Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Psalms 124:5
5. The epithet proud added to waters denotes insolent enemies. read more
Psalm 124:2-5 Esv
Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown
Thomas Constable
Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Psalms 124:1-5
1. The Lord’s protection of His people 124:1-5David reminded the people that God had been on their side in the battles that might have resulted in Israel’s extinction. If He had not been, they would have perished. He used several graphic images to picture the total annihilation of the chosen people. Israel’s enemies had attacked her viciously many times during her history. read more
Thomas Constable
Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Psalms 124:1-8
Psalms 124David voiced praise to God for not allowing the pagan nations that surrounded Israel to defeat and assimilate God’s people. read more
John Dummelow
John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 124:1-8
This Ps. is sung at the Feast of Purim to commemorate the deliverance from Haman. It is a gladsome lyric, thanking Jehovah for escape from heathen destruction, and may well have been composed under the impulse of deliverance from the Babylonian exile. In its formation it illustrates a particular rhythmic effect, viz. the ascending scale of a series of phrases.1. Now may Israel say] what Israel says is Psalms 124:1-5. 3. Quick] RV ’alive,’ as Assyria and Babylon did to many nations. 4. Stream]... read more
Charles John Ellicott
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Psalms 124:2
(2) If it had not been.—For this motto of the covenant, see Psalms 94:17.Men.—Better, man. In this use of the general term, we must, as Reuss points out, see an indication of the time of composition of the psalm. One who could so speak of the whole world as separated into two parts (Jews and heathen), discloses a sense of isolation and exclusiveness which brings us far down from the time of the prophets. They, indeed, spoke of it as the ideal of the future. This psalmist regards it as an... read more
Charles John Ellicott
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Psalms 124:3
(3) Then.—Critics are at issue both as to the form and meaning of the word—whether it is an archaism or an aramaism, expressing time or logical sequence.Swallowed . . . quick (alive).—No doubt an allusion to the fall of Korah (Numbers 16:32-33), where the same verb and adjective occur together. (See also Psalms 55:15.) read more
Charles John Ellicott
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Psalms 124:4
(4) Waters.—The sudden transition in the imagery from the earthquake to the flood is characteristic of Hebrew poetry. (For the flood, see Psalms 18:4; Psalms 18:16; Psalms 69:14; Psalms 144:7.)Stream.—The torrent swollen with the winter rain. (Comp. Isaiah 8:7-8.) read more
Charles John Ellicott
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Psalms 124:5
(5) Proud.—The Hebrew presents a rare form, which is considered indicative of later composition. For the epithet, comp. Æschylus, Prom. Vinct. 717:“And you will reach the scornful river—well it deservesthe name.” read more
William Nicoll
Expositor's Dictionary of Texts - Psalms 124:1-8
Psalms 124:0 When the conflict was over, the venerable Theodore Beza, eighty years old, returned solemn thanks, and gave out the 124th Psalm to be sung. Every year since, on 12 December, it has been sung in Geneva Dr. Tholuck of Halle used to tell an anecdote of his father-in-law. He was a convert from Roman Catholicism; and as it happens sometimes that though the mind may be entirely emancipated, the desire for priestly absolution returns, his son-in-law asked him before he died, if he had any... read more
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Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Psalms 124:4
4, 5. (Compare Psalms 18:4; Psalms 18:16). read more