A human spirit is sometimes exposed to a veritable storm of cruelty there are "overwhelming waters" of suffering to pass under the stream goes over the soul ( Psalms 124:4). Such as Israel endured under Pharaoh such as Judah was threatened with when Sennacherib came up against Jerusalem such as the Jews suffered under Antiochus such as England faced and feared when the Armada left the shores of Spain such as, in our own individual life, we may experience at the hand of some one who has us at his mercy and is disposed to play the tyrant. TWO GREAT EVILS FROM WHICH WE MAY NEED, AND MAY HAVE, DELIVERANCE.ġ. But that which most vividly impresses us is the deliverance which, in different ways and at various times, he has wrought for us-saving our life, preserving our character, restoring our freedom. We should cherish a still stronger and profounder sense of his mercy to us in the one supreme kindness shown us in the redemption of the world by Jesus Christ, in which we have our share. We ought to be mindful of all his benefits, and accept them as they come, one after another, as gifts from his gracious hand. We bless the Lord with the most fervent gratitude as we realize that he has healed our disease and redeemed our life from destruction ( Psalms 103:1-4). ![]() Nothing calls out so deep and strong a sense of indebtedness to God (or to man) as a consciousness that we owe to him an escape from a great calamity. The spirit which breathes in this psalm is one of keen thankfulness. in the manifested might-"of the Lord." It is he that has been "on our side," that has "helped" us, saved us, and delivered us. "Our help is," and has always been, "in the Name"- i. The snare is broken for us by God's providence, and so we are escaped. But now we are escaped-not, however, of our own strength or of our own cleverness. ![]() We have been like birds taken in the "snare," or net, of a fowler. O ur soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers (comp. We are not devoured-we are not "swallowed up"-thanks to the interposition of the merciful and gracious Lord, to whom therefore praise and blessing are due. "Proud" of effecting our destruction.īlessed be the Lord, who hath not given us as a prey to their teeth. Then the proud waters had gone over our soul. "had mounted up over our heads, and stifled our breath of life." In the quick transition of Oriental thought, the fire becomes a flood-an irresistible torrent-stream, carrying all before it (comp. A sudden and startling change of metaphor. ![]() When their wrath was kindled against us or, "blazed out against us." The comparison of anger to fire is an almost universal commonplace. Psalms 56:2 Psalms 57:3 Proverbs 1:12 Lamentations 2:2, Lamentations 2:5, Lamentations 2:8, etc.). Then they had swallowed us up quick or, "alive." A common expression for sudden and complete destruction (comp. The "rising" intended may have been that of Saul and his aiders and abettors, or that of the Ammonites and Syrians ( 2 Samuel 10:6-8), or that of Absalom and his partisans ( 2 Samuel 15:2-13). If it had not been the Lord who was on our side, when men rose up against us. If it had not been the Lord who was on our side, now may Israel say rather, now let Israel say (Kay, Cheyne, Revised Version). There is nothing in the style, or in the contents, that is inconsistent with the ascription. This is another of the psalms in this "Little Psalter," ascribed by its title to David. "A FRESH, bright lyric" (Cheyne), composed of two stanzas-the first part ( Psalms 124:1-5) recounting a danger and a deliverance the second ( Psalms 124:6-8), praising God for the latter.
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