Questions for Littles: Who had been on their side (v1)? What was Israel commanded to do about this? When had the Lord been on their side (v2)? What would have happened if the Lord hadn’t been on their side (v3-5)? Over what, specifically, would the stream and the swollen waters have gone (v4-5)? Whom are believers to bless for their survival (v6)? In what do believers sometimes find themselves (v7)? And yet, even when they find themselves in such circumstances, in what is their help (v8a)? Why is that such a great help—what powerful thing has He done (v8b)?This week’s Call to Worship and Invocation came from Psalm 124, verse 8 of which has been used weekly for the Call to Worship in some Reformed churches for almost 500 years.
This Psalm gives us a heads up on what to be preparing for whenever we come into a trial that is so severe that we might describe it as having had our soul caught in a snare(v7!). Sometimes, in the Christian life, it feels like our soul is trapped in a rushing stream as the water slowly rises and is about to go over our heads (v4-5!).
What’s God’s plan? Could He possibly have a plan in such a situation?! Well, His plan is for us to worship Him. “Let Israel now say” (v1) … “Blessed be Yahweh” (v6).
He is the faithful Lord who, for His own sake, even though we deserve the opposite, saves us out of every trouble, in order to put His heaven-and-earth-creating power on display.
It seems silly to us, during our sane moments before the Lord in His Word and in prayer, that we fret so much in the midst of the trial—as if something strange or surprising were happening!
But we do. And, it’s for times like those that the Lord has given us Psalms like this one.
Even if it’s wicked men who have intentionally risen up against us, their actions are not outside the sovereign control of God, our Savior.
He’s just getting us ready to go to church, and sing together, “Our help is in the name of the Lord, Who made the heavens and the earth.”
From what troubles has the Lord saved You? What trouble are you in now?Suggested songs: ARP124 “Unless the Lord Had Been There” or HB357 “Now Israel May Say”
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