Psalms 124 Study Notes: Rescued Because the LORD Was for Us
David leads Israel in confessing that without the LORD on their side, their attackers would have destroyed them like a devouring beast or a raging flood. They praise God for their escape, like a bird slipping out of a broken trap, and rest their help in the Creator's name.
General
True or False: In 124:6-7 Israel credits its escape from the trap to its own cleverness.
Answer: False
This is false. The people first bless the LORD for not letting their enemies' teeth tear them like prey, and only then describe their escape: like a bird slipping free when a hunter's trap breaks (124:6-7). The escape is God's gift, which is why they praise Him for it. Another psalm names God as the One who rescues His people from the hunter's trap (Psalm 91:3), and David trusts the LORD to free his feet from the net (Psalm 25:15). Paul likewise credited God with rescuing him from deadly peril and set his hope on God to rescue him again (2 Corinthians 1:10).
- Psalm 124:6-7 (BSB)“Blessed be the LORD, who has not given us as prey to their teeth. We have escaped like a bird from the snare of the fowler; the net is torn, and we have slipped away.”The LORD is blessed for not handing Israel over; the people escape like a bird from a broken trap.
- Psalm 91:3 (BSB)“Surely He will deliver you from the snare of the fowler, and from the deadly plague.”God is the One who delivers from the snare of the fowler.
- Psalm 25:15 (BSB)“My eyes are always on the LORD, for He will free my feet from the mesh.”David trusts the LORD to free his feet from the net.
- 2 Corinthians 1:10 (BSB)“He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and He will deliver us. In Him we have placed our hope that He will yet again deliver us,”Paul credits God with rescue from deadly peril and hopes in Him for future rescue.
Theological
True or False: According to 124:6-7, Israel attributes its escape from the snare to its own ingenuity.
Answer: False
This is false. The blessing of the LORD for not giving Israel as prey (124:6) interprets the bird image that follows (124:7): the snare was broken and the bird went free because God acted. God alone accomplishes the deliverance, and the people respond with praise. Psalm 91:3 and Psalm 25:15 likewise name God as the One who frees from the fowler's snare and the net, and Paul confesses the same dependence in 2 Corinthians 1:10.
- Psalm 124:6-7 (BSB)“Blessed be the LORD, who has not given us as prey to their teeth. We have escaped like a bird from the snare of the fowler; the net is torn, and we have slipped away.”The LORD is blessed for not handing Israel over; the people escape like a bird from a broken trap.
- Psalm 91:3 (BSB)“Surely He will deliver you from the snare of the fowler, and from the deadly plague.”God is the One who delivers from the snare of the fowler.
- Psalm 25:15 (BSB)“My eyes are always on the LORD, for He will free my feet from the mesh.”David trusts the LORD to free his feet from the net.
- 2 Corinthians 1:10 (BSB)“He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and He will deliver us. In Him we have placed our hope that He will yet again deliver us,”Paul credits God with rescue from deadly peril and hopes in Him for future rescue.
General
How does 124:8 sum up where Israel's help is found?
Answer: In the LORD's name, the One who created all things
The psalm closes with a confession that gathers up everything before it: Israel's help rests in the LORD's name, the Creator of all things (124:8). God's name stands for who He has revealed Himself to be. The same confession appears in an earlier song of ascents (Psalm 121:2). David contrasts trusting chariots and horses with trusting the LORD's name (Psalm 20:7), and Proverbs pictures the LORD's name as a fortified tower where the righteous run and are safe (Proverbs 18:10).
- Psalm 124:8 (BSB)“Our help is in the name of the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.”The psalm ends by placing Israel's help in the name of the Creator.
- Psalm 121:2 (BSB)“My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.”An earlier song of ascents makes the same confession about the source of help.
- Psalm 20:7 (BSB)“Some trust in chariots and others in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.”David contrasts trust in chariots and horses with trust in the name of the LORD.
- Proverbs 18:10 (BSB)“The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.”The name of the LORD is a strong tower where the righteous are safe.
Theological
Where does the closing confession of 124:8 locate Israel's help?
Answer: In the LORD's name, the One who created all things
The closing verse locates Israel's help in the LORD's name, identified as Creator of all things (124:8). His name signifies His revealed character and power. The confession echoes Psalm 121:2, and it matches David's contrast between confidence in military strength and trust in the LORD's name (Psalm 20:7) and the proverb picturing His name as a fortified tower for the righteous (Proverbs 18:10).
- Psalm 124:8 (BSB)“Our help is in the name of the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.”The psalm ends by placing Israel's help in the name of the Creator.
- Psalm 121:2 (BSB)“My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.”An earlier song of ascents makes the same confession about the source of help.
- Psalm 20:7 (BSB)“Some trust in chariots and others in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.”David contrasts trust in chariots and horses with trust in the name of the LORD.
