A Brief Explication of the Last Fifty Psalms, Psalm 124
PSALME. CXXIV.
THe scope of this Psalme is; first, to acknowledge the delivery of the Church, to be evidently the Lords own work, the danger being so great out of which they were lately delivered, v. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. and next, to blesse the Lord for their preservation v. 6, 7, 8.
Vers. 1. IF it had not been the LORD who was on our side: now may Israel say.
2. If it had not been the LORD who was on our side, when …en rose up against us.
3 Then they had swallowed us up quick: when their wrath was kindled against us.
4. Then the waters had overwhelmed us, the stream had gone over our soul.
5. Then the proud waters had gone over our soul.
In the acknowledgment of their wonderful delivery, the Psalmist doth shew that their adversaries on the one hand, were so strong, so many, so crafty, so cruel & malicious, and the Lords people on the other hand were so weak, and so destitute of all counsell and help, that their deliverance could be ascribed to no cause, save to Gods strong power assisting his own. Whence learn, 1. Albeit the Lord do suffer his Church sundry times to be brought near to destruction, yet alwayes doth he prove himselfe the Churches friend and helper, against their enemies; If it had not been the Lord who was on our side. 2. The Lord so doth help his people, as he draweth forth the acknowledgement of their weaknesse to help themselves, and of utter impossibility to be safe without his assistance: If the Lord had not been on our side, may Israel now say. 3. After we are delivered out of a danger, we should study to apprehend it no lesse livelily, then when we are in the danger, and that so much the more as we are naturally disposed to the contrary, as the repeating and new representing of the danger they were in doth import and teach. 4. Men in the state of nature are ready to be party adversaries unto the Church: If the Lord had not been on our side, when men rose up against us. 5. The wicked have an appetite after the blood of Gods people, as wilde beasts have after their prey: Then they had swallowed us up quick. 6. If God should not bridle the fury of the wicked against his people, the worldly strength of the godly to defend themselves, is nothing: Then they had swallowed us up quick▪ when their wrath was kindled against us. 7. If the wickednesse of the world were let loose against Gods people, it should runne as violently against the Church, as floods of water against those that are within the channell: Then the waters had overwhelmed us, the stream had gone over our soul. 8. The more the matter of the Churches delivery is looked upon, the danger is the better seen, and the greatnesse of their delivery also, as the insisting in the similitude doth teach: Then the proud waters had gone over our soul.
Vers. 6. Blessed be the LORD, who hath not given us as a prey to their teeth.
7. Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers: the snare is broken, and we are escaped.
8. Our help is in the Name of the LORD: who made heaven and earth.
In the Churches thanksgiving for their delivery, they make a threefold use of their experience. First, they praise and blesse Gods goodnesse, v. 6. Secondly, they make much of the benefit and rejoyce therein, v. 7. And thirdly, they strengthen their faith in God for time to come, v. 8. Whence learn, 1. It is our duty after delivery from dangers, to acknowledge not only Gods power for us, but his goodnesse also toward us, and to acknowledge him the fountaine of all blessednesse upon that occasion: Blessed be the Lord who hath not given us as a pr…y to their teeth. 2. As the Churches enemies are superiour to her in worldly strength, so also in policy, craftinesse, and wordly wit, as the fowler is craftier then the bird; Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers. 3. According as the danger is fearful, so is the delivery sweet and joyful: The snare is broken, and we are escaped. 4. It is as easie for God to deliver his people out of their enemies hands, even when they have the godly in their power, as to break a net made of threed or yarn, wherewith birds are taken: Blessed be the Lord, the snare is broken, and we are escaped. 5. The fairest fruits of our by past experience is to glorifie God by confidence in him for time to come, as here, Our help is in the Name of the Lord. 6. Then is our confidence in God to be delivered from evil well bottomed, when we consider the Lords Omnipotency manifested in the creation of the world, and held out by his Word unto us: for so much doth the Psalmist teach, when he maketh mention of the Name of the Lord, and the work of the Lord, in professing of his confidence: Our help is in the Name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.