Psalms 124: Our Help is in the Name of the Lord
If it had not been the Lord who was on our side, now may Israel say;
If it had not been the Lord who was on our side, when men rose up against us:
Then they had swallowed us up quick, when their wrath was kindled against us:
Then the waters had overwhelmed us, the stream had gone over our soul:
Then the proud waters had gone over our soul.
Blessed be the Lord, who hath not given us as a prey to their teeth.
Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers: the snare is broken, and we are escaped.
Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
This psalm, one of the fifteen "songs of ascents" (Psalms 120—134), offers a powerful reflection on God's providential care for His people. These songs were likely sung by Israelites as they made their yearly pilgrimages "ascending" to Jerusalem for major festivals (Deuteronomy 16:16), particularly to Mount Zion (2_Samuel 5:7; 1_Kings 8:1). The authorship of these psalms is sometimes uncertain. While some are attributed "of David" (like Psalms 86:1), this might refer to their style rather than direct authorship. Regardless of its specific origins, Psalms 124 speaks to a timeless truth: Israel's survival and victories were solely due to God's intervention. Understanding this is key to appreciating the psalm's message.
Recognizing Our Dependence on God (Psalms 124:1-2)
The psalm begins with a crucial acknowledgement: "If the Lord had not been on our side—let Israel say—if the Lord had not been on our side when people attacked us" (Psalms 124:1-2). This refrain emphasizes that without God's active involvement, Israel would have been utterly defeated. Throughout their history, the Israelites faced enemies far greater in number and strength (Exodus 12:41; Deuteronomy 4:37–38; 7:7; 2_Kings 19:32–36). From the battles described in Numbers 21:21-24 to the threats faced in Nehemiah 4:1-4 and 2_Samuel 10:6, the nation’s history shows them overcoming much larger and more powerful enemies through God's power. The psalmist wants Israel to remember and internalize this truth: their safety and success were not the result of their own might, but of God's unwavering support.
Overwhelmed Without Him (Psalms 124:3-5)
The psalmist vividly illustrates the potential consequences of God's absence. "Then the flood would have engulfed us, the torrent would have swept over us, the raging waters would have swept us away" (Psalms 124:4-5). These images evoke a sense of being completely overwhelmed by a destructive force. The "flood" and "raging waters" symbolize the overwhelming power of Israel's enemies, ready to consume and erase the nation entirely. This imagery is particularly poignant if one considers the context of exile and return (2_Chronicles 36:17–21; Ezra 2:1), where the threat of annihilation was very real.
Deliverance and Worship (Psalms 124:6-7)
The tone shifts dramatically in Psalms 124:6: "Praise be to the Lord, who has not let us be torn by their teeth." The psalmist erupts in praise, acknowledging God's active protection. Instead of allowing Israel to be devoured like prey, God intervened. The imagery continues with the picture of a bird escaping a snare: "We have escaped like a bird from the fowler’s snare; the snare has been broken, and we have escaped" (Psalms 124:7). This conveys the sense of a narrow escape, a miraculous deliverance from certain death. David recalls God’s deliverance in the past. If not for divine intervention at the Red Sea, Israel would have been slaughtered by Pharaoh’s army and drowned in the raging water (Psalms 124:2-5). But, God had enabled his people to escape from their captors like a bird from a trapper’s snare (Psalms 124:7).
Our Help is in the Name of the Lord (Psalms 124:8)
The psalm concludes with a powerful declaration of faith: "Our help is in the name of the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth" (Psalms 124:8). This is more than just a statement; it's a confession of trust and reliance. The "name of the Lord" represents His character, His power, and His faithfulness. By grounding their help in the Creator of all things, the psalmist affirms that God is the ultimate source of strength and protection. Reflecting on God’s help in the past gave David confidence to declare that God would help his people again. As the Maker of heaven and earth, he ruled over them.
This psalm offers timeless encouragement for believers today. We, too, face overwhelming challenges and enemies that seem too powerful to overcome. Psalms 124 reminds us to recognize our dependence on God, to remember His past faithfulness, and to trust in His power to deliver us. Keep track of the goodness of God in your life. Take note of times when God delivers you from adversity. You’ll need to recall these times of blessing to give you confidence in God’s faithfulness and power for future troubles. Our help is not in our own strength, but in the name of the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.
