HAD IT NOT BEEN THE LORD.
Psalm 124:1-8.
Earlier in the book of Psalms, David had recognised the LORD as ‘my light and my salvation’, and asked, ‘whom shall I fear?’ Again, he acknowledged the LORD as ‘the strength of my life’, and asked, ‘of whom shall I be afraid?’. This was backed up with a testimony, and left David with great confidence, no matter what the future should hold (cf. Psalm 27:1-3). We know not what the future holds, but we know Who holds the future.
Psalm 124 is also credited to David, and seems to fit in with parts of his life. The focus, however, is not just on an individual’s experience of the LORD, but on the whole community’s experience of the LORD. “Had it not been the LORD who was on our side, now may Israel say; had it not been the LORD who was on our side, when men rose up against us…” (Psalm 124:1-2).
Jacob was the first man to be named “Israel” (Genesis 32:28). It was he who complained, ‘all these things are against me’ (Genesis 42:36). Not that we can blame him in the circumstances. However, our Psalmist is confident, not just for the individual, but for his whole family, that they may now say: “Were it not for the LORD; were it not for the LORD!” (Psalm 124:1-2). Let the redeemed of the LORD tell their story (cf. Psalm 107:2)!
I used to subscribe to a magazine called ‘History Today', in which there was a regular reflective article entitled, ‘What would have happened if?’ (e.g. ‘What would have happened if Napoleon had won the battle of Waterloo?’) Well, what would have happened, Israel, “were it not for the LORD” when “men” (not ‘things’, Jacob) “rose up against us” (Psalm 124:2), “when their wrath was kindled against us” (Psalm 124:3b)?
Actual fire was kindled against the three Hebrew youths. Yet the fire did not touch them. Why not? Because the Son of God was with them! (Daniel 3:23-25). That Israel should have emerged out of the ashes of the Holocaust, not just as a people but as a nation, is surely an act of resurrection! Whether they know it or acknowledge it or not, this an ongoing work of the LORD.
One of the miracles of history is the account of the survival of the Jews. This is one of the greatest proofs of the existence of the God of Israel. It is deeply significant that there should be a nation of Israel today; especially when so many of the names of those nations who oppressed Israel in Bible times are no longer on the map.
“If not for the LORD,” then what? “Then had they swallowed us up quick” (Psalm 124:3a). The metaphor is both vivid and grotesque. Historically, Israel may recall what happened to Korah’s men when ‘the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up’ (Numbers 16:32-33). That is the picture. But mere men cannot do this - nor what this signifies - to God’s people.
A second metaphor speaks of rising floods, rushing streams, and proud waves (Psalm 124:4-5). Noah and his family rode atop the Flood. Baby Moses drifted downstream out of the danger of the slayers of babies. Mary and Joseph and baby Jesus escaped to Egypt (of all places!) The Red Sea had to part to let the Hebrews through, whilst it fell back on their pursuers. Wind and waves had to yield to the Son of God. Pogroms against the Jews, and persecutions against Christians can only go as far as the LORD allows, then must cease.
“Blessed be the LORD who has not given us as a prey their teeth” (Psalm 124:6). ‘Hitherto hath the LORD helped us’ (1 Samuel 7:12). ‘The battle is the LORD’s,’ declared David the giant slayer (1 Samuel 17:47). ‘The battle is not yours but God’s,’ King Jehoshaphat was told (2 Chronicles 20:15). ‘Our God shall fight for us’ (Nehemiah 4:20).
How often, it seems, might the church have been extinguished, and yet there is still a church to testify to it! The more she was persecuted, the more she grew. As Tertullian famously said, ‘The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church.’
In one final metaphor, “Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers: the snare is broken, and we are escaped” (Psalm 124:7)!
Now, as Christians, there is no doubt exactly Who our deliverer is. It is the ‘arm of the LORD’ (Isaiah 53:1) which is revealed to us in the outstretched arms of Jesus upon the Cross. Our soul is saved, we are redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. We have escaped, not by our own doing, but through the One who cried, ‘IT IS FINISHED’ at the Cross. ‘He who has begun a good work in us will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ’ (Philippians 1:6).
“Our help is in the name of the LORD who made heaven and earth” (Psalm 124:8; cf. Psalm 121:2; Psalm 134:3). ‘If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?’ (Romans 8:31-32).
