God’s Word for You

Psalm 124:1-5 A close call

by Pastor Timothy Smith on Saturday, February 7, 2026

A Song of Ascents. Of David.

Early in the reign of King David, before he had captured Jerusalem, the Philistines were a dangerous threat on his western border. They attacked him at Baal-Perazim. This was a place, probably a high hill or low summit, just a few miles from the pagan city of Jebus (later Jerusalem). The name of the place might have been a nickname given by David either because the waters of the River Soreq down in the valley were especially torrential that spring, or because the Lord “burst through” (perez) against the attackers (2 Samuel 5:20 allows for either or both meanings).

The Philistines turned back again at Rephaim, but David was instructed by the Lord to circle around them, and David “struck them all the way to Gezer” (2 Samuel 5:25). This Psalm proclaims these early victories in a call-and-response liturgical style. We can with confidence date this Psalm to 1010 or 1009, the first year of David’s reign.

1 If the LORD had not been on our side—
let Israel now say—
2 If the LORD had not been on our side,
when our enemies attacked us,
3 then they would have swallowed us alive,
when their anger flared up against us;
4 the flood would have swept us away,
the torrent would have washed over us;
5 the furious waters would have swamped our souls!

The battle David describes was like a storm attacking a village on the seashore, or a boat out in the water. Echoing the sort of words that Noah used to describe the rise of the waters of the great flood (Genesis 7:18-20), David remembers the waves of attacks in the battle: they attacked us (vs. 2), “their anger flared up and they almost swallowed us” (vs. 3), “they would have swept us away” (vs. 4a) and “would have washed over us” (vs. 4b), and finally, in a last mad rush, “they would have swamped our souls!” (vs. 5). If it was truly five attacks, or many more, David remembers each of the mad dashes. The enemy had come out “in full force” (2 Samuel 5:16).

Shouts of Philistine commanders and the responding roar of the men filled the air above the smoke and dust of battle, their leather armor and painted shields forming a dark background for the flash of their spearpoints and the bright glint of brandished swords. On they came, again and again, and the young king knew that it was only the protection of God’s own hand that kept the men of Judah from being overwhelmed. “They would have swamped our souls” he says in the fifth verse, using the language of the sea, when green water rushes over the side of a ship and not one sailor knows whether the bow will nose back up or whether they will drown in the next instant. So Israel’s finest men seemed to be toe and heel on the very edge of the cliff of defeat.

Now, the end of the Psalm tells us that David’s army was not only spared, but was given victory in this battle, but the thing was very close, and the young king, just thirty years old, knows that this was all God’s victory and not his. God had said, “I will surely hand the Philistines over to you” (2 Samuel 5:19), and this is what the Lord was about to do.

His words teach us a lesson about the providence of God. The Lord is always in command of all things, and nothing takes place apart from his permission and direction. But this is described by theologians in four careful categories, tucked for our understanding under the First Article of the Creed. Luther explains: “God preserves me by defending me against all danger, guarding and protecting me from all evil.” Scripture teaches us that this takes place with regard to the governments of the world in four ways: (1) Permission, (2) Hinderance, (3) Direction, and (4) Limitation.

Permission is when God does not restrain the wicked but lets them fall into more and more sin. “I hand them over to their stubborn hearts to follow their own devices” (Psalm 81:12, also, Acts 14:16).

Hinderance is when God takes those results from the wicked actions of men certain things that those actions might otherwise have accomplished, such as when Balaam tried to curse Israel but could only bless, and even prophesied the Messiah (Numbers 22:12ff).

Direction is when God gives human actions the course acceptable to him. Good actions lead to God’s desires (1 Samuel 9:1-17), evil actions have a result the sinner did not intend, such as when Joseph’s brothers planned to either kill him or sell him into slavery (Genesis 37:10f.).

Limitation is when God sets definite boundaries for powers, actions, and even passions, as far as size, degree, or time are concerned (Job 1:12, 2:6). For while God certainly leaves room for the freedom of the wicked, he often hinders the work that the wicked decide on according to their sinful freedom; and if he does not hinder it, then he guides it in keeping with his aim and his goal. “If he lets the godless have their fling, that happens from within certain boundaries so that what God wants must happen.”

How God blesses us with his word! A poet-king has a close call in a battle, and his song of praise and thanks presents us with some of the most profound theology in Scripture and indeed in all of philosophy. David answers age-old questions with a few lines of music and the greatest teacher of all: the work of the Holy Spirit in his life. “Teach me knowledge and good judgment, for I believe in your commands!” (Psalm 119:66).

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Click for Something Extra: Psalm 1:4-5

In Christ,
Pastor Timothy Smith

 

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