In The Word
Read: Psalm 124-126
Praise for Rescue from Enemies.
A Song of Ascents, of David.
124 “Had it not been the Lord who was on our side,”
Let Israel say,
2 “Had it not been the Lord who was on our side
When people rose up against us,
3 Then they would have swallowed us alive,
When their anger was kindled against us;
4 Then the waters would have flooded over us,
The stream would have swept over our souls;
5 Then the raging waters would have swept over our souls.”
6 Blessed be the Lord,
Who has not given us to be torn by their teeth.
7 Our souls have escaped like a bird from the trapper’s snare;
The snare is broken and we have escaped.
8 Our help is in the name of the Lord,
Who made heaven and earth.
The Lord Surrounds His People.
A Song of Ascents.
125 Those who trust in the Lord
Are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved but remains forever.
2 As the mountains surround Jerusalem,
So the Lord surrounds His people
From this time and forever.
3 For the scepter of wickedness will not rest upon the land of the righteous,
So that the righteous will not extend their hands to do wrong.
4 Do good, Lord, to those who are good
And to those who are upright in their hearts.
5 But as for those who turn aside to their crooked ways,
The Lord will lead them away with those who practice injustice.
Peace be upon Israel.
Thanksgiving for Return from Captivity.
A Song of Ascents.
126 When the Lord brought back the captives of Zion,
We were like those who dream.
2 Then our mouth was filled with laughter
And our tongue with joyful shouting;
Then they said among the nations,
“The Lord has done great things for them.”
3 The Lord has done great things for us;
We are joyful.
4 Restore our fortunes, Lord,
As the streams in the South.
5 Those who sow in tears shall harvest with joyful shouting.
6 One who goes here and there weeping, carrying his bag of seed,
Shall indeed come again with a shout of joy, bringing his sheaves with him.
New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation
Walking In The Word
Psalm 124 was written by David after he recognized the great deed God had done by rescuing Israel from the jaws of defeat at the hands of Philistines. This was not an ordinary battle; the Philistines felt that this would be the last battle to totally destroy Israel after taking care of the house of Saul. With Israel’s leadership defeated, the Philistines came, as David would describe, as a “raging river, engulfing us, sweeping our souls” (Psalm 124:3-5). “Had it not been the Lord who was on our side” (Psalm 124:1). Israel would have been crushed if God did not intervene. “Blessed be the Lord,” David rejoiced, “Our soul has escaped as a bird out of the snare of the trapper, the snare is broken and we have escaped” (Psalm 124:6-7).
We can say the same thing about our soul. Many of us were in captivity, engulfed in sin and despair. But “had it not been the Lord who was on our side” we would have been lost in our sins. But just like He did for Israel, God also did for us by making a way for us through the Cross. The Cross has freed us from the snare of the trapper, satan. When you accept what Jesus did for you on the cross, you are set free! The snare is broken, and it has no power over you! “Our help is in the name of the Lord, Who made the heavens and the earth” (Psalm 124:8). If there’s one thing we should be learning in our devotions, it’s that God is in the saving business!