若不是神帮助我们
诗篇一二四篇
1（大卫上行之诗。）以色列人要说：若不是耶和华帮助我们，
2若不是耶和华帮助我们，当人起来攻击我们、
3向我们发怒的时候，就把我们活活地吞了。
4那时，波涛必漫过我们，河水必淹没我们，
5狂傲的水必淹没我们。
6耶和华是应当称颂的！他没有把我们当野食交给他们吞吃（原文是牙齿）。
7我们好像雀鸟，从捕鸟人的网罗里逃脱；网罗破裂，我们逃脱了。
8我们得帮助，是在乎倚靠造天地之耶和华的名。
信息分享
诗人用了两幅维妙维肖的图画，来帮助我们明白他与他百姓所处的险境。你曾否试过跌进湍急的河流之中？你曾否试过在汹涌的波涛中拼命挣扎？若你经历过的话，你就必能明白以色列人当时的心情了。他们的仇敌仿如滔天巨浪般涌至，要把他们吞灭。可是，到了最危急的关头，神伸手救拔他们，把他们从噬人的巨浪中救出。除了神之外，再无人能施行这拯救的大能了！
另一幅图画是一只雀鸟被网罗捉住。试想像牠如何努力地拍着翅膀，试图去挣脱网罗──可是，即使用尽了一切方法，结果也是徒劳无功！牠只能等候捕鸟的人回来把牠宰杀。然而，在正感绝望之际，网罗竟突然打开，雀鸟终可一飞冲天，重获自由。究竟是甚么原因？原来一个比捕鸟的人更有能力的大能者，前来把网罗解开，将牠放走。那种死里逃生的感觉，真是非笔墨所能形容！小鸟轻松自在地在空中飞舞，享受那种重享自由的欢愉。
诗人说：我们得帮助，也正是如此。让我们也回应说：是的，真是如此！当我们回顾过往，必发现自己曾多次跌入敌人的陷阱。正当我们苦无出路之际，神突然解救了我们。我们得以重享自由，再次充满喜乐地跟从基督。除了神之外，再无人能够这样拯救我们了。在那一刻，我们只想高声颂赞祂的拯救大能。请再读第8节。当记住，只有神能够随时帮助我们，而且，祂既然是神，便必有能力去帮助我们。
IF IT HADN'T BEEN FOR GOD
Psalm 124
1 “If it had not been the LORD who was on our side,”
Let Israel now say—
2 “If it had not been the LORD who was on our side,
When men rose up against us,
3 Then they would have swallowed us alive,
When their wrath was kindled against us;
4 Then the waters would have overwhelmed us,
The stream would have gone over our soul;
5 Then the swollen waters
Would have gone over our soul.”
6 Blessed be the LORD,
Who has not given us as prey to their teeth.
7 Our soul has escaped as a bird from the snare of the fowlers;
The snare is broken, and we have escaped.
8 Our help is in the name of the LORD,
Who made heaven and earth.
Message
The writer uses two very vivid pictures to help us understand the position of himself and his people. Have you ever been caught in floodwaters? Have you ever had to struggle against a very strong river? If so you can imagine how the people of Israel felt. Their enemies were like a great flood which was sweeping them away. Then suddenly God's hand reached down and pulled them right out of the terrifying water. No-one else could have done that - only God himself.
The other picture is that of a bird caught in a trap. Picture it flapping its wings trying to escape - trying to do something itself which it simply cannot do. It waits for the trapper to come knowing that when he does it will be killed. Then suddenly the trap is broken and the bird is free! What has happened? Someone greater than the trapper has come and released it. What a wonderful feeling. The bird circles in the air hardly realising the wonderful joy of being able to fly again.
The Psalmist says 'That's how we were'. And we say, 'Yes that is so'. We look back over our lives and see traps in which we were caught by our enemy. We couldn't see any way out and then suddenly God intervened. We were free again and able to follow Christ joyfully once more. No-one else could have done it - only God and we feel like shouting his praise for his wonderful deliverance. Read verse 8 again and remember the only place where we can always look for help is in God himself. He will not fail us because he is God.