Psalm 124
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Introduction
Introduction
Since Psalm 120 we have been traveling with this pilgrim as he makes his way up to Jerusalem for one of the annual pilgrim festivals.
Psalm 120 highlights the trials of the Jewish as a stranger in a strange land.
Psalm 121 emphasizes the hazards of his travel as he makes his way to the holy city.
In Psalm 122 he arrives in Jerusalem and rejoices in His God.
In Psalm 123 he lifts his eyes to the Lord enthroned in the heavens.
And now in Psalm 124 he rejoices in deliverance.
Had it not been the Lord who was on his side; had it not been the Lord who was on the side of God’s people… can you imagine what a horror that would have been!?
But blessed be the Lord, He has delivered His people!
Sins, foes, and perils will rise up against us in this life, but our help is in the name of the Lord who made heaven and earth.
[READING - Psalm 124]
A Song of Ascents, of David. 1 “Had it not been the Lord who was on our side,” Let Israel now say, 2 “Had it not been the Lord who was on our side When men 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 engulfed us, The stream would have swept over our soul; 5 Then the raging waters would have swept over our soul.” 6 Blessed be the Lord, Who has not given us to be torn by their teeth. 7 Our soul has escaped as a bird out of the snare of the trapper; The snare is broken and we have escaped. 8 Our help is in the name of the Lord, Who made heaven and earth.
[TS]
Major Ideas
Major Ideas
Imagine (vv. 1-2)
Imagine (vv. 1-2)
1 “Had it not been the Lord who was on our side,” Let Israel now say, 2 “Had it not been the Lord who was on our side When men rose up against us,
The is not only a psalm of ascents, it’s also a psalm of David. There are many occasions in David’s life where men rose up against him and the Lord delivered him.
One such occasion was early in David’s reign. Second Samuel 5 records the Philistines spreading out before David, ready to attack. David had retreated to a stronghold, but then inquired of the Lord, “Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will You give them into my hand?” (2 Sam. 5:19). The Lord said, “Go up, for I will certainly give the Philistines into your hand,” (2 Sam. 5:19).
After David’s victory on that day, he certainly could have said, “Had it not been the Lord who was on our side…”
David could imagine his defeat and the destruction of God’s people had it not been the Lord who was on their side.
But here the psalmist calls on the people of God as a whole to imagine the defeat and destruction that would have befallen them had it not been the Lord who on their side.
They would have been destroyed by the Philistines had it not been the Lord who was on their side.
They would have been destroyed by the Egyptians had it not been the Lord who was on their side.
They would have been destroyed by the Assyrians had it not been the Lord who was on their side.
They would have been destroyed by the Babylonians had it not been the Lord who was on their side.
“Let Israel now say, had it not been the Lord who was on our side…”
Q. We may be overwhelmed by sins, foes, or perils at different points in life. How do people typically respond? How should we respond?
People typically respond with anger or apathy or distraction.
People should seek the Lord when they are overwhelmed.
Q. What’s the benefit of considering where we would be had it not been the Lord who was on our side?
The benefit is that we realize that we wouldn’t have been saved without our Savior. The benefit is our thanksgiving to God!
[ILLUS] There’s a clip online of a guy on a construction site. Three or four guys are moving something big, awkward, and heavy, and this guy is just moving around the object while never touching it. He looks like he’s doing something, but he’s not doing anything. When the big, awkward, heavy thing is finally put in place, the guy who just looked busy high fives the other guys with a look of “We did it!” on his face—but he didn’t do anything!
[APP] If we don’t consider what our lives would now be like had it not been for the Lord who was on our side, we may give ourselves the congratulation when the Lord really did it all.
That big, awkward, heavy enemy—HE moved it out of the way! We didn’t do anything!
If it was not for the Lord who is on our side, we would surely be ruined.
[TS]…
Acknowledge (vv. 2-5)
Acknowledge (vv. 2-5)
2 “Had it not been the Lord who was on our side When men 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 engulfed us, The stream would have swept over our soul; 5 Then the raging waters would have swept over our soul.”
Here the people of God acknowledge what would have been had it not been the Lord who was on his side.
They would have been swallowed alive when their anger was kindled against us.
Q. I don’t think any of you have ever been swallowed alive, but how do you think it would feel?
Terrifying.
Instantaneous.
Helpless.
Q. How might we see an increase in intensity in vv. 4-5?
From waters to stream to raging waters. Some translations goes from flood to torrent to raging waters, but the picture is perhaps of an enemy that seems manageable at first but quickly becomes unmanageable. If so, this was something God’s people should have realized from the start because at every stage, the waters would have engulfed us, the stream would have swept over our soul, and the raging waters would have swept over our soul.
Q. What does the mention of the soul in v. 5 tell us about the seriousness of the outcome had it not been the Lord who was on their side?
The enemies that threatened God’s people weren’t just a physical threat; they also threatened the soul of God’s people. The spiritual life of God’s people along with the physical life of God’s people was at stake.
If God delivered them, their souls would be encouraged.
If God didn’t deliver them, their souls would be downcast.
[APP] The men who rose up against David were physical men, but sometimes physical foes and physical perils can have spiritual consequences.
When we acknowledge that we would have been overwhelmed had God not been on our side, we must acknowledge that we would have been overwhelmed in body and soul.
[TS]…
Bless (vv. 6-7)
Bless (vv. 6-7)
6 Blessed be the Lord, Who has not given us to be torn by their teeth. 7 Our soul has escaped as a bird out of the snare of the trapper; The snare is broken and we have escaped.
[EXP] We can imagine Daniel in the lions den saying, “Blessed be the Lord, who has not given us to be torn by their teeth!” David faced his share of ferocious beasts; most of his walked on two legs and were more dangerous the lions in Daniel’s den. But of course it was a two-legged beast that threw Daniel into the lion’s den!
But the point is that God is to be praised because He did not give His people over to their enemies, and He has allowed their souls to escape the enemy’s snare.
Q. Look at the end of v. 7. What does it tell us about the completeness of God’s deliverance?
[ILLUS] I remember watch some part of a King Kong movie where King Kong fights another giant monster who was basically all mouth. The fight goes back and forth for a bit; Kong throws some punches; the giant monster bites at Kong; but then Kong grabs the monster by the mouth and breaks its jaw. Unable to bite, the giant monster is not longer a threat and soon dies.
Verse 7 says that God’s people not only escaped the snare, but God broke the trap. The snare is broken, and we have escaped. The result being that God’s people can never be ensnared by that trap again.
[APP] The most dangerous enemy is the curse of sin and death. Through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, God has forever broken the curse of sin and death. For those set free by God’s grace through faith in Jesus, the curse of sin and death is powerless. It is a snare that can never ensnare them again.
55 “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; 57 but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Bless the Lord!
[TS]…
Remember (v. 8)
Remember (v. 8)
8 Our help is in the name of the Lord, Who made heaven and earth.
[EXP] Nothing is beyond the power of Creator God. He made heaven and earth, the world and everything in it. Satan may stir the hearts of wicked men to oppose God’s people, but God made him and God made them. He will deliver His people!
Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
Q. What do you think lies behind attacks on a literal reading of Genesis 1?
Maybe several thing, but if people stop believing God as Creator, then they also will stop believing Him as Savior.
If He didn’t have the power to create, He doesn’t have the power to save.
[TS]…
Conclusion
Conclusion
[PRAYER]