Psalm Chapter 124 KJV
King James Version, Holy Bible
1 If it had not been the Lord who was on our side, now may Israel say;
2 If it had not been the Lord who was on our side, when men rose up against us:
3 Then they had swallowed us up quick, when their wrath was kindled against us:
4 Then the waters had overwhelmed us, the stream had gone over our soul:
5 Then the proud waters had gone over our soul.
6 Blessed be the Lord, who hath not given us as a prey to their teeth.
Key Takeaways from This Psalm:
Psalm 124:8
Verse: עֶזְרֵנוּ בַּשֵּׁם יְהוָה
Transliteration: Ezrenu b’shem Adonai
English: “Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.”
Focus Word: עֶזְרָה (Ezrah)
- Root: ע-ז-ר (Ayin-Zayin-Resh)
- Meaning: “Help,” “support,” “assistance.”
- Deeper Insight: Ezrah emphasizes reliance and strength, highlighting God as the source of help in all circumstances
| Hebrew Word + Transliteration | Verse + Snippet | Meaning | Scholarly Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| לוּלֵי — lulei | Verse 1 — “If it had not been the LORD…” | “If not,” conditional. | Lulei (“if not”) stresses dependence on divine intervention. It highlights the hypothetical disaster avoided. The term introduces the Psalm’s central testimony. — Wilhelm Gesenius, Lexicon |
| קוּם — kum | Verse 2 — “…when men rose up against us.” | “To rise,” stand against. | Kum (“to rise”) conveys hostile opposition. It emphasizes active aggression. The verb heightens the sense of peril. — Franz Delitzsch, Commentary |
| בְּעוֹלֵינוּ — be‘oleinu | Verse 3 — “…they would have swallowed us alive…” | “To swallow,” engulf. | Be‘oleinu (“to swallow”) expresses total destruction. It evokes imagery of overwhelming force. The word dramatizes danger narrowly escaped. — Carl Friedrich Keil, Keil & Delitzsch Commentary |
| מַיִם — mayim | Verse 4 — “The waters would have overwhelmed us…” | “Waters,” chaos, danger. | Mayim (“waters”) symbolizes chaos, danger, and overwhelming adversity. It connects with ancient flood imagery. The term intensifies the Psalm’s metaphorical language. — Wilhelm Gesenius, Lexicon |
| עָבַר — avar | Verse 5 — “…the stream would have gone over our soul.” | “To pass over,” sweep over. | Avar (“to sweep over”) depicts destructive power overtaking someone. It strengthens the flood metaphor. The verb enhances a sense of impending ruin. — Franz Delitzsch, Commentary |
| פָּלַט — palat | Verse 7 — “…we have escaped…” | “To escape,” slip away. | Palat (“to escape”) stresses miraculous deliverance. It highlights divine intervention as the cause. The word marks the turning point of the Psalm. — Carl Friedrich Keil, Keil & Delitzsch Commentary |
| פָּח — pach | Verse 7 — “The snare is broken…” | “Snare,” trap. | Pach (“snare”) represents plotted danger. Its breaking symbolizes divine liberation from human schemes. The term reinforces God’s rescuing power. — Wilhelm Gesenius, Lexicon |
| נִשְׁבַּר — nishbar | Verse 7 — “…the snare is broken…” | “To break,” shatter. | Nishbar (“to break”) conveys decisive reversal of danger. It indicates destructive power neutralized. The verb emphasizes complete deliverance. — Franz Delitzsch, Commentary |
| עֵזֶר — ezer | Verse 8 — “Our help is in the name of the LORD…” | “Help,” assistance. | Ezer (“help”) portrays active, effective support from God. It expresses dependence rooted in worship. The term concludes the Psalm with confidence. — Carl Friedrich Keil, Keil & Delitzsch Commentary |
| שֵׁם — shem | Verse 8 — “…in the name of the LORD…” | “Name,” character, authority. | Shem (“name”) denotes God’s revealed character and power. It grounds salvation in His identity. The word reinforces covenant assurance. — Wilhelm Gesenius, Lexicon |
Biblical Scholars On This Chapter:
| Scholar (Institution & Dates) | Work | View on Psalm 124 |
|---|---|---|
| Hugh Binning (University of Glasgow, 1627–1653) | Sermons on the Psalms | Binning presents the Psalm as acknowledging God’s protection from overwhelming threats. |
| William Lowth (University of Oxford, 1660–1732) | Commentary on the Psalms | The Psalm emphasizes the relief and gratitude experienced by those delivered by God. |
| Johann Albrecht Bengel (University of Tübingen, 1687–1752) | Gnomon Novi Testamenti | Bengel highlights that human helplessness contrasts with God’s saving power. |
| Philip Doddridge (Northampton Academy, 1702–1751) | Family Expositor | Doddridge encourages believers to reflect on past deliverances as testimony to divine faithfulness. |
| James Durham (St Andrews / Edinburgh, 1622–1658) | Commentary on the Psalms | Durham stresses that recognizing God’s aid fosters humility and persistent devotion. |
More Psalms Chapter 124 (Old Testament)
7 Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers: the snare is broken, and we are escaped.
8 Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
ONE WITH GOD IS THE MAJORITY
Thought for the day: Getting the support of God is more than ten thousand men
Message:
The quote, "One with God is majority," came to my spirit when I was reading this psalm. In the Psalm the present location of Isreal was centred among the enemy that was against her peace and yet the enemy couldn’t overcome her because of the covenant of God over Israel.
Israel fought many wars with countries and nations higher than them but as long as they had the approval of God before leaving for the battle, we see God fighting for them more than their expectation. Let me show you this scripture to boost your faith.
Therefore thus saith the Lord concerning the king of Assyria, He shall not come into this city, nor shoot an arrow there, nor come before it with shield, nor cast a bank against it.
33 By the way that he came, by the same shall he return, and shall not come into this city, saith the Lord.
34 For I will defend this city, to save it, for mine own sake, and for my servant David's sake.
35 And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the Lord went out, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses.
36 So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed, and went and returned, and dwelt at Nineveh.2 King 19:33-36
When God is with a man, God can go to any level to protect and save him. The Assyrian Army was more powerful than the Israelite Army in many ways, but Israel called on God. They were on God’s side; the covenant of their father was upon them, so when men were sleeping, God sent just one Angel and killed 185,000 enemies of Isreal in one night!
This was easy for God to do!
The Psalmist confirmed that they lacked the power naturally to face the men that rose against them, but they had the most powerful God, He that possesses the power in heaven, on the earth, and under the earth.
Here me, I speak to you as God’s prophet: the host of heaven will rise for you now. I dismantle every enemy that rose against you now and I command every force from hell to lose its power over you and your home right now in Jesus name. Every power planning to see your end is terminated in Jesus' name.
My Counsel:
Ø Always be on the Lord's side.
Ø God will always help you no matter the condition. Call on Him in every situation.
Declaration
Father, I ask that Your Presence will always abide with me, and I in Your Presence, in Jesus' name.
