick": The Hebrew verb bala' (בלע) means to "swallow, engulf, consume." Coupled with chay (חי), "alive," it conveys being devoured whole and alive, a terrifying image of complete and inescapable destruction.
  • "Wrath was kindled": This translates the Hebrew idiom charah aph (חרה אף), literally "the nose burned," which is a common expression for intense, burning anger. It emphasizes the fierce and destructive nature of the enemies' animosity.

Key Themes

  • Divine Deliverance: The verse, read in context, powerfully illustrates the depth of the danger from which God rescued His people, magnifying the miracle of His intervention.
  • Overwhelming Threat: It portrays the enemies as an irresistible force, highlighting the human inability to withstand such wrath without divine aid.
  • God's Sovereignty: By describing what *would have happened* without God, the psalm implicitly affirms God's ultimate control over all circumstances, even the most dire.

Practical Application

For believers today, Psalm 124:3 serves as a reminder that we too face adversaries, whether spiritual, societal, or personal, that can feel overwhelming. This verse encourages us to recognize moments when we feel on the brink of being "swallowed up" by life's challenges, and then to remember that our ultimate safety and preservation come from the Lord. It fosters a spirit of gratitude and a deep sense of reliance on God's protection. Just as ancient Israel faced literal enemies, we navigate unseen spiritual battles and the pressures of a world often hostile to faith. This psalm reminds us to place our trust in the Lord, who is our ultimate Helper and Deliverer, even when the "wrath" of circumstances or opposition seems ready to consume us.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Esther 3:12

    Then were the king's scribes called on the thirteenth day of the first month, and there was written according to all that Haman had commanded unto the king's lieutenants, and to the governors that [were] over every province, and to the rulers of every people of every province according to the writing thereof, and [to] every people after their language; in the name of king Ahasuerus was it written, and sealed with the king's ring.

  • Esther 3:13

    And the letters were sent by posts into all the king's provinces, to destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish, all Jews, both young and old, little children and women, in one day, [even] upon the thirteenth [day] of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, and [to take] the spoil of them for a prey.

  • Acts 9:2

    And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.

  • Daniel 3:19

    ¶ Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: [therefore] he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was wont to be heated.

  • Numbers 16:30

    But if the LORD make a new thing, and the earth open her mouth, and swallow them up, with all that [appertain] unto them, and they go down quick into the pit; then ye shall understand that these men have provoked the LORD.

  • Numbers 16:34

    And all Israel that [were] round about them fled at the cry of them: for they said, Lest the earth swallow us up [also].

  • Psalms 27:2

    When the wicked, [even] mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.

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