Psalm 124

Psalm 124
A song of ascents. 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 men attacked us,

3 when their anger flared against us,
they would have swallowed us alive;

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
out of 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.

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I love how David begins this song saying, "If the Lord had not been on our side," and then interjects, "let Israel say - if the Lord had not been on our side."

David knew who was fighting for him, but he longed that Israel would know and declare it for themselves. He knew where his help was, but just because he knew it didn't mean Israel knew the fullness of God's protection over them.

David, however, understood just much God involved himself in their lives. When it came to battles, David declares "when men attacked us ... they would have swallowed us alive." The numerous enemies of Israel surely would have destroyed them, but the Lord was on their side. When it comes to dealings with other humans, we prevail because the Lord is on our side. As it says in Romans 8:31, "When, then, shall we say ... If God is for us, who can be against us?"

What about the flood mentioned? My first reaction was circumstances out of our control. But then I remembered the flood, Noah's flood. What was Noah's flood? It was the consequences of sin upon the earth. Because the sins of men had become so great upon the earth, the Lord sent a flood to eradicate sin and mankind. But the Lord in his mercy found Noah, a man of faith, and through his line preserved mankind.

What does this tell me? If the Lord had not been on our side, the consequences of sin would have swept us away. If the Lord had not been on my side, I would still be dead in my sins. But God demonstrated his love for us in this way: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. While I was in sin, Jesus Christ gave his life that I could be free and made new. The consequence of sin is death, and the Lord gave His life that I could have life, and live in freedom from sin.

The Lord's acts of love towards us are very intentional; it is not by accident. David said, "We have escaped like a bird out of the fowler's snare; the snare has been broken and we have escaped." The snare has been broken. By who? By the Lord. How was this done? "Our help is in the name of the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth." It was by the power of His name that be broke the snare of sin, or any other snare we find ourselves in.

Just to clarify, whose name is it that we call upon to break the snare? The Maker of heaven and earth. It is only by the name of Jesus that we are freed, as it is written, "For by Him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him." (Colossians 1:16) Jesus is the creator, and it is only in his name that we have freedom from sin.

David wrote in another Psalm, "The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth." The truth is that Jesus Christ is the only answer, and Jesus will come to save you if you would only call on him. He will break the snare of sin and the power of sin in your life, if you would only call on His name and believe. Jesus Christ gave up his life as a ransom for the world, and only requires that you call on Him, believe Him, and follow Him. Confess your sins to Jesus, and he will not only forgive you, but restore you. He will make you a new creature; as it is written, "If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to hismelf through Christ... God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."

If the Lord had not been on our side, we would not know salvation. But it is freely given to those who believe. Praise the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth!