God Promises Your Security

Psalms 124:1-5 A psalm of ascents 1 If the LORD had not been on our side – let Israel say – 2 if the LORD had not been on our side when men attacked us, 3 when their anger flared against us, they would have swallowed us alive; 4 the flood would have engulfed us, the torrent would have swept over us, 5 the raging waters would have swept us away.  
 
“REMEMBER, remember, the LORD has protected you.” the song urges. To prepare the people for worship, the psalmist exhorts Israel to remember and know the LORD had been on their side. He had kept them secure from their enemies’ raging waters (that) would have swept us away.  Approaching worship, Israel must remember that without God’s secure hand on Israel, their foes would have overwhelmed them, v 4 the flood would have engulfed us, the torrent would have swept over us.
   You will see how true this is when you begin reading in Genesis. Throughout the Old Testament God reveals the nearly continual opposition to him and to his people Israel. Many times God raised up judges, generals, kings and prophets to defeat Israel’s enemies. God also sent his avenging angels to destroy the enemy and his guardian angels to keep Israel safe. Amazingly, God even used the wind, trees, water and other elements of nature to confuse Israel’s enemies into fear and destruction. In addition, some believe this psalm referred to God’s rescue of the Jews in Persia when the evil Haman plotted to kill the Jews (see Esther). Without God’s help, the song warns that Israel’s enemies would have swallowed us alive.
   Remember God’s secure protection. V 6 Praise be to the LORD, who has not let us be torn by their teeth. Thank God v 7 We have escaped like a bird out of the fowler’s snare; the snare has been broken, and we have escaped.
   Then once more the psalm celebrates a foundational truth God’s people must know. V 8 Our help is in the name of the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. We have seen this faithful confession several times in the worship songs of ascents. This is confession remains a must for the church’s worship today.
   When we repeat God’s sovereign authority to create and secure us to be his church, we develop a deeper heart devotion toward God. Saying what we believe is crucial to believing what we say. Every time we worship, we should confess in some form that, “Our help is in the name of the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.” Many churches say this in the creeds, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Confessing this weekly in faith and with conviction installs this truth more securely in our hearts. When we faithfully know this is true, all God’s word become true. The Bible is our security against the enemy Satan’s vile threats that seek to flood us with sin. The Maker of heaven and earth has created a plan to protect you into eternal life. A faithful proclamation of God’s power as Father, Son and Spirit will defeat sin’s anger and defend you from all threats. With joy and confidence you will stand triumphant with the omnipotent God. Worship him who casts your enemies into eternal death and secures you into his eternal home.