1 {A Song of degrees. Of David.} If it had not been Jehovah who was for us -- oh let Israel say --
{A Song of degrees.} Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth -- oh let Israel say --
What shall we then say to these things? If God [be] for us, who against us?
Behold, God is my helper; the Lord is among them that uphold my soul.
{A Song of degrees.} I lift up mine eyes unto the mountains: whence shall my help come?
If Jehovah had not been my help, my soul had almost dwelt in silence.
Then shall mine enemies return backward in the day when I call: this I know, for God is for me.
{A Song of degrees. Of David.} Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!
[Let your] conversation [be] without love of money, satisfied with [your] present circumstances; for *he* has said, I will not leave thee, neither will I forsake thee. So that, taking courage, we may say, The Lord [is] my helper, and I will not be afraid: what will man do unto me?
Rage, ye peoples, and be broken in pieces! And give ear, all ye distant parts of the earth: Gird yourselves, and be broken in pieces; gird yourselves, and be broken in pieces! Settle a plan, and it shall come to nought; speak a word, and it shall not stand: for ùGod is with us.
{A Song of degrees.} Behold, bless Jehovah, all ye servants of Jehovah, who by night stand in the house of Jehovah.
Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song to Jehovah, and spoke, saying, I will sing unto Jehovah, for he is highly exalted: The horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.
{A Song of degrees. Of David.} Jehovah, my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty; neither do I exercise myself in great matters, and in things too wonderful for me.
{A Song of degrees.} Out of the depths do I call upon thee, Jehovah.
{A Song of degrees. Of Solomon.} Unless Jehovah build the house, in vain do its builders labour in it; unless Jehovah keep the city, the keeper watcheth in vain:
{A Song of degrees.} When Jehovah turned the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream.
{A Song of degrees.} Unto thee do I lift up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens.
{A Song of degrees. Of David.} I rejoiced when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of Jehovah.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Psalms 124
Commentary on Psalms 124 Matthew Henry Commentary
Psalm 124
David penned this psalm (we suppose) upon occasion of some great deliverance which God wrought for him and his people from some very threatening danger, which was likely to have involved them all in ruin, whether by foreign invasion, or intestine insurrection, is not certain; whatever it was he seems to have been himself much affected, and very desirous to affect others, with the goodness of God, in making a way for them to escape. To him he is careful to give all the glory, and takes none to himself as conquerors usually do.
In singing this psalm, besides the application of it to any particular deliverance wrought for us and our people, in our days and the days of our fathers, we may have in our thoughts the great work of our redemption by Jesus Christ, by which we were rescued from the powers of darkness.
A song of degrees of David.
Psa 124:1-5
The people of God, being here called upon to praise God for their deliverance, are to take notice,
Psa 124:6-8
Here the psalmist further magnifies the great deliverance God had lately wrought for them.