Psalm 124:7 - Printer Friendly

ESV: We have escaped like a bird from the snare of the fowlers; the snare is broken, and we have escaped!

NIV: We have escaped like a bird from the fowler’s snare; the snare has been broken, and we have escaped.

NASB: Our souls have escaped like a bird from the trapper’s snare; The snare is broken and we have escaped.

CSB: We have escaped like a bird from the hunter’s net; the net is torn, and we have escaped.

NLT: We escaped like a bird from a hunter’s trap. The trap is broken, and we are free!

KJV: Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers: the snare is broken, and we are escaped.

NKJV: Our soul has escaped as a bird from the snare of the fowlers; The snare is broken, and we have escaped.

In this psalm, the writer has compared Israel's enemies to an overwhelming flood (Psalm 124:1–5) and a hungry predator (Psalm 124:6). The point of these images has been that Israel could survive only with the Lord's help. Here, the same message is given but from the opposite direction. Now the psalmist compares Israel to a fragile bird which has been caught in a net, or a snare, which breaks and lets the bird free—though the bird had no hope of freeing itself.

Scripture also uses the captured bird image to explain how sin entices but ultimately traps and kills (Proverbs 6:5; 7:23). Satan's strategy against Eve was luring her towards sin (Genesis 3:1–6). He uses the same basic tactic today (1 John 2:16). Just as Israel was helpless alone, but protected by God's power, Christians are not without hope. We have guidance from the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 10:13), spiritual resources (Ephesians 6:11), and the knowledge that Satan is already defeated (John 16:11; Revelation 20:7–10).

Psalm 124:6–8 praises the Lord for victory over angry, vicious enemies. Earlier verses celebrated God's intervention which kept Israel from being destroyed by many enemies (Psalm 124:1–5). The psalm began by noting what would have happened to the nation without God. At the end, the psalmist indicates what happened because of the Lord's actions.

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 11/23/2024 2:36:06 AM