Martin Luther on Psalms 124:1

THE COMMENTARY OF Dr. MARTIN LƲTHER, Upon the CXXIV PSALM.

Verſ. 1. If the Lord had not been on our ſide, &c. THis Pſalm is a Thankſgiving to God for his great mercy in preſerving his People, placed (as the ſtories do ſhew) in the midſt of the Gentiles and Heathen People,The Argument of the Pſalm. as a flock of Sheep in a wild Forreſt, or in reſpect of the multitude, as a City compared to a mighty Kingdom,The People of Iſrael as a flock of Sheep among many Wolves. being compaſſed on every ſide with the Kings of the Aſſyrians, the Egyptians, the Ammonites, the Iſmaelites, the Moabites; whom Satan had ſtirred up with deadly hatred, to vex and perſecute them, ſeeking by all means to root them out from the Earth, that thereby he might utterly deface and aboliſh the Word and Worſhip of the Lord. This danger David ſaw, and thanked God which had preſerved his People from the rage of ſo many Lyons and Dragons, which notwithſtanding that they never ceaſed to ſeek their Deſtruction, yet all that they went about was in vain. And what a miracle was this, that this People could ſo long continue, notwithſtanding the malice and rage of ſo many Devils? David therefore in this Pſalm exhorteth his People to be thankful to the Lord their God ſo mightily preſerving, defending and delivering them from the violence of ſo many Nations and Kingdoms, hating and perſecuting them on every ſide. Which Pſalm we alſo do ſing, not only againſt our adverſaries which hate and perſecute the Word, but alſo againſt ſpiritual Wickedneſs. For we are taught by the Goſpel that there are now ſeven Devils which lye in wait for us, (whereas we were before in danger but of one) which ceaſe not to ſtir up the whole World againſt us. Yea our Caſe were more tollerable if we had but only the World, and not Satan alſo with all his Angels and the gates of Hell, wholly bent againſt us. But yet further to moleſt and vex us; beſides all theſe, we have alſo the third Enemy, which we carry always about with us, which we nouriſh alſo and foſter at home with us, and even within us, the fleſh I mean, which giveth us no reſt, but continually tempteth us to Sin, fighteth againſt Faith, and ſtriveth in our members againſt the Spirit. Foraſmuch then as the Church of God is never free from theſe dangers, let us alſo ſing to the praiſe of Chriſt this Pſalm: that he preſerveth us his members from all theſe Enemies. For it were extream ingratitude not to acknowledge this miracle, that notwithſtanding all theſe, the Church doth yet continue, and that there be ſome which truly teach and confeſs Chriſt, and believe in Chriſt, thô Satan rage, the World and falſe Brethren conſpire againſt us, and the fleſh (as an untamed Beaſt) fight againſt the Word and Faith never ſo much. This is the benefit then that David ſo highly extolleth, and wiſheth that his People would underſtand and give thanks to God for the ſame. Verſe 1. If the Lord had not been on our ſide, may Iſrael now ſay: Verſe 2. If the Lord had not been been on our ſide, when men roſe up againſt us, Verſe 3. They had then ſwallowed us up quick when their wrath was kindled againſt us. Here the Prophet David exhorteth the People to conſider how mercifully God hath delivered them from the hands of their Enemies, and how miraculouſly he had preſerved that Kingdom, and alſo to praiſe God with him for the ſame. Which words are not to be reſtrained to Davids time only. For the Heathen People had oftentimes before warred againſt them with ſuch Force and Power as was like to the rage of moſt huge and terrible floods of Water (whereof he ſpeaketh here) ready to overflow them. Therefore ſeeing he mentioneth here no one kind of deliverance, it ſeemeth that he meaneth in theſe words of Thanksgiving to ſet forth whatſoever God had done for the ſuccour and deliverance of his People at any time before. Wherein he ſheweth (as it were in a glaſs) the dangerous ſtate of the Church from the beginning, that the faithful may learn to know that it hath not been preſerved by the ſtrength and policy of man, but by the miraculous power and hand of God, and therefore in their troubles and afflictions ſhould always flie to God for help and ſuccour. Iſrael ſignifieth the People of God. Let us acknowledge then that there is no way for Gods People to eſcape the hands of their Enemies, but by the help and power of God, and that he will have the glory and praiſe thereof to be given to him alone. This praiſe can none give unto God, but the true Iſrael, having experience both of their own weakneſs, the force and power of their Enemies, the dangers paſt, and of the merciful help and Protection of the Lord.