Psalms · Chapter 124 of 150

Psalm 124

The deliverance of the church. · Thankfulness for the deliverance.

1A Song of degrees of David. If it had not been the Lord who was on our side, now may Israel say; 2If it had not been the Lord who was on our side, when men rose up against us: 3Then they had swallowed us up quick, when their wrath was kindled against us: 4Then the waters had overwhelmed us, the stream had gone over our soul: 5Then the proud waters had gone over our soul.

6Blessed be the Lord, who hath not given us as a prey to their teeth. 7Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers: the snare is broken, and we are escaped. 8Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

King James Version (1769) · public domain

About Psalms

Psalm 124 commentary

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible (1706), public domain.

Verses 1-5

God suffers the enemies of his people sometimes to prevail very far against them, that his power may be seen the more in their deliverance. Happy the people whose God is Jehovah, a God all-sufficient. Besides applying this to any particular deliverance wrought in our days and the ancient times, we should have in our thoughts the great work of redemption by Jesus Christ, by which believers were rescued from Satan.

Verses 6-8

God is the Author of all our deliverances, and he must have the glory. The enemies lay snares for God's people, to bring them into sin and trouble, and to hold them there. Sometimes they seem to prevail; but in the Lord let us put our trust, and we shall not be put to confusion. The believer will ascribe all the honour of his salvation, to the power, mercy, and truth of God, and look back with wonder and thanksgiving on the way in which the Lord has led him. Let us rejoice that our help for the time to come is in him who made heaven and earth.

Key verses in Psalm 124

  • Psalms 124:7

    Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers: the snare is broken, and we are escaped.

  • Psalms 124:8

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

  • Psalms 124:1

    A Song of degrees of David. If it had not been the Lord who was on our side, now may Israel say;

  • Psalms 124:6

    Blessed be the Lord, who hath not given us as a prey to their teeth.

  • Psalms 124:3

    Then they had swallowed us up quick, when their wrath was kindled against us: