Tehillim 124:3

3 Then they had swallowed us up chayyim (alive); when their wrath was kindled against us;

Tehillim 124:3 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 124:3

Then they had swallowed us up quick
Or "alive"; as the earth swallowed up Korah and his company; or as the fish swallowed up Jonah; or rather as ravenous beasts swallow their prey; to which the allusion is. The people of God are comparable to sheep and lambs, and such like innocent creatures: and the wicked to lions, tigers, wolves, bears, and such like beasts of prey that devour living creatures;

when their wrath was kindled against us;
which is cruel and outrageous; there is no standing against it, nor before it; it is like a fierce flame of fire that burns furiously, and there is no stopping it; none but God can restrain it.

Tehillim 124:3 In-Context

1 24 (Shir HaMa’alot, [Song of Ascents] of Dovid). If it had not been Hashem Who was lanu (for us, on our side), now may Yisroel say;

2 If it had not been Hashem Who was lanu, when adam (man) rose up against us;

3 Then they had swallowed us up chayyim (alive); when their wrath was kindled against us;

4 Then the mayim would have overwhelmed us, the torrent would have swept over nafsheinu (our nefesh); (Shir HaMa’alot, [Song of

5 Then the mayim hazedonim (treacherous waters) would have swept over nafsheinu (our nefesh).