Song Deep Dive: Psalm 124 (Our Help is in the Name of the LORD)
About Psalm 124
Psalm 124 is a psalm of thanksgiving, a song of gratitude for the LORD’s rescue. David begins, “If the LORD had not been on our side…” (Psalm 124:1) and invites all Israel to reflect on how close they came to being overwhelmed by enemies and disaster. Without God’s intervention, they would have been swallowed alive, swept away by raging waters. But the LORD was with them. He protected, delivered, and brought them safely through.
This psalm reminds us that our help is not found in ourselves or in others but in the name of the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. It teaches us to look back at the times God has been on our side, to marvel at His saving hand, and to give thanks for His faithful love and deliverance.
Psalm 124
1 If the Lord had not been on our side—
let Israel say—
2 if the Lord had not been on our side
when people attacked us,
3 they would have swallowed us alive
when their anger flared against us;
4 the flood would have engulfed us,
the torrent would have swept over us,
5 the raging waters
would have swept us away.
6 Praise be to the Lord,
who has not let us be torn by their teeth.
7 We have escaped like a bird
from the fowler’s snare;
the snare has been broken,
and we have escaped.
8 Our help is in the name of the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
Stephen's Thoughts
There are some songs that come in an instant, while others arrive only as melodies waiting for words to follow. The music for Psalm 124 was one I wrote many years ago. The melody always brought me comfort, so pairing it with this psalm and its focus on the LORD being on our side felt like the right fit.
Typically, Lisa and I sing together, but for this one I stepped back because her voice carried it so beautifully on its own. The vocals and guitar work almost as a duet, with the guitar echoing both the calmness and the raging waters described in the psalm.
Listen to Psalm 124 (Our Help Is in the Name of the LORD)
Musical Credits
Stephen Vesolich (Guitar)
Lisa Vesolich (Vocals)
Lyrics
If the LORD had not been on our side,
If the LORD had not been on our side,
When they attacked us,
they would have swallowed us alive—
their anger flared against us.
If the LORD had not been on our side,
If the LORD had not been on our side,
the flood would have engulfed us,
the torrent would have swept over us,
the raging waters would have swept us away.
Praise be to the LORD,
Who has not let us be torn!
We have escaped like a bird
out of the fowler’s snare;
the snare has been broken,
and we have escaped.
Our help is in the name of—
our help is in the name of the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
Our help is in the name of—
our help is in the name of the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
Our help is in the name of—
our help is in the name of the LORD.
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