Psalm 124

A Song of Ascents. Of David.

1 If it had not been the LORD who was on our side—let Israel now say—

2 if it had not been the LORD who was on our side when people rose up against us,

3 then they would have swallowed us up alive, when their anger was kindled against us;

The psalm begins with a good example of staircase parallelism, repeating the line, “If it had not been the LORD who was on our side”, building the tension until it is resolved in the third verse. People rose up against the nation and would have swallowed them alive if the LORD hadn’t intervened. The metaphor of swallowing alive is pretty graphic, making us think of large predatory animals -- lions, snakes (okay, not swallowing a person, but maybe a small dog), sharks, or even mythical creatures like sea monsters and dragons. I’ll never forget seeing the original Jurassic Park movie and watching a man eaten alive by a T-Rex. Some in the audience laughed (the character that was eaten wasn’t very likable), and it really bothered me. Likewise, the movie Jaws continues to give us visceral reactions to a cold-blooded animal swallowing a human being. Hold on to that feeling as you think about this metaphor. The other half of verse three depicts extreme anger on the part of our enemies. The word “anger” or “wrath” is literally the word for “nostril”, as in the flaring of one’s nostrils when angry. While the psalmist is speaking of a national enemy (perhaps an invading army), today we associate this psalm with the enemy of all flesh -- the devil and his angels, who would swallow us alive in the cold-blooded thirst for revenge. Were it not for Jesus, our rescuer, sin and death would have swallowed us alive. But the LORD is on our side. Always remember that when you are afraid or anxious about anything. The LORD is on your side. He is fighting for you and with you. 

4 then the flood would have swept us away, the torrent would have gone over us;

5 then over us would have gone the raging waters.

David describes the second peril that they escaped because of the merciful action of YHWH -- swollen streams and flood waters. In Hebrew, the two verses are bracketed by “waters” representing the surrounding flood. The text is literally, “Then the waters would have overwhelmed us, the stream would have gone over our soul, would have gone over our soul the waters swollen.” The flood is likely metaphorical but based on real world experiences of desert flooding. Streams in the desert could fill quickly in a downpour much as they do in the American southwest. Caught in a narrow place of canyon and your survival would be unlikely. The psalmist describes divine intervention rescuing the people (“our soul”) from certain death. Floods come in many forms - a grim diagnosis, a traumatic accident, violent crime, war, natural disasters, personal betrayal. These all threaten to overwhelm us and suffocate us under their weight. God doesn’t promise to save us from them, but he will save us through them, preventing ultimate loss. Jesus said that there is a thing worse than death. “Don’t worry about those who can only kill the body, but fear the one who has power to cast both body and soul into hell.” God may snatch you from the floodwaters, or he may ride them out with you. Either way, you are with him. David may have been referencing a national catastrophe because of his use of the plural, “our soul”. Invading armies, famine, drought, flood, civil war -- these are all attested in Israel’s history. Read Psalm 29 in light of this psalm. YHWH is king over the flood, He gives his people strength and blesses them with peace. 

6 Blessed be the LORD, who has not given us as prey to their teeth!

7 We have escaped like a bird from the snare of the fowlers; the snare is broken, and we have escaped!

8 Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth.

The psalmist circles back to the metaphor of being swallowed alive (vs. 3) and declares his praise to YHWH for his rescue from the teeth of the people threatening to swallow the nation alive. Verse 7 contains the third metaphor, that of a snare. The reference is to a snare for catching birds. In this case, the trap fails. It is broken (by YHWH) and the people escape much to their excitement. Being trapped is a horrible feeling of helplessness and doom. Whether it is being stuck in a small space or actually in some type of animal trap, it’s a nightmare that can lead to panic. Imagine the immediate reaction of being trapped (terror) and then the relief of being suddenly set free. This is what David is expressing. Like verses 4-5, verse 6 also is structured as a chiasm. “Our soul as a bird has escaped (A) from the snare of the fowlers (B), the snare (B) is broken and we have escaped (A).” This time the chiasm is bounded not by the source of the entrapment but by the action of “escape.” The nation has been freed once again. Attacked by wild animals, surprised in a sudden flood and now caught in a snare -- these represent the various ways that we are threatened in this life. In each case, YHWH reaches in and rescues us, and for this he is worshiped. The psalmist circles back to his original declaration in verses 1-2 by stating in verse 8 that “Our help is in the name of the LORD, maker of heaven and earth.” The entire psalm is framed by the reality that God is our help, our rescuer. The same God who in power and wisdom crafted the heavens and the earth is the one who is watching over us, snatching us from disaster, and preserving us through the trials of life. Keep trusting in Him. Consider the beauty of the cross in this regard. There was no one to snatch Jesus from the teeth of the wicked, the flood of death, and the snare of the Enemy. “He trusts in YHWH, let YHWH save him!” they cried. Jesus even cried out to the father, “Why have you forsaken me?) But there was no one to save him. No one could save him because he was not willing to be saved. He hung in our place, both on our behalf and to demonstrate that he was with us in our suffering as well. Praise be to Jesus who rescued us in every way.