Psalm 124:3 - Printer Friendly

ESV: then they would have swallowed us up alive, when their anger was kindled against us;

NIV: they would have swallowed us alive when their anger flared against us;

NASB: Then they would have swallowed us alive, When their anger was kindled against us;

CSB: then they would have swallowed us alive in their burning anger against us.

NLT: They would have swallowed us alive in their burning anger.

KJV: Then they had swallowed us up quick, when their wrath was kindled against us:

NKJV: Then they would have swallowed us alive, When their wrath was kindled against us;

In this passage, the psalmist demands that Israel acknowledge their dependence on God. Without His aid (Psalm 124:1–2) the people would have been destroyed. Here, the imagery is of being swallowed: another suggestion of being overwhelmed by power.

Israel's history demonstrates both sides of these statements. Israel was often subject to attack by more powerful nations, yet the Lord kept them from being entirely destroyed. He rescued Israel from Egypt (Exodus 12:41), gave them strength against enemies in Canaan (Deuteronomy 4:37–38), and protected them from assaults (2 Samuel 10:6) and invasions (2 Kings 19:32–36). Even when He allowed them to be conquered by Babylon (2 Chronicles 36:17–21), He preserved the nation and restored them to their homeland (Ezra 2:1).

Later, the psalm will compare these enemies to a powerful flood (Psalm 124:4–5). Jeremiah the prophet predicts a future invasion of Israel from the north, comparing it to an overflowing flood (Jeremiah 47:1–4). Revelation also uses this imagery to describe Satan's attack on Israel (Revelation 12:15).

Psalm 124:1–5 recognizes Israel's total dependence on God. Without His intervention, the nation would have been completely destroyed and its people lost. Israel's many powerful enemies are symbolized as a violent flood ready to sweep away everything in its path.

The psalmist emphasizes that enemies would have overwhelmed Israel were it not for the Lord's intervention (Deuteronomy 4:37–38). The power of hostile nations is compared to a massive flood. Yet God prevented Israel from suffering that fate. Because of this, Israel should recognize that their ultimate source of strength is their Lord, the Creator of all things.

As with a few other psalms labelled "of David" (Psalm 86:1), this may or may not have been directly written by him. The song may have been composed in David's style by a much later psalmist. Neither possibility changes the meaning of the text; Israel suffered threats from neighboring countries throughout its entire history. Psalm 124 is one of fifteen songs "of ascents" (Psalm 120—134) associated with major festivals (Deuteronomy 16:16).

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.

Accessed 4/16/2025 3:10:34 PM