Faith McCray ~ Assistant Editor:
Psalm 124 is a Psalm of David. 1 If the Lord had not been on our side— let Israel say— 2 if the Lord had not been on our side when people attacked us, 3 they would have swallowed us alive when their anger flared against us; 4 the flood would have engulfed us, the torrent would have swept over us, 5 the raging waters would have swept us away. 6 Praise be to the Lord, who has not let us be torn by their teeth. 7 We have escaped like a bird from the fowler’s snare; the snare has been broken, and we have escaped. 8 Our help is in the name of the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.
This passage gives plenty of insight on the Lord’s protection. The details of each story are different and many people seen throughout the Bible are used – Moses, Joshua, David, etc. However, the main character remains the same, God Himself. If God did not intervene during the flood, all of his people would have been swept away due to the massive waters (v.5).
Although it might seem obvious, this Psalm made it known that the side the Lord chose in the continuing conflict between his people and their enemies. This Psalm continues to go back and relive major battles through the Bible’s history. Which leads to clarification of God’s people that they overcame all that they did because of the power of the Lord our God.
The apostle Paul made this point as well, when he wrote his letter to the Romans; however, he did not only mention the past deliverances. Believers of Christ put their trust into the work of the Lord. In Christ, condemnation no longer has any teeth (Romans 8:1). God will conform those he calls into the image of his son (Romans 8:29). Furthermore, those who put their trust into the Lord freely will one day glorify in the future (Romans 8:30). When Paul wrote his letters, he did not only look back onto the work that Christ had done, but he looked forward to a future of hope. In light of these truths he wrote “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31). Ask yourself this question while moving forward throughout the rest of the week.