Reflections on Psalms 124

 Psalms 124(Contemporary English Version)

1. (A song by David for worship.) The LORD was on our side! Let everyone in Israel say:
   
2. "The LORD was on our side! Otherwise, the enemy attack
   
3. would have killed us all, because it was furious.
   
4. We would have been swept away in a violent flood
   
5. of high and roaring waves."
   
6. Let's praise the LORD! He protected us from enemies who were like wild animals,
   
7. and we escaped like birds from a hunter's torn net.
   
8. The LORD made heaven and earth, and he is the one who sends us help.

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The psalmist calls Israel to raise the question, "If the Lord had not been on our side." There are many times in Israel's history this question could have been raised. When the psalmist raised it on this occasion the conclusions they arrived at was that if the Lord had not been on their side they would have been destroyed. Or, as stated in the psalm, "Then the waters would have engulfed us; the torrent would have swept over us; the raging waters would have swept over us." (124:4-5)

Once the people pondered the question of what would have happened to them had the Lord not been on their side they praised Him for not letting them be "ripped apart by (the enemy's) teeth." (124:6) Before coming to this realization what had been their perspective? Clearly the occasion in mind had not been a victory. They had merely escaped total destruction. I can imagine that prior to this they were asking God why He abandoned them and allowed the enemy to overpower them, blaming God for their defeat. But the question they had not considered was, "What would have happened if the Lord really had abandoned us?" Then the realization hit home that if it had not been for God, they would not be alive to blame Him for their defeat.

We who read and ponder this psalm should apply this question to circumstances of our lives. What situation are we still bitter about in which we feel God let us down? Re-frame that situation with this question. "If God truly was not working on my behalf what would have happened?"