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“Had it not been the Lord who was on our side,” Let Israel say,
Psalms 124:1 · New American Standard Bible
Parallel translations
  • WEB A Song of Ascents. By David. If it had not been Yahweh who was on our side, let Israel now say,
  • KJV If it had not been the LORD who was on our side, now may Israel say;
  • BSB A song of ascents. Of David. If the LORD had not been on our side—let Israel now declare—
  • NKJV “If it had not been the Lord who was on our side,” Let Israel now say—
  • NLT What if the Lord had not been on our side? Let all Israel repeat:

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

Israel is called to confess that if Yahweh had not been on their side, all would have been different. Survival is owed entirely to God's presence with His people.

Overview

This Song of Ascents by David opens a corporate confession, inviting all Israel to say, 'If it had not been Yahweh who was on our side.' The repetition presses the people to acknowledge their utter dependence on God. The phrase 'God on our side' assures believers, for in Christ God is decisively for His people.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 25

  • Rom 8:31What then shall we say about these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
  • Ps 56:9Then my enemies shall turn back in the day that I call. I know this, that God is for me.
  • Ps 54:4Behold, God is my helper. The Lord is the one who sustains my soul.
  • Ps 120:1A Song of Ascents. In my distress, I cried to Yahweh. He answered me.
  • Heb 13:5–6Be free from the love of money, content with such things as you have, for he has said, “I will in no way leave you, neither will I in any way forsake you.”
  • Ps 94:17Unless Yahweh had been my help, my soul would have soon lived in silence.
  • Ps 118:6–7Yahweh is on my side. I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?
  • Isa 8:9–10Make an uproar, you peoples, and be broken in pieces! Listen, all you from far countries: dress for battle, and be shattered! Dress for battle, and be shattered!
  • Ps 121:1A Song of Ascents. I will lift up my eyes to the hills. Where does my help come from?
  • Ps 125:1A Song of Ascents. Those who trust in Yahweh are as Mount Zion, which can’t be moved, but remains forever.
  • Ps 27:1By David. Yahweh is my light and my salvation. Whom shall I fear? Yahweh is the strength of my life. Of whom shall I be afraid?
  • Ps 46:7Yahweh of Armies is with us. The God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.
  • Ps 127:1A Song of Ascents. By Solomon. Unless Yahweh builds the house, they labor in vain who build it. Unless Yahweh watches over the city, the watchman guards it in vain.
  • Ps 128:1A Song of Ascents. Blessed is everyone who fears Yahweh, who walks in his ways.
  • Ps 130:1A Song of Ascents. Out of the depths I have cried to you, Yahweh.
  • Ps 129:1A Song of Ascents. Many times they have afflicted me from my youth up. Let Israel now say,
  • Ps 133:1A Song of Ascents. By David. See how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to live together in unity!
  • Ps 126:1A Song of Ascents. When Yahweh brought back those who returned to Zion, we were like those who dream.
  • Exod 15:1Then Moses and the children of Israel sang this song to Yahweh, and said, “I will sing to Yahweh, for he has triumphed gloriously. The horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea.
  • Ps 46:11Yahweh of Armies is with us. The God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.
  • Ps 132:1A Song of Ascents. Yahweh, remember David and all his affliction,
  • Ps 134:1A Song of Ascents. Look! Praise Yahweh, all you servants of Yahweh, who stand by night in Yahweh’s house!
  • Ps 123:1A Song of Ascents. To you I do lift up my eyes, you who sit in the heavens.
  • Ps 131:1A Song of Ascents. By David. Yahweh, my heart isn’t haughty, nor my eyes lofty; nor do I concern myself with great matters, or things too wonderful for me.
  • Ps 122:1A Song of Ascents. By David. I was glad when they said to me, “Let’s go to Yahweh’s house!”

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Psalms videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Psalms 124:1YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on PsalmsMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

The Psalms are Christ's own prayer book and a gallery of his portraits — the suffering one of Psalm 22, the risen Lord of Psalm 16, the priest-king of Psalm 110, the Son to whom the nations are given.

How Psalms 124:1 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.