INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 124 A SONG OF DEGREES OF DAVID. Some think this psalm was written by David, after the conquest of the Philistines and Ammonites, and other nations that rose up against him and Israel, like the proud waves of the sea, and spread themselves like a flood; and whose destruction wa... [ Continue Reading ]
IF [IT HAD NOT BEEN] THE LORD WHO WAS ON OUR SIDE,.... Or, "was for us" h. The Syriac version is, "that rose up for us"; against their enemies, that rose up against them, as in Psalms 123:2: or, "was with us", as Kimchi and Ben Melech; to help and assist, support and supply, strengthen and defend: o... [ Continue Reading ]
IF [IT HAD NOT BEEN] THE LORD WHO WAS ON OUR SIDE,.... This he repeats both for the confirmation of it, and to excite the attention of the Israelites to it; as well as to observe that it was not once only, but again and again, many times the Lord appeared to be on their side. The Targum renders it,... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN THEY HAD SWALLOWED US UP QUICK,.... Or "alive"; as the earth swallowed up Korah and his company; or as the fish swallowed up Jonah; or rather as ravenous beasts swallow their prey; to which the allusion is. The people of God are comparable to sheep and lambs, and such like innocent creatures: a... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN THE WATERS HAD OVERWHELMED US,.... People, comparable to waters for their multitude, Strength, force, and impetuosity; which bear down all before them, and against which there is no standing; which, like the waters of the flood, overflow and destroy all they pass over. These are the floods of u... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN THE PROUD WATERS HAD GONE OVER OUR SOUL. The wicked, who, through their pride, persecute the poor saints: these proud tyrants and persecutors would prevail over them, to their ruin and destruction; who, for their number, force, and strength, and especially for their pride and haughtiness, are l... [ Continue Reading ]
BLESSED [BE] THE LORD,.... Here begins the church's thanksgiving for deliverance from all their enemies, their proud persecutors; and from all afflictions and troubles by them; which they could never have been delivered from, had not the Lord appeared for them; and therefore it is but just that he s... [ Continue Reading ]
OUR SOUL IS ESCAPED AS A BIRD OUT OF THE SNARE OF THE FOWLERS,.... The people of God are like little birds, being harmless and innocent, singing forth the praises of God for his goodness to them; as also because weak and unable to resist their foes; and worthless in themselves, like sparrows, as the... [ Continue Reading ]
OUR HELP [IS] IN THE NAME OF THE LORD,.... This is the conclusion the church draws from the scene of Providence in her favour; this is the instruction she learns from hence, that her help is in the Lord only, and not in any creature; and that it is right to put her trust and confidence in the Lord f... [ Continue Reading ]