124:0
A song for the ascents. Of David.
Psalm 124:1
Unless Yahweh were for us, let Israel say,
124:2
unless Yahweh were for us when mankind rose up against us,
124:3
then they would have swallowed us alive
when their anger was kindled against us,
124:4
then the waters would have engulfed us,
the torrent would have passed over our soul,
124:5
then the churning waters would have passed over our soul.
124:6
Blessed [be] Yahweh, who has not given us [as] prey to their teeth.
124:7
Our soul has escaped like a bird from the trap of the bird-catchers.
The trap [has been] broken and we have escaped.
124:8
Our help [is] in [the] name of Yahweh, maker of heaven and earth.
PSALM 124
DAVID’S SONG OF ASCENT: YAHWEH OUR HELPER HAS PRESERVED US
[8 VERSES]
Psalm 124:0 WLC שִׁ֥יר הַֽמַּעֲלֹ֗ות לְדָ֫וִ֥ד
Psalm 124:0 MOMT A song for the ascents. Of David.
PROTASIS: WHAT IF GOD HAD NOT BEEN FOR US? (vv. 1-2)
Psalm 124:1a WLC conj-Renom-Rel-Qatal לוּלֵ֣י יְ֭הוָה שֶׁהָ֣יָה לָ֑נוּ יֹֽאמַר־נָ֝א יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
Psalm 124:1a MOMT Unless Yahweh were for us, let Israel say,
[The relatively rare conjunction לוּלֵא means ‘unless, except, if not’. In the Psalms, also 27:3, 94:17, 106:23, 119:92 and here in vv. 1-2. 14x in OT. The call ‘Let Israel say’ is also in Psalm 129:1.]
Psalm 124:2a WLC conj-Renom-Rel-Qatal+Infin cs(temp) לוּלֵ֣י יְ֭הוָה שֶׁהָ֣יָה לָ֑נוּ בְּק֖וּם עָלֵ֣ינוּ אָדָֽם׃
Psalm 124:2a MOMT Unless Yahweh were for us when mankind rose up against us,
APODOSIS: MANKIND WOULD HAVE SWALLOWED AND ENGULFED US (vv. 3-5)
Psalm 124:3a WLC Conj-X-Qatal אֲ֭זַי חַיִּ֣ים בְּלָע֑וּנוּ
Psalm 124:3a MOMT Then alive they would have swallowed us alive
Psalm 124:3b WLC Prep-infin cs בַּחֲרֹ֖ות אַפָּ֣ם בָּֽנוּ׃
Psalm 124:3b MOMT when their anger was kindled against us.
Psalm 124:4a WLC conj-X-Watal אֲ֭זַי הַמַּ֣יִם שְׁטָפ֑וּנוּ
Psalm 124:4a MOMT then the waters would have engulfed us
Psalm 124:4b WLC X-Qatal נַ֝֗חְלָה עָבַ֥ר עַל־נַפְשֵֽׁנוּ׃
Psalm 124:4b MOMT the torrent would have passed over our soul.
Psalm 124:5 WLC conj-Qatal אֲ֭זַי עָבַ֣ר עַל־נַפְשֵׁ֑נוּ הַ֝מַּ֗יִם הַזֵּֽידֹונִֽים׃
Psalm 124:5 MOMT Then the churning waters would have passed over our soul.
[conjunction אֲזַי, ‘then’, ‘in that case’, only appears in Psalm 124:3-5 in apodosis after לוּלֵי. Compare אָז in Ps 119:92: BDB. Psalm 69:1-2, 14-15 have the image of billowing waters as standing for danger.]
YAHWEH ENABLED OUR ESCAPE LIKE A BIRD (vv. 6-7)
Psalm 124:6 WLC SNC-Renom+Rel-lo-Qatal בָּר֥וּךְ יְהוָ֑ה שֶׁלֹּ֥א נְתָנָ֥נוּ טֶ֝֗רֶף לְשִׁנֵּיהֶֽם׃
Psalm 124:6 MOMT Blessed [be] Yahweh, who has not given us [as] prey to their teeth.
Psalm 124:7a WLC X-Qatal נַפְשֵׁ֗נוּ כְּצִפֹּ֥ור נִמְלְטָה֮ מִפַּ֪ח יֹ֫וקְשִׁ֥ים
Psalm 124:7a MOMT Our soul has escaped like a bird from the trap of the bird-catchers.
Psalm 124:7b WLC SNC+We-Pron-Qatal הַפַּ֥ח נִשְׁבָּ֗ר וַאֲנַ֥חְנוּ נִמְלָֽטְנוּ׃
Psalm 124:7b MOMT The trap [has been] broken and we have escaped.
[The word for trap or snare פַח is a frequent image for dangers and the plots of enemies also used in Psalms 11:6, 69:22; 91:3; 119:110; 140:5; 141:9, 142:3.]
YAHWEH OUR HELPER (v. 8)
Psalm 124:8a WLC SNC+participial clause עֶ֭זְרֵנוּ בְּשֵׁ֣ם יְהוָ֑ה עֹ֝שֵׂ֗ה שָׁמַ֥יִם וָאָֽרֶץ׃
Cf. Psa 121:2 WLC SNC+participial clause עֶ֭זְרִי מֵעִ֣ם יְהוָ֑ה עֹ֝שֵׂ֗ה שָׁמַ֥יִם וָאָֽרֶץ׃
Psalm 124:8a MOMT Our help [is] in [the] name of Yahweh, maker of heaven and earth.
Cf. Psa 121:2 MOMT My help [is] from with Yahweh, maker of heaven and earth.