Bible Commentaries

Psalms 124.

The church blesseth God for a miraculous deliverance.

A Song of Degrees of David.

Title. המעלות שׁיר Shiir hammangaloth.] This psalm was composed by David; but the particular occasion of it is not known with any certainty. Dr. Delaney conjectures, that he wrote it upon the victory mentioned 2 Samuel 5:20. David said upon that occasion, The Lord hath broken forth upon mine enemies before me, as a breach of waters: and he thinks this conjecture seems probable by comparing this expression with the third and fourth verses of this psalm: the objection to which is, that in the psalm the allusion of the breach of waters is applied to David's enemies; in the history, to God. This psalm was so agreeable to the state of their circumstances at that time, that it was constantly used by the Levites at the return of the Jews from their captivity; and it is, as Dr. Hammond observes, very suitable to any other eminent deliverance wrought by God for his servants.

Psalms 124:1. If it had not been the Lord who was, &c.— Unless the Lord had been with us, now, &c. and so the 2nd verse. Houbigant.

Psalms 124:5. Then, &c.— Then it had passed over our soul, even {proud / swelling} waters.

REFLECTIONS.—The greater the danger is to which we are exposed, the greater doth the power and grace of our God appear in our rescue, and the more are we indebted to him in love and praise.

1. The enemies of God's church and people are many and mighty; rising up fierce as a lion, and ready to devour them, quick and eager in the pursuit, and raging in their wrath to destroy them. Then in that day of trial we may truly say, the waters had overwhelmed us, and the stream had gone over our soul; then the proud waters had gone over our soul, the floods of persecution, affliction, temptation had prevailed, and we had sunk as a stone in the mighty waters, if,—and a blessed if it is—

2. If it had not been the Lord, who was on our side, or with us, for our strength is weakness, and we have no power to stand, either against our foes without or within; but having a friend close to our side, one so faithful to stand by us, so almighty to save us, even Jehovah, we cannot sink under these mighty waters; fixed, as upon a munition of rocks, we may look down secure, and mock their impotent rage.

3. The Psalmist, in the person of the faithful, blessed God for their support and deliverance. Blessed be the Lord, who hath not given us as a prey to their teeth, he hath broken the teeth of the lions, our persecutors; and, as a bird from the fowler's snare, are we escaped from our wily foes. Note; When the faithful are nearest in appearance to be overcome, and perish, then shall they be made more eminently to experience the salvation of God.

4. Past experience encourages the faithful to stay themselves still upon God. Our help is in the name of the Lord; we have no other able or willing to save us, but he who made heaven and earth; and he can assuredly save to the uttermost. Let Israel therefore trust in the Lord.