05 | Psalm 124

The God Who Helps and Saves

Introduction

Remember what these psalms are for

Compiled as a road trip mixtape - Songs for the Journey

The previous four psalms have shown us the cyclical nature of the journey

They have reminded us that this world we live in is not our Home

They have shown us that we do have a Home in the dwelling place of our God

Mostly these Psalms have pointed to the character of the God who is calling us home

His Strength, Peace, Justice, & Mercy

This morning we press into the idea that this God, The Lord, Yahweh has preserved his people

He has rescued and saved otherwise the people of God would be destroyed

Pray

Introduction

The beauty of the Psalms

Writing style and structure

Psalms speak to our knowledge but more so to our heart, our emotions and imaginations

David had an incredible imagination that was enhanced by seeing God’s miraculous works

As we read Psalm 124 lets put it in proper perspective

Personal understanding of God _ David knows that God saves and protects

He personally remembers how God saved the people of Israel

Encounter with Goliath (1 Samuel 17)

The Rock of Escape (1 Samuel 23) David on one side of the mountain and Saul on the other

Escape out of Jerusalem from his son Absalom

Understanding of God being for His people - May not be our families

Vs1 If It Had Not Been For God

David sets all this up to show the power and glory of God

Let Israel say

Israel is God’s chosen people

Not their choice and not based on their merit

if it had not been the Lord who was on our side

Corporate belief and call to trust

David realizes that the salvation he experienced was for the salvation of a people and not an individual

Vs2-5 Imagine If

when people rose up against us,

We have believed the lie that there is a neutral position

But there is only two - The people of God and the people NOT of God

In our NT understanding of scripture there are those who are in Christ and those who are not.

then they would have swallowed us up alive,

Outside of being the people of God we would be swallowed up

Individually we are swallowed up but the people of God remain

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.

Vs6-7 The Reality of Escape

Blessed be the Lord,

who has not given us as prey to their teeth!

Remember as a traveler in the wilderness this was a reality for the people of God

We have escaped

like a bird from the snare of the fowlers;

the snare is broken,

The snare is broken

vs 1 & 8 = Romans 8:31 If God is for us, who can be against us?

and we have escaped!

John 8:36 Free indeed

Vs-8 Assurance of Help & Rescue

But wait, I have suffered greatly. I have lost loved ones, been sick, lost jobs, lost children....

Remember where we began

David experienced those same loses

But he deeply understood and trusted in the Lord who made heaven and earth

Repeat of Psalm 121:2 so it is very likely a common statement amongst God’s people

The great work of creation is what the Israelite people, God’s people, clung to

They hope was in the Messiah who would come and save and rescue and restore

The great work of redemption in the Gospel is what the church, God’s people, cling to

We have the hope of Christ who has come and rescued and restored

Romans 5:1–11 ESV

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Conclusion

Because of the reality that Almighty God is for us we can cling to the hope that He will preserve His people for His Glory