Remember
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Today continuing on in the Psalms of ascents series that that we have been in for a several weeks now
Just as refresher as to what these are...
Songs that the Israelites sang as they moved together towards the temple for worship
There's 15 total of these and they take different forms
prayers
lament
thanksgiving
confidence
Just like their journey, there is a graduation
we see this from last week in Psalm 123 (lament) to this week in Psalm 124 (thanksgiving)
Psalm 123 starts lifting eyes and looking to the heavens. Psalm 123: 1-2
To you I lift up my eyes,
O you who are enthroned in the heavens!
Behold, as the eyes of servants
look to the hand of their master,
as the eyes of a maidservant
to the hand of her mistress,
so our eyes look to the Lord our God,
till he has mercy upon us.
V 2 says as eyes of servant to master and maidservant to mistress, ours to the Lord our God
looking in anticipation, expectation, direction, provision, deliverance
from what?
Psalm 123: 3 ends with the lament of the people
Have mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy upon us,
for we have had more than enough of contempt.
V 3 “we have had more than enough of contempt”
they are tired and looking to the Lord for that relief
Last week we were left with a charge to...
look to Him
wait for Him
To be patient in our waiting and keep our eyes focused on him, in anticipation and expectation
As you do so what gives you encouragement and endurance to continue to do so?
Psalm 124 provides just that
Read Psalm 124
A Song of Ascents. Of David.
If it had not been the Lord who was on our side—
let Israel now say—
if it had not been the Lord who was on our side
when people rose up against us,
then they would have swallowed us up alive,
when their anger was kindled against us;
then the flood would have swept us away,
the torrent would have gone over us;
then over us would have gone
the raging waters.
Blessed be the Lord,
who has not given us
as prey to their teeth!
We have escaped like a bird
from the snare of the fowlers;
the snare is broken,
and we have escaped!
Our help is in the name of the Lord,
who made heaven and earth.
We move to the next degree with this Psalm
not to say they sang them in order but...
can see the tension and relief of these two together; theme continues
Immediately in Vs 1 The Lord is set apart, given an exclusive credit Psalm 124:1
If it had not been the Lord who was on our side—
let Israel now say—
Then a call for all of God’s people to repeat this proclamation
The Lord is the ONLY one who could
Then vs 2-5 goes into a time of remembrance Psalm 124: 2-5
if it had not been the Lord who was on our side
when people rose up against us,
then they would have swallowed us up alive,
when their anger was kindled against us;
then the flood would have swept us away,
the torrent would have gone over us;
then over us would have gone
the raging waters.
people rose up- all through history from Abraham- David
flood, torrent, raging waters-
They were provided safe passage in miraculous ways in Ex 14 crossing the Red Sea; Jos 3 crossing the Jordan
David gave credit to God for his command of the waters in Psalm 29:3 ; 10 as well.
The voice of the Lord is over the waters;
the God of glory thunders,
the Lord, over many waters.
The Lord sits enthroned over the flood;
the Lord sits enthroned as king forever.
Full credit given to God in that if not for Him, the outcome would have been different even dire, see it again in ...
Who rises up for me against the wicked?
Who stands up for me against evildoers?
If the Lord had not been my help,
my soul would soon have lived in the land of silence.
Psalm 124:6-7 Credit God for deliverance from certain doom. Theme is deliverance here.
Blessed be the Lord,
who has not given us
as prey to their teeth!
We have escaped like a bird
from the snare of the fowlers;
the snare is broken,
and we have escaped!
Notice first the deliverance is like a bird from the snare of fowlers
This is not a chance deliverance, it is one from a skilled and targeted attack. From an enemy that knew what they were doing.
Second notice the snare is broken
God has the capacity to defeat the ways of evil attacks, providing immediate escape and deliverance for the future.
No greater picture of that for us today than Christ defeating death on the 3rd day.
Lastly in Psalm 124:8
Our help is in the name of the Lord,
who made heaven and earth.
in light of all that he as done, one place to look for our help is the Lord.
this is a definitive statement
Help IS from the Lord
Parallel to Psalm 121:2
My help comes from the Lord,
who made heaven and earth.
While Im not sure 124 is a response to 123 we can be grateful that in His wisdom and inspiration, God intentionally reveals himself and his character in his Word.
while we might be in a place of lament like the end of Psalm 123 ....
We take another step, and we say “If it had not been the Lord who was on our side..” then we do 3 things...
We remember- small things, big things, all the things and events and happenings in our lives that are because of God.
if you are sitting here this morning, its because of God
Acknowledge- in our hearts and before man, we acknowledge the workings of God in our lives.
From the discipline to the time of peace, its all a blessing
Be Confident- know that he did it before and he can do it again. The evidence of God in our lives speaks to his faithful love for us
