Psalm 124:4 - Printer Friendly

ESV: then the flood would have swept us away, the torrent would have gone over us;

NIV: the flood would have engulfed us, the torrent would have swept over us,

NASB: Then the waters would have flooded over us, The stream would have swept over our souls;

CSB: Then the water would have engulfed us; the torrent would have swept over us;

NLT: The waters would have engulfed us; a torrent would have overwhelmed us.

KJV: Then the waters had overwhelmed us, the stream had gone over our soul:

NKJV: Then the waters would have overwhelmed us, The stream would have gone over our soul;

This continues an explanation of what would have happened to Israel if the Lord had not been on their side (Psalm 124:1–4). It was made clear that only God's power kept the nation from being defeated and erased from the world. Many examples in Israel's history demonstrate this to be true (Exodus 12:14; Deuteronomy 4:37–38; 2 Samuel 10:6; 2 Kings 19:32–36). Even when God allowed them to be captured (2 Chronicles 36:17–21), the Lord's power kept them alive and restored them to the land (Ezra 2:1).

Now the psalmist compares these enemies to a flood. This is a common symbol used to imply overwhelming power. The most obvious effect of a flood is how it completely surrounds and overpowers an entire area. The strength of moving water can be catastrophic. When enemies are compared to a flood, there is no possible way for the victim to withstand the assault. That Israel has survived is proof that God was acting on their behalf.

Floods have appeared in Scripture to demonstrate the Lord's power and the universal effect of His judgment. A flood was used to destroy the wicked world in the days of Noah (Genesis 7:17–23). When Israel left Egypt (Exodus 12:41), God allowed the Israelites to cross the Red Sea on dry land and wiped out the pursuing Egyptian army with those same waters (Exodus 14:28; 15:4–5).

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.