If it had not been the Lord who was on our side, now may Israel say;
If it had not been the Lord who was on our side, when men rose up against us:
Then they had swallowed us up quick, when their wrath was kindled against us:
Then the waters had overwhelmed us, the stream had gone over our soul:
Then the proud waters had gone over our soul.
Blessed be the Lord, who hath not given us as a prey to their teeth.
Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers: the snare is broken, and we are escaped.
Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
This psalm, one of the fifteen "songs of ascents" (Psalms 120—134), offers a powerful reflection on God's providential care for His people. These songs were likely sung by Israelites as they made their yearly pilgrimages "ascending" to Jerusalem for major festivals (Deuteronomy 16:16), particularly to Mount Zion (2_Samuel 5:7; 1_Kings 8:1). The authorship of these psalms is sometimes uncertain. While some are attributed "of David" (like Psalms 86:1), this might refer to their style rather than direct authorship. Regardless of its specific origins, Psalms 124 speaks to a timeless truth: Israel's survival and victories were solely due to God's intervention. Understanding this is key to appreciating the psalm's message.
Recognizing Our Dependence on God (Psalms 124:1-2)
The psalm begins with a crucial acknowledgement: "If the Lord had not been on our side—let Israel say—if the Lord had not been on our side when people attacked us" (Psalms 124:1-2). This refrain emphasizes that without God's active involvement, Israel would have been utterly defeated. Throughout their history, the Israelites faced enemies far greater in number and strength (Exodus 12:41; Deuteronomy 4:37–38; 7:7; 2_Kings 19:32–36). From the battles described in Numbers 21:21-24 to the threats faced in Nehemiah 4:1-4 and 2_Samuel 10:6, the nation’s history shows them overcoming much larger and more powerful enemies through God's power. The psalmist wants Israel to remember and internalize this truth: their safety and success were not the result of their own might, but of God's unwavering support.
Overwhelmed Without Him (Psalms 124:3-5)
The psalmist vividly illustrates the potential consequences of God's absence. "Then the flood would have engulfed us, the torrent would have swept over us, the raging waters would have swept us away" (Psalms 124:4-5). These images evoke a sense of being completely overwhelmed by a destructive force. The "flood" and "raging waters" symbolize the overwhelming power of Israel's enemies, ready to consume and erase the nation entirely. This imagery is particularly poignant if one considers the context of exile and return (2_Chronicles 36:17–21; Ezra 2:1), where the threat of annihilation was very real.
Deliverance and Worship (Psalms 124:6-7)
The tone shifts dramatically in Psalms 124:6: "Praise be to the Lord, who has not let us be torn by their teeth." The psalmist erupts in praise, acknowledging God's active protection. Instead of allowing Israel to be devoured like prey, God intervened. The imagery continues with the picture of a bird escaping a snare: "We have escaped like a bird from the fowler’s snare; the snare has been broken, and we have escaped" (Psalms 124:7). This conveys the sense of a narrow escape, a miraculous deliverance from certain death. David recalls God’s deliverance in the past. If not for divine intervention at the Red Sea, Israel would have been slaughtered by Pharaoh’s army and drowned in the raging water (Psalms 124:2-5). But, God had enabled his people to escape from their captors like a bird from a trapper’s snare (Psalms 124:7).
Our Help is in the Name of the Lord (Psalms 124:8)
The psalm concludes with a powerful declaration of faith: "Our help is in the name of the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth" (Psalms 124:8). This is more than just a statement; it's a confession of trust and reliance. The "name of the Lord" represents His character, His power, and His faithfulness. By grounding their help in the Creator of all things, the psalmist affirms that God is the ultimate source of strength and protection. Reflecting on God’s help in the past gave David confidence to declare that God would help his people again. As the Maker of heaven and earth, he ruled over them.
This psalm offers timeless encouragement for believers today. We, too, face overwhelming challenges and enemies that seem too powerful to overcome. Psalms 124 reminds us to recognize our dependence on God, to remember His past faithfulness, and to trust in His power to deliver us. Keep track of the goodness of God in your life. Take note of times when God delivers you from adversity. You’ll need to recall these times of blessing to give you confidence in God’s faithfulness and power for future troubles. Our help is not in our own strength, but in the name of the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.