Psalm 124:5 - Printer Friendly

ESV: then over us would have gone the raging waters.

NIV: the raging waters would have swept us away.

NASB: Then the raging waters would have swept over our souls.'

CSB: the raging water would have swept over us.

NLT: Yes, the raging waters of their fury would have overwhelmed our very lives.

KJV: Then the proud waters had gone over our soul.

NKJV: Then the swollen waters Would have gone over our soul.”

Were God not working on behalf of Israel, the nation would have been overwhelmed by enemies (Psalm 124:1–3). The psalmist is comparing the power of these attackers to a flood (Psalm 124:4). A flood is the ultimate emblem of unstoppable, absolute domination. Yet the Lord fought for Israel. So, the nation survived what would have been impossible under their own power (Exodus 12:14; Deuteronomy 4:37–38; 2 Samuel 10:6; 2 Kings 19:32–36).

An earlier psalm asked for relief from derision and scorn (Psalm 123:3–4). In this verse, the writer uses a Hebrew word only seen here in the Bible. This term is zedonim', which specifically describes the way a flood of water would move, yet can also be a reference to pride. Israel's enemies were more than dangerous, they were also derisive (Nehemiah 4:1–4).

Scripture makes use of the same flood analogy when depicting an invasion by Assyria (Isaiah 8:7–8). Jeremiah also employs the image to describe an oncoming mighty army (Jeremiah 47:1–4). The book of Revelation says that Satan's attack on Israel in the end times is like pouring an entire river from his mouth (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.