Psalms 124 (DBY)

Chapter Text

124:1 {A Song of degrees. Of David.} If it had not been Jehovah who was for us oh let Israel say

124:2 If it had not been Jehovah who was for us, when men rose up against us,

124:3 Then they had swallowed us up alive, when their anger was kindled against us;

124:4 Then the waters had overwhelmed us, a torrent had gone over our soul;

124:5 Then the proud waters had gone over our soul.

124:6 Blessed be Jehovah, who gave us not up a prey to their teeth!

124:7 Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers: the snare is broken, and we have escaped.

124:8 Our help is in the name of Jehovah, the maker of heavens and earth.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "song", "degrees", "david", "been", "jehovah", and "israel". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "song" and "degrees", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The local DBY text gives this verse as the immediate unit, so "song" and "degrees" carries the first interpretive weight. In Psalms context, the local focus is worship, trust, the LORD's kingship, and covenant mercy.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "song" and "degrees" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.