![]() 57 His enemies physically rise up and attack against him and his comrades (verse 2b). "Am I on God's side?" Threat and Peril (Psalm 124:2b-7)ĥ then over us would have gone the raging waters." (Psalm 124:2b-5)ĭrawing of a bird snare from the Philippines, inįay-Cooper Cole, The Wild Tribes of Davao District, Humans have an ugly way of justifying our sins. Religion as a pretext to annihilate armies of other Christian nations. History is replete with leaders who have wrapped their cause in the cloak of There is a danger, of course, in assuming that God is "on your side." If God is for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:31) "for us," 56 when people rose up against us, we would have been destroyed. If Yahweh had not been "on our side," more literally, But whatever its context, the phrase "let Israel now say." indicates its use as a Israelite community psalm to remember all the times the people have been in danger and have seen the Lord deliver them. Perhaps David's escapes from Saul provide the historical context of the psalm. " 1 If it had not been the LORD who was on our sideĢ if it had not been the LORD who was on our side." (Psalm 124:1-2a) This goes on and on until Saul is killed in battle with the Philistines. Sometimes Saul brings out his whole army against David. He and his men find a cave or rocky fastness in the Judean hills, only to have someone report the location, forcing them to move. Saul plots to capture him in his own house, but he escapes out a window and runs for the hills, beginning a years-long ordeal of hiding and running. Though David is completely loyal to Saul, "the Lord's anointed," Saul becomes insanely jealous and seeks to kill him. The women of Israel sing of the handsome young warrior:Īnd David his tens of thousands." (1 Samuel 18:7) David defeats Goliath and goes on to have an outstanding military career. But I'm inclined to see this psalm fitting better into the period when Saul is chasing David throughout the rugged hill country of Judah, since the psalm speaks of narrow escapes. Perhaps the psalmist here is the older David, recalling both periods of his life when he is on the run. Later, when David's own son Absalom "steals the heart of the men of Israel," turns them against David, and then tries to hunt him down so he can reign as undisputed ruler of Israel in place of his father (2 Samuel 14-18). First, when jealous King Saul pursues him (1 Samuel 18-27). ![]() There are two periods of David's life where he was being chased like prey. The snare is broken, and we have escaped!" (Psalm 124:6-7) We have escaped like a bird from the snare of the fowlers When we come upon a psalm attributed to David, trying to figure out the incident of his life that prompted this psalm and these insights is almost irresistible. ![]() Who made heaven and earth." (Psalm 124:1-8, ESV) David Is Chased by Saul The snare is broken, and we have escaped! Who has not given us as prey to their teeth!ħ We have escaped like a bird from the snare of the fowlers 55ġ If it had not been the LORD who was on our side -Ģ if it had not been the LORD who was on our sideģ then they would have swallowed us up alive,Ĥ then the flood would have swept us away,ĥ then over us would have gone the raging waters. This psalm of thanksgiving is attributed to David himself. And his victories and escapes were not just luck or due to his skill, but God himself looking out for him - Yahweh's salvation. He understood that it was God who had given him gifts as a leader. ![]() They exalt themselves.ĭavid, however, was different. They brag about their hard work and their cleverness. Some people see themselves as self-made men or self-made women. ![]() Vincent Van Gogh, 'Wheatfield with Crows' (1890), 20 x 41 in, oil on canvas, Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |