Psalm 124:1

 

Psalm 124:1

If the Lord had not been on our side -

Psalm 123 had an author begging for the Lord to show mercy in the face of the threats and the arrogant ridicule of his enemies, probably the enemies of the whole nation of Israel. Thus, it is a wonderful antidote to the woes of that Psalm to now be able to read Psalm 124 which turns into an anthem of praise to the Lord who has delivered His people! This is David again, writing after a glorious victory over his enemies, although many scholars attribute these words to another writer who borrowed from David! Who cares about the author or the precise moment that is being described? The truth is, the Lord intervened for His people once again and He will do the same for us just as He did (and does) for Israel. Let’s rejoice with the writer and praise God for our deliverance.

 V1        “If the Lord had not been on our side”. That is such a powerful statement, and it is worthy of a “stop and stare” moment. As the verse declares, it is particularly pertinent to the nation of Israel, but are we not also God’s Chosen People? All those who believe in Him and acknowledge Him as Lord say, “If the Lord had not been on our side.”

·      If the Lord had not been on our side, we would still be enslaved to sin.

·      If the Lord had not been on our side, we would be destined for eternal death.

·      If the Lord had not been on our side, we would have no prospect of resurrection.

·      If the Lord had not been on our side, we would have no one to call our Heavenly Father.

·      If the Lord had not been on our side, we would have no friend in Jesus.

·      If the Lord had not been on our side, we would not know the presence of the Holy Spirit.

·      If the Lord had not been on our side, we would have no one to pray to.

·      If the Lord had not been on our side, we would have no weapons against the enemy.

·      If the Lord had not been on our side, we would have no hope for the future.

·      If the Lord had not been on our side, we would have to make all our own decisions.

·      If the Lord had not been on our side, we would have no guidance from His Word.

·      If the Lord had not been on our side, we would have no songs of praise to sing.

·      If the Lord had not been on our side, we would not have our brothers and sisters in Christ.

I could go on; it’s a very long list. You might want to make your own additions? 

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