Thoughts on Psalm 124

Have you ever read Psalm 124?  It is a tiny little chapter, only 8 verses, but it packs a powerful punch!  In fact, one phrase was worth repeating in 2 of the 8 verses…

            “What if the Lord had not been on our side?”

We live in a world where pessimism is the norm.  People have rejected God, and turned from God, because something didn’t go their way, or because he didn’t do what they wanted him to do.  People seem to believe they know better than God.  Over and over in the Old Testament, God’s people would be living blessed lives – they would turn away from him – they would be disciplined – they would turn back to God – he would forgive them and bless them again.  Around and around.

  Our nation once respected God, worshiped God, and was founded on biblical principles.  At one time, our children learned to read by scripture in every public school.  God was front and center.  No one can argue that we have been a particularly blessed nation as a whole.  Things are changing.  Now our nation is in a trend of rejecting God and pushing him out.  Actually, forcing him out.  I would probably be fired from my teaching position if I required classes to read scripture.  Do you really think our nation will remain in its blessed state for long?

This is where Psalm 124 comes back in.  All these years,

“What if the Lord had not been on our side?”

We could still be under British control.

“What if the Lord had not been on our side?”

We could still know the horrors of slavery.

“What if the Lord had not been on our side?”

We could be under Nazi rule.

The general pessimistic mindset of people today only sees the bad and never acknowledges the good.  They think things are bad, when things are so much worse elsewhere.  No one sees the amazing things God does for his people.  Miracles don’t often make the news anymore.

We have to remember to TRUST that God is smarter than we are and can see the bigger picture.  Know that no matter how bad things seem, they are worse somewhere else, and are only temporary.  You must keep your eyes on Jesus, have faith, don’t turn away, and remember – Jesus has overcome the world!  And “joy comes in the morning”.  We always want the Lord to be on our side.