A Psalmy Hortation
Please read Psalm 124 before continuing.
HOW rare is it that we are faced with hypotheticals in Holy Writ? How else can the ingrates be humbled, the complainers shushed with no thoughts of rebuttal, and those with amnesia miraculously remember? A tactful tool of persuasion by the omniscient Holy Spirit, for when we reflect on danger that is as harmless as a bad dream we are humbled by the love, power, and care of our God. At least that should be our heart’s posture. This Psalm teaches us that there are always two sides to the Lord’s work on Earth. His children experience only victory and His enemies experience only defeat. These means should bring us to a similar end—gratitude.
We do not need to imagine or sweat mentally about this hypothetical. We only need to ponder the possibility of other consequences in our foolish youth. We only need to ponder upon the indefatigable zeal and fearlessness we begged and pleaded and fasted that the Lord would withhold the justice we deserved. Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord (Rom. 7)!
Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!
After a brief moment of reflection we will conclude that every consequence and judgement should have lead to a quick, just death. If the Lord was not on our side, we would only know of an angry God not a loving Father. If the Lord was not on our side, Jesus would remain an obscure figure impossible to reach. If the Lord was not on our side, the Holy Spirit would dwell in the splendor of Heaven, not our temporal bodies. If the Lord was not on our side, marriages should have ended in divorce. If the Lord was not on our side, children would have had a prodigal son experience, but never returned. If the Lord was not on our side, our choices could have irrevocably traumatized us and others.
Now, for both the reader and writer, here lies a question that is not academic. It is the most crucial of questions. If the LORD had not been on our side… would we even have life to say? Also, do we really need to ponder hypotheticals in order to give the God who is on our side, the praise He is due?
“God’s power is like Himself, self-existent, self-sustained. The mightiest of men cannot add so much as a shadow of increased power to the Omnipotent One. He sits on no buttressed throne and leans on no assisting arm. He is Himself the great central source and Originator of all power.”
