What is the main message of Psalm 124?

Psalm 124 teaches God’s people to remember that their survival and deliverance come from the Lord alone. If the Lord had not intervened, His people would not still be standing.

Why is remembering God’s deliverance important?

Remembering God’s deliverance guards believers against pride, fuels gratitude, and strengthens worship and obedience by keeping God’s grace central.

How does Psalm 124 point to Jesus Christ?

Psalm 124 ultimately points to Jesus Christ, who entered our danger, bore God’s wrath in our place, broke the snare of sin and death, and secured our deliverance.

What does Psalm 124 teach believers today?

Psalm 124 teaches believers to look back with gratitude, confess God’s faithfulness, trust the Lord in present trials, and live in humble dependence on Him.

If the Lord Had Not Been on Our Side (Psalm 124)

Name: If the Lord Had Not Been on Our Side (Psalm 124)
Uploaded: 2026-01-02
Channel: Dave Jenkins
Description: In this episode of Walking Through the Psalms, Dave Jenkins teaches Psalm 124, calling believers to remember God’s deliverance, guard against pride, and anchor their hope in Christ.

⏱️ Estimated Reading Time: 3 min read

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Servants of Grace PodcastSeries: Walking Through the PsalmsHost: Dave JenkinsDate: January 2, 2026

If the Lord Had Not Been on Our Side (Psalm 124)

Show Summary

Psalm 124 calls God’s people to look back with gratitude and confess a sobering truth: if the Lord had not been on our side, we would not still be standing. In this episode, Dave Jenkins walks through Psalm 124, showing how remembering God’s past deliverance guards us from pride, fuels worship, and strengthens obedience. Ultimately, this psalm points us to Jesus Christ—the One who broke the snare, delivered us from sin and death, and remains our only hope.

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Key Scripture

Psalm 124

Episode Notes

Psalm 124 teaches God’s people to remember deliverance and confess God’s faithfulness.
Remembering grace guards us against pride and spiritual amnesia.
Faith does not deny danger—it tells the truth and then looks to God.
God’s people stand because God intervenes.
Psalm 124 ultimately points to Christ, our Deliverer, who broke the snare and secured our rescue.

Episode Outline

1. A Sobering Confession: “If Not the Lord” (vv. 1–2)

The psalmist calls God’s people to speak the truth together: survival was not inevitable. If the Lord had not been on our side, we would not be here.

2. The Danger Was Real (vv. 3–5)

Scripture does not soften the threat—swallowed alive, swept away, overwhelmed by raging waters. Faith does not minimize reality; faith tells the truth and then looks to God.

3. The Turning Point: “Blessed Be the Lord” (vv. 6–7)

Praise erupts because the Lord intervened. The snare was broken. Deliverance came from outside of us. This is grace.

4. The Confession That Sustains (v. 8)

Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth. The God who delivers is sovereign, powerful, faithful, and worthy of worship.

Key Themes

God alone is the source of our deliverance.
Remembering grace guards us against pride.
Faith includes honest reflection without living in guilt or shame.
God’s people survive because God intervenes.
Gratitude fuels worship and obedience.

Application

Bless the Lord consciously. Remember what He has done, what He is doing, and how He will safely lead you home.
Resist spiritual pride. Don’t credit your strength for what only grace can explain.
Share testimony with others. Let others hear what the Lord has done and use remembrance to encourage faith.
Begin this year with confidence in the Lord. He has already proven faithful—trust Him again today.

Phrase to carry with you: If not the Lord, then nothing. Because of the Lord, we stand anchored in His grace.

How Psalm 124 Points to Christ

If the Lord had not been on our side, we would still be dead in our trespasses and sins. But Jesus Christ entered our danger, bore the wrath of God in our place, broke the snare, and secured our rescue. Because of Christ, we can say with confidence: “Our help is in the name of the Lord.”

Call to Action

If this episode encouraged you, please consider sharing it, leaving a review, and subscribing so others can find this biblical teaching.Subscribe to the Servants of Grace podcast wherever podcasts are available, at our YouTube, or view the rest of our Psalm series here at Servants of Grace.

Dave Jenkins

Dave Jenkins is happily married to his wife, Sarah, and lives in beautiful Southern Oregon. He is a writer, editor, and speaker who loves Christ, His people, the Church, and sound theology.Dave serves as the Executive Director of Servants of Grace Ministries and the Executive Editor of Theology for Life Magazine. He is the Host and Producer of the Equipping You in Grace Podcast and a contributor to and producer of Contending for the Word.He is the author of The War of Worldviews: Truth, Lies, and the Battle for the Christian Mind (Theology for Life, 2026), Contentment: The Journey of a Lifetime (Theology for Life, 2024), The Word Matters: Defending Biblical Authority Against the Spirit of the Age (G3 Press, 2022), and The Word Explored: The Problem of Biblical Illiteracy and What To Do About It (House to House, 2021).You can connect with Dave on Facebook, X (Twitter), Instagram, YouTube, or subscribe to his newsletter.When he is not engaged in ministry work, Dave enjoys spending time with his wife, going to movies, sharing a meal at a favorite restaurant, or playing a round of golf with friends. He is also a voracious reader, particularly of Reformed theology and the Puritans, and is often found working through a stack of new books from a wide range of Christian publishers.Dave earned his M.A.R. and M.Div. from Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary.

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