Psalm 124

The Lord Is on Our Side

A song of ascents. Of David.

If the Lord had not been on our side—
let Israel say—
if the Lord had not been on our side(A)
when people attacked us,(B)
then they would have swallowed us alive
in their burning anger against us.(C)
Then the water would have engulfed us;
the torrent would have swept over us;
the raging water would have swept over us.(D)

Blessed be the Lord,
who has not let us be ripped apart by their teeth.(E)
We have escaped like a bird from the hunter’s net;
the net is torn, and we have escaped.(F)
Our help is in the name of the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.(G)

Psalm 124

A song of ascents. Of David.

If the Lord had not been on our side—
    let Israel say(A)
if the Lord had not been on our side
    when people attacked us,
they would have swallowed us alive
    when their anger flared against us;
the flood(B) would have engulfed us,
    the torrent(C) would have swept over us,
the raging waters
    would have swept us away.

Praise be to the Lord,
    who has not let us be torn by their teeth.
We have escaped like a bird
    from the fowler’s snare;(D)
the snare has been broken,(E)
    and we have escaped.
Our help is in the name(F) of the Lord,
    the Maker of heaven(G) and earth.

I will not vent the full fury of my anger;(A)
I will not turn back to destroy Ephraim.(B)
For I am God and not man,
the Holy One among you;(C)
I will not come in rage.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. 11:9 Or come into any city; Hb obscure

I will not carry out my fierce anger,(A)
    nor will I devastate(B) Ephraim again.
For I am God, and not a man(C)
    the Holy One(D) among you.
    I will not come against their cities.

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