Devo 05: Psalm 124
Our Help Is in the Name of the Lord
A Song of Ascents. Of David.
1 If it had not been the Lord who was on our side—
let Israel now say—
2 if it had not been the Lord who was on our side
when people rose up against us,
3 then they would have swallowed us up alive,
when their anger was kindled against us;
4 then the flood would have swept us away,
the torrent would have gone over us;
5 then over us would have gone
the raging waters.
6 Blessed be the Lord,
who has not given us
as prey to their teeth!
7 We have escaped like a bird
from the snare of the fowlers;
the snare is broken,
and we have escaped!
8 Our help is in the name of the Lord,
who made heaven and earth.
Devotional Thought:
Powerless. Have you ever felt just completely powerless to control the things happening in your life? Try as you might to work hard or take control of your life, your own sin, your own flaws and failures, powerful circumstances that surround your life just overwhelm you and take you to a place where you don’t want to go…
This psalm starts with reflection as the psalmist can look back and say, “God if you didn’t show up for us in these amazing ways, we’d all be dead now.” (v.1-5). There’s two vivid images of powerlessness here, the picture of a helpless person being swept away from raging flood waters, and being a small vulnerable creature snatched up by the jaws of a much stronger predator. Powerless and helpless, just tossed to and fro by stronger evils and powers in this world. And yet the psalmist moves from reflection, to praise (v.6, “Blessed be the Lord…”), to a declaration of trust in God (v.8).
We’re faced with a choice when we feel powerless, to take matters into our own hands to gain the upper hand, or to entrust our lives to a different Power. A big problem with the first is that if we make our lives out to be about gaining the most power, security, and wealth, it will never be enough to protect us from everything and could even corrupt us (1 Tim 6:10, “for the love of money is the root of all kinds of evils”) to be Predators of others. Or in our powerless and hopelessness, we can choose to entrust our lives by calling upon His Name, our covenant God who made all the heavens and earth, who is for us always, and who has all power in His Hands.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, in a world where it seems like might makes right, it’s really tempting for me to play along and seek to gain power for myself so I can control my destiny. Help me to see how foolish that is, that my life, and that of the world’s is all in your hands anyway. And give me the strength to give up control over things that are not mine to control and trust them to your Mighty Power. Your grace is stronger and greater than all my sin. Give me eyes to see You as my Righteous King and the Lord of my life. Amen.
