Psalm 124 reminds us that if the Lord had not been on the side of His people, they would have suffered greatly at the hands of their enemies. This psalm was likely written after the Israelites had been delivered from some threat or attack. The psalmist reflects on what could have happened to them if God had not intervened and protected them.
Specifically, verse 2 says “if the Lord had not been on our side when people attacked us, they would have swallowed us alive when their anger flared against us” (Psalm 124:2-3). The enemies are depicted like wild animals or floods of water, ready to consume the Israelites if God had not kept them safe. The psalm goes on to say that they would have been swept away by the torrent, and the raging waters would have gone over their souls (Psalm 124:4-5). This is a vivid picture of what their fate could have been if God had not been their defender and deliverer.
There are several key things we can take away from this psalm about what would have happened without God’s protection and help:
Defeat by Enemies
First, Israel would have been completely defeated and destroyed by its enemies if God had not intervened. Throughout their history, Israel faced attacks from nations like the Philistines, Ammonites, Moabites, Assyrians, Babylonians, and others. As a small nation, they were vulnerable to being wiped out by these larger and more powerful forces. They did suffer defeat at times when they turned from God, but ultimately God did protect them and allowed them to remain in the Promised Land.
Without God fighting for them, it’s likely Israel would have been swiftly and brutally conquered by one of the empires or nations around them. Their people would have been killed or taken into captivity. Their cities would have been sacked and destroyed. Their nation would have ceased to exist. But God did not allow this to happen and enabled them to survive despite the efforts of more powerful enemies who wanted to destroy them.
Being Overwhelmed and Scattered
In addition to national defeat, without God the Israelites could have been overwhelmed and scattered as individuals and families. The psalmist describes the enemies ready to “swallow us alive” (Psalm 124:3). Like a ferocious beast devouring its prey, the enemy wanted to consume the people of Israel. They faced the danger of being completely wiped out and swallowed up.
Those who were not killed would likely have been scattered. With their nation conquered and cities destroyed, the remaining survivors would have fled in all directions. Their unity and community would have been shattered. They would have been dispersed as helpless refugees, vulnerable and lost. This happened to some degree when the northern kingdom of Israel fell to Assyria in 722 BC. But it was not the end of Israel because God preserved them.
Losing Religious Identity and Purpose
Furthermore, if Israel had been conquered and absorbed into other nations, they would have lost their religious heritage and purpose. The Promised Land, the temple, the priesthood, the sacrifices, and the other elements of their religious system would have been destroyed. Their unique identity rooted in the covenant with Yahweh would have been erased. This disaster came perilously close to happening when Babylon destroyed Judah and Jerusalem in 586 BC.
But once again, God preserved a remnant. After the exile in Babylon, Israelites were able to return and reestablish their nation and religious practices. The survival of Israel meant the continued progression of God’s redemptive plan that culminated in the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. If Israel had been wiped out early in its history, God’s plans would have been severely disrupted.
Divine Protection and Blessing Removed
Most importantly, if the Lord had not been with Israel, they would have lost all the blessings and privileges that came with His presence and protection. Exodus 33:15-16 records Moses saying that if God’s presence didn’t go with them, he didn’t want to leave Sinai. The distinguishing mark of Israel was that they had a relationship with Yahweh as His chosen people (Deuteronomy 14:2). They were blessed because of His presence with them (Psalm 33:12).
In contrast, if God had withdrawn His protection and blessings, the Israelites would have been just like all the other nations. They would have had no hope of victory or survival. This is what made Israel’s rebellion and idolatry so tragic. Their turning away from God could have forfeited His protection and invited destruction. But God remained faithful time and again despite their disobedience. His presence brought security and prosperity.
Examples Where Disaster Was Narrowly Averted
There are several examples in the Old Testament where disaster for Israel was narrowly averted because God intervened and saved them from demise:
- When the other nations refused to let Israel pass through their land after the Exodus, they seemed doomed in the wilderness. But God brought them across the Jordan River into Canaan supernaturally (Joshua 3).
- During the period of the judges, the Israelites fell into repeated idolatry and sin. God allowed enemy nations to oppress and control them. But when they cried out to the Lord, He raised up judges to defeat their enemies and rescue them (Judges 2:16-18).
- In the reign of King Hezekiah, the arrogant Assyrian king Sennacherib besieged Jerusalem and taunted the people to surrender. But God miraculously killed 185,000 Assyrian soldiers in one night to save Judah (2 Kings 19:35).
- In the book of Esther, Haman’s plot to wipe out the Jews living in exile in Persia seemed certain to succeed. But God worked through Esther to turn the tables and allow the Jews to destroy their enemies. The feast of Purim celebrates this great deliverance.
In all these examples, the situation seemed hopeless for Israel and doom appeared certain. But their deliverance reveals that indeed the Lord was on their side. He rescued them from disaster over and over again. Israel survived all attempts to destroy it because God was committed to preserving His people in fulfillment of His promises.
Applications for Believers Today
While this psalm was written about Israel’s national experience, we can draw some applications about how God protects His people today:
- God can deliver us from danger. There are times in life when we face threatening situations or people who seek to harm us. God is able to provide a way of escape if we call out to Him.
- God protects us from spiritual attacks. Satan desires to devour believers and overwhelm us, but God is stronger and able to defeat spiritual enemies.
- God can intervene to prevent disaster. There are times when tragedy feels imminent, but God can work miracles to bring deliverance from the storm.
- God has an eternal plan that cannot fail. Despite temporary defeats and trials, God will fulfill His purposes for our lives and for the redemption of creation.
No matter how desperate the situation, we can have confidence that the Lord is on our side if we belong to Him. Even when we don’t see how deliverance can come, He will not allow us to be destroyed and separated from His love. He provides strength to persevere through every trial.
Psalm 124 reminds us to be thankful for God’s faithful protection. Like Israel, we can look back and recognize that disasters were averted because of God’s intervention in ways we may not have even realized at the time. He continues to be our helper and defender, the guardian of our souls. Our security is in His hands.