- Proverbs 18:10 (BSB)“The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.”The name of the LORD is a strong tower where the righteous are safe.
General
What does David call Israel to declare in 124:1-3?
Answer: That without the LORD they would have perished
The heading calls this a song of ascents and attributes it to David. David invites all Israel to say it aloud with him: without the LORD standing with them when people rose up against them in anger, they would have been swallowed alive (124:1-3). The repeated if-clause makes the point unmistakable. Israel's survival was the LORD's doing, not their own. Paul reasons the same way: when God is for His people, no opponent can prevail (Romans 8:31). Another psalmist has no fear because the LORD stands with him as his helper (Psalm 118:6-7).
- Psalm 124:1-3 (BSB)“A song of ascents. Of David. If the LORD had not been on our side—let Israel now declare— if the LORD had not been on our side when men attacked us, when their anger flared against us, then they would have swallowed us alive,”David calls Israel to confess that without the LORD on their side, their attackers would have destroyed them.
- Romans 8:31 (BSB)“What then shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?”Paul asks who can stand against believers when God is for them.
- Psalm 118:6-7 (BSB)“The LORD is on my side; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? The LORD is on my side; He is my helper. Therefore I will look in triumph on those who hate me.”The psalmist is unafraid because the LORD is on his side as his helper.
Theological
What confession does David lead Israel to make in 124:1-3?
Answer: That without the LORD they would have perished
In this song of ascents attributed to David, the repeated conditional about the LORD taking Israel's side is spoken by the whole congregation (124:1-3). Israel confesses that its deliverance from enraged attackers was entirely God's work; apart from Him they would have been consumed. The logic reappears in Romans 8:31, where God's being for His people means no opposition can finally prevail, and in Psalm 118:6-7, where the LORD's presence on the psalmist's side removes fear.
- Psalm 124:1-3 (BSB)“A song of ascents. Of David. If the LORD had not been on our side—let Israel now declare— if the LORD had not been on our side when men attacked us, when their anger flared against us, then they would have swallowed us alive,”David calls Israel to confess that without the LORD on their side, their attackers would have destroyed them.
- Romans 8:31 (BSB)“What then shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?”Paul asks who can stand against believers when God is for them.
- Psalm 118:6-7 (BSB)“The LORD is on my side; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? The LORD is on my side; He is my helper. Therefore I will look in triumph on those who hate me.”The psalmist is unafraid because the LORD is on his side as his helper.
General
In 124:3-5, what do the images of being swallowed and swept away by rushing water describe?
Answer: The deadly danger their attackers posed
The psalm pictures the enemies as a beast swallowing its prey and as a raging flood and torrent that would have swept Israel away (124:3-5). These are images for the overwhelming attack of hostile people described in verses 2-3, not a report of a literal flood. Without the LORD, Israel would have been helpless against it. David uses similar language when he says God reached down and pulled him from the deep waters, rescuing him from enemies too strong for him (Psalm 18:16-17), and God promises His people that when they pass through the rivers, the waters will not overwhelm them (Isaiah 43:2).
- Psalm 124:3-5 (BSB)“when their anger flared against us, then they would have swallowed us alive, then the floods would have engulfed us, then the torrent would have overwhelmed us, then the raging waters would have swept us away.”The attack is pictured as being swallowed alive and swept away by a flood.
- Psalm 18:16-17 (BSB)“He reached down from on high and took hold of me; He drew me out of deep waters. He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from foes too mighty for me.”David describes God drawing him out of deep waters and rescuing him from powerful enemies.
- Isaiah 43:2 (BSB)“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you go through the rivers, they will not overwhelm you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched; the flames will not set you ablaze.”God promises that the rivers will not overwhelm His people when they pass through them.
Theological
What do the swallowing and flood images of 124:3-5 represent?
Answer: The deadly danger their attackers posed
The images of being devoured alive and engulfed by torrents and raging waters (124:3-5) depict the hostile human assault of verses 2-3 in its lethal force. Deep waters serve as a figure for mortal danger from enemies elsewhere too, as in Psalm 18:16-17, where God lifts David from the depths and delivers him from mighty foes. Isaiah 43:2 promises God's presence with His people so that the rivers will not overwhelm them.
- Psalm 124:3-5 (BSB)“when their anger flared against us, then they would have swallowed us alive, then the floods would have engulfed us, then the torrent would have overwhelmed us, then the raging waters would have swept us away.”The attack is pictured as being swallowed alive and swept away by a flood.
- Psalm 18:16-17 (BSB)“He reached down from on high and took hold of me; He drew me out of deep waters. He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from foes too mighty for me.”David describes God drawing him out of deep waters and rescuing him from powerful enemies.
- Isaiah 43:2 (BSB)“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you go through the rivers, they will not overwhelm you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched; the flames will not set you ablaze.”God promises that the rivers will not overwhelm His people when they pass through them.