Songs from the Heart Day 15 Psalm 124

Read the Psalm

The Lord Is on Our Side

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 then they would have swallowed us alive

in their burning anger against us.

4 Then the water would have engulfed us;

the torrent would have swept over us;

5 the raging water would have swept over us.

6 Blessed be the Lord,

who has not let us be ripped apart by their teeth.

7 We have escaped like a bird from the hunter’s net;

the net is torn, and we have escaped.

8 Our help is in the name of the Lord,

the Maker of heaven and earth.

— Christian Standard Bible

Set aside time to think about what you’ve read and how it applies to your life. Let the following journal prompts guide you:

What does this psalm teach you about God’s character? About the psalmist’s posture toward or relationship with God?
Read verses 1-5 aloud. Do any situations or circumstances from your own life come to mind as you read these words, times when you don’t feel like you would have prevailed if it hadn’t been for God?
Consider the metaphors and imagery the psalmist used in verses 3-5. Think about a difficult season you’ve recently walked through, what imagery would you use to describe how it feels?
Now think about how you saw God show up in the midst of that situation, in big or small ways. List a few examples and thank God for how he has been present in your time of need.
Reread verses 6-8. Have there ever been times in your life when you felt trapped or overwhelmed by the reality of your situation or the circumstances you were facing? Describe that situation.
How have you experienced God showing you a way out of a difficult situation? How did it feel to be set free from the things that felt so insurmountable?
Mull over verse 8. Where do you often look for hope other than God? What would it look like to trust those difficult seasons to God?
What steps will you take this week to trust the most difficult thing you’re facing right now to the one who created heaven and earth?