Psalms 124:1-7

1 If God hadn't been for us - all together now, Israel, sing out! -
2 If God hadn't been for us when everyone went against us,
3 We would have been swallowed alive by their violent anger,
4 Swept away by the flood of rage, drowned in the torrent;
5 We would have lost our lives in the wild, raging water.
6 Oh, blessed be God! He didn't go off and leave us. He didn't abandon us defenseless, helpless as a rabbit in a pack of snarling dogs.
7 We've flown free from their fangs, free of their traps, free as a bird. Their grip is broken; we're free as a bird in flight.

Psalms 124:1-7 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 124

\\<>\\. Some think this psalm was written by David, after the conquest of the Philistines and Ammonites, and other nations that rose up against him and Israel, like the proud waves of the sea, and spread themselves like a flood; and whose destruction was like the breach of many waters, 2Sa 5:18,20, 10:19. Others, after his deliverance from the persecution of Saul, or from the conspiracy of Absalom. Theodoret is of opinion that David wrote this by a prophetic spirit, concerning the enemies of the Jews, upon their return to their own land, from the Babylonish captivity; who envied them, and rose up against them, but the Lord delivered them. And others apply it to the times of Antiochus, when the Jewish church and state were threatened with ruin; but the Lord appeared for them, in raising up the Maccabees. Kimchi interprets it of the Jews in captivity; and drama of the deliverance of the children of Israel at the Red sea. It may be applied to any time of distress the church and people of God have been in, and he has wrought salvation for them.

Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.