- Have you ever noticed how you’re a little quicker to seek God when you’re in a storm? When you’re stuck? When you need help?If you’re walking with Jesus, it’s likely to be the context of your help. Your go-to guy in a tight spot.
This is Israel. They’ve had this story as a people of continued divine rescue and salvation by Yahweh. They’ve been up against the wall, or hemmed in against the sea with no chance of survival and, in the face of the enemy, God has prevailed.
The Israelites occasionally remember the stuff they should remember. While the books of Kings and Chronicles tell us all the times that they forget, this is a psalm of remembrance.
The one who made heaven and earth could have closed the waters over them. The enemy could have prevailed against them but, thanks be to God, their help was in the name of the Lord. And Creator God came to their rescue.
It wasn’t that they deserved to be rescued, but like a bird escaping from a trap, they were set free.
I love verse 7 which says: “the snare is broken and we have escaped”. This is our hope and truth in Jesus.
Jesus forever set us free from the snare of sin through his atoning work on the cross. It’s a forever work. A forever way of escape. Not that we deserved it, but he has set us free by his grace and in his name, we are free indeed.
We too can sing joyfully: ‘Our help is in the name of the Lord’. Our help is in the name of Jesus. As we used to sing back in the Slaughter-years:
His name is Jesus, He’s the rock of our salvation
Jesus, He’s the lifter of our heads
His name is Jesus, Our hope in tribulation
His name is Jesus, The only One we turn to
Prince of Peace, Lord and King
Mighty God is He
Our help is in the name of the LordPsalm 124 isn’t a Psalm for someone else. As followers of Jesus, it’s our help and our hope.