Psalm 124 caught my attention recently because it begins with a statement that made me stop and think, then land on a very honest question. It begins this way:
"If it had not been the Lord who was on our side..." (Psalm 124:1)
Then David immediately repeats the phrase in verse 2, as though he wants us to linger there (and I certainly did!). My immediate question was…
What if God was not on my side?
What if God did not intervene in my life? What if God wasn’t faithful to stand by me? What if God was not present with me during my hardest times?
David does not minimize the danger he faced. He speaks of enemies rising against him, of being swallowed alive, and of floodwaters so overwhelming that they would have swept over his soul. Wow! These are not the words of a delusional “everything is fine” believer who is pretending life is easy. Instead, they are the honest cry of a man who knows what helplessness feels like. Up close and personal.
Most of us have known moments like that. Sometimes the flood takes the form of illness, grief, uncertainty, persecution, or simply a season when the burdens seem heavier than we can bear. Scripture never asks us to deny those realities. Instead, it reminds us that the Lord is with His people right in the middle of them.
Hard moments are a reality. Paul writes, "Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution" (2 Timothy 3:12). He explains that tribulation produces perseverance, character, and hope because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:3-5). Then James tells us to count it all joy when we fall into various trials because God is producing steadfastness in us (James 1:2-4). Even our Lord Jesus Christ told His disciples, "In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world" (John 16:33).
The promise of Scripture is not that believers will escape every trial. It is that we will never face them alone. Each of us - every man, woman, boy and girl - can confidently say that “God is on my side!”
That brings us to David’s fantastic conclusion to Psalm 124:
"Our help is in the name of the Lord, Who made heaven and earth." (Psalm 124:8)
Have you noticed how frequently the inspired writers of Scripture return to this truth? When God's people are overwhelmed, they remind themselves not merely that God is loving or compassionate - not only that He is on their side, but that He is the Creator.
"I will lift up my eyes to the hills. From whence comes my help? My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth." (Psalm 121:1-2)
Jeremiah prayed, "Ah, Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for You" (Jeremiah 32:17).
And we must be clear that this is not just an Old Covenant practice. When the early church gathered to pray under intense persecution, they began by saying, "Lord, You are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them" (Acts 4:24).
This is not an incidental detail. These men and women continually anchor their faith in the fact that the same God who hears their prayers is the very One Who spoke the universe into existence. If He created the heavens and the earth by His word, then nothing in my life has ever exceeded His power or escaped His notice. The Creator is never overwhelmed by what overwhelms me. Although life can seem unbearably difficult for me at times, nothing is too difficult for Him!
There is another precious treasure buried in Psalm 124 - one that ultimately points to an even greater deliverance. When I read its opening words, I could not help but think of the gospel.
"If it had not been the Lord who was on our side…"
That is our testimony as believers. Left to ourselves, we could never have escaped the penalty of our sin. We were powerless to save ourselves. Death, judgment, and separation from God were not merely possibilities. They were our 100% certain destiny apart from Christ.
Look carefully at how David describes his escape:
"Blessed be the Lord, Who has not given us as prey to their teeth. Our soul has escaped as a bird from the snare of the fowlers; The snare is broken, and we have escaped." (Psalm 124:6-7)
The divine rescue from earthly enemies beautifully foreshadows an even greater deliverance. We were certain prey for a terrible predator. Sin’s sharp teeth were ready to crush our souls. But through Jesus Christ, the mouth of sin has been stopped and the snare of sin has been shattered! Death no longer holds the final victory over those who belong to Him. Paul triumphantly declares: "'O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?'... But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Corinthians 15:55, 57).
The Creator became our Savior. The One who made heaven and earth entered His own creation to redeem those who could never redeem themselves.
That is why Psalm 124 is so encouraging. It reminds us that the God who delivered David is still faithful today. He is present with us in suffering. Right now. And guess what? He is not going anywhere! He is the Creator and Sustainer of all things, including you and me. And through Christ, He has already accomplished our greatest rescue. Bless His Holy Name!
Whatever trial you may be facing today, remember how this psalm ends. Not with fear or with enemies, but with confidence:
"Our help is in the name of the Lord, Who made heaven and earth." (Psalm 124:8)
- David MacMillan, Creation Moments Board Member
Bible verses are from the NKJV. Image: Daniel's Answer to the King, After Briton Rivière, PD, Wikimedia Commons.
