IF GOD IS FOR US…
Opening Prayer
Mighty Creator and Sustainer, I come before you with thanksgiving and praise. I commit all that I am and have to bring you glory today.
Read PSALM 124
For additional translations of the passage, use this link to Bible Gateway.
Psalm 124
A song of ascents. Of David.
1 If the Lord had not been on our side—
let Israel say—
2 if the Lord had not been on our side
when people attacked us,
3 they would have swallowed us alive
when their anger flared against us;
4 the flood would have engulfed us,
the torrent would have swept over us,
5 the raging waters
would have swept us away.
6 Praise be to the Lord,
who has not let us be torn by their teeth.
7 We have escaped like a bird
from the fowler’s snare;
the snare has been broken,
and we have escaped.
8 Our help is in the name of the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
New International Version (NIV)Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
Are you able to make space for God today in a more leisurely way than normal? Take time to be still and quiet before him.This battle psalm sits well in the context of a series on the book of Joshua. It was written by David, probably during his skirmishes with the Philistines (e.g., 2 Samuel 5:17–25).
The message is clear: without God’s help Israel would have been overwhelmed, but he came to their aid and gave them victory. As Paul reminds us in Romans 8:31: ‘If God is for us, who can be against us?’ We, too, may feel overwhelmed, but we can count on the same divine intervention.
Many graphic images are used to describe Israel’s plight: being eaten alive (v. 3), swept away in a flood (v. 4), or ripped to pieces (v. 6). The one that stands out for me, though, is that of a tiny, defenseless bird that has been snared and captured, only to be set free to fly again (v. 7). This beautiful image of freedom from captivity speaks to us of the way God liberates us from bondage to sin and enslavement to addictions. God is on the side of all who desire a better life and to be free from life-destroying habits. No matter what our circumstances, God is our helper. He is on our side.
Apply
Do you feel overwhelmed? Trapped and helpless, like that little bird? Remember God is your helper and your deliverer. He is able to save you and set you free.
Closing prayer
Thank you, God, that where I am weak, you can give me strength; your power is made perfect in weakness. Thank you for your promises to rescue me, to give me victory and rest.
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