““Had it not been the Lord who was on our side,”
Let Israel say,
“Had it not been the Lord who was on our side
When people rose up against us,”

“Then they would have swallowed us alive,
When their anger was kindled against us;
Then the waters would have flooded over us,
The stream would have swept over our souls;
Then the raging waters would have swept over our souls.”

“Blessed be the Lord,
Who has not given us to be torn by their teeth.
Our souls have escaped like a bird from the trapper’s snare;
The snare is broken and we have escaped.”

“Our help is in the name of the Lord,
Who made heaven and earth.”

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Context and Meaning

Psalm 124, attributed to David, is a corporate song of thanksgiving. It acknowledges that without the Lord’s intervention, Israel would have been destroyed by hostile enemies. Using vivid imagery—raging waters, wild beasts, and snares—the psalmist illustrates the overwhelming danger God’s people faced.

Yet the psalm resounds with praise: God’s people escaped, not by their own strength, but because the Lord was on their side.

Key Themes:

1. God’s Presence as Protection: If the Lord were not on their side, destruction would have been certain (v. 1–2).
2. Overwhelming Dangers: Enemies compared to consuming beasts and raging waters (v. 3–5).
3. Deliverance and Escape: God provides escape like a bird freed from a trap (v. 6–7).
4. God as the Source of Help: Their ultimate security is in His name, the Creator of heaven and earth (v. 8).

Reflection and Impact

Psalm 124 reminds us that our survival and victory are entirely due to the Lord’s presence and help:

• The Lord is our only defense – “Had it not been the Lord who was on our side” (v. 1–2) recalls Romans 8:31: if God is for us, who can be against us?
• Dangers can overwhelm but not overcome – “The waters would have swept over us” (v. 4–5) reflects Isaiah 43:2: when you pass through the waters, they will not overflow you.
• God delivers from traps – “The snare is broken, and we have escaped” (v. 7) parallels 2 Timothy 2:26: God grants escape from the snare of the devil.
• Our help is in His name – “Our help is in the name of the Lord” (v. 8) echoes Psalm 20:7: some trust in chariots, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.

Application

• Acknowledge God’s Deliverance: Recognize that every escape and victory comes from Him.
• Trust God in Overwhelming Trials: Remember that even raging waters cannot sweep away those God upholds.
• Praise God for Broken Snares: Thank Him for setting you free from traps of sin, fear, and the enemy.
• Rely on God’s Name Alone: Anchor your help in the Creator, not in human strength or resources.

Closing Thought

Without the Lord, destruction would have been certain—but with Him, escape and deliverance are sure.
“Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.”