Psalm 124 - The LORD has saved us!

Devotions

Reading: NLT Psalm 124:1 A song for the ascent to Jerusalem. A psalm of David. If the LORD had not been on our side-- let Israel now say-- 2 if the LORD had not been on our side when people rose up against us, 3 they would have swallowed us alive because of their burning anger against us. 4 The waters would have engulfed us; a torrent would have overwhelmed us. 5 Yes, the raging waters of their fury would have overwhelmed our very lives. 6 Blessed be the LORD, who did not let their teeth tear us apart! 7 We escaped like a bird from a hunter's trap. The trap is broken, and we are free! 8 Our help is from the LORD, who made the heavens and the earth.

NLT Ephesians 6:12 For we are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood, but against the evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against those mighty powers of darkness who rule this world, and against wicked spirits in the heavenly realms.
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Meditation:

Literal: The psalm breaks into three sections

I. Call for Faithful Confession of the LORD (1-2)
II. How we would have been without the LORD (3-5)
III. Blessing to the LORD for deliverance (6-8)

This song was one that Israel sang as they gathered for their three annual feasts in Jerusalem. It was originally created perhaps by King David motivated by seeing the nation escape some great political danger which outcome seemed certain national disaster. The focus of the Psalm is on what would had been had not the LORD intervened and how thankful we should be because the LORD has intervened.

Many times the greatness of what the LORD has done can only be seen in light of how things would had been without His rising up to save us. In this case the Psalm reflects on this deliverance as being saved from drowning in a burning sea of the enemy’s unrestrained anger. Unless the LORD had acted then we would have burned the fire of our enemies rage. In this image we are in danger of being sunk in the chaos of the abuse, harm, torture, and even death of our enemies. This is due to passionate desire that hates our very being. This anger is because we are “Israel” the people of God and those who have been set aside to the covenant of grace.

The other image is that of being eaten by a wild animal or captured by a hunter. Here we are the prey of a predator. Helpless as a bird caught in a trap. Our deliverance is not due to some great power or strength within us. No the LORD has come breaking the trap and taking us from the jaws of death so that we might be free.

The image of drowning in the waging sea represents being engulfed in the restless masses of unruly, unbelieving, pagan, and lawless human society and culture.
"The wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt." Isaiah 57:20
"The abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee, the forces of the Gentiles shall come unto thee." Isaiah 60:5
The image of a beast devouring the people of God represents political power directed by Satan to destroy God’s people.

NLT 1 Peter 5:8 Be careful! Watch out for attacks from the Devil, your great enemy. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for some victim to devour.

NLT Revelation 11:7 When they complete their testimony, the beast that comes up out of the bottomless pit will declare war against them. He will conquer them and kill them.

NAS Revelation 13:1 And he stood on the sand of the seashore. And I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having ten horns and seven heads, and on his horns were ten diadems, and on his heads were blasphemous names.

The Psalmist rejoices that the one who made heaven and earth is more than able to save us from our enemies, both spiritual and physical. The people of God survive not because of their great power but because of the Lord’s great works of salvation. For this reason we should give to the LORD blessing and praise.

Chrstocentric perspective: Here we only have to return Genesis 3:15 where the original promise of deliverance is found. Who will deliver us from the rage of the unbelieving world system directed by the devil? The answer is that the LORD will work his deliverance for us through His anointed one. The seed of the woman will crush the head of the serpent and set us free of the trap of sin and rebellion in which we have been caught.

Moral perspective : Great deliverance demands great praise. To be the objects of a great salvation and fail to give heart felt worship to the LORD out of gratitude is a great blasphemy. Let us seek to worship and praise out of pure and thankful hearts.

Eternal perspective: The eternal worship of God’s people will be in the light of their fully seeing and perceiving before the throne of God the truly great peril they were in and the great lengths the LORD went to in order to make sure they arrived to the kingdom of God safe and sound. The main emotions of heaven will be gratitude and joy which will spontaneously bring forth praise for all that our LORD Jesus Chris has done to save us.

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Prayer: I praise you LORD for dying on the cross to save me from the power of the enemy of my soul. I bless you LORD for I was helpless and lost, and you found me and embraced me in your love. I have no hope but you.
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Contemplation: I, the LORD, am your hero that delivers you!

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Action: I will seek to focus on what my life would have been like if Jesus the Christ has not saved me. Where would I be without Jesus? Then in light of all that He has given me by dying for my sins and coming to me in His resurrection, I will open my heart to gratitude, worship, service, and praise.