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.

This is an amazing psalm that reveals the reality of the Lord who is on our side. The psalmist shares of the great privilege that we as believers have to know that God is for us and is with us, but not only the privilege but our existence is because of God. There would be no way that Israel would have existed during the time of battles, when peoples and nations attacked them, seeking to destroy them. The only reason they weren’t successful is because the Lord is on our side. Natural disasters could have easily destroyed God’s people but God’s protection is upon His people, so they are safe and unharmed because the God of the heavens is on their side. 

This calls to praise God and magnify His wonderful and great Name! He is their helper, their Maker, and the one who shines his light upon the hearts of His people. We have the incredible reassurance of how great and mighty who is our God and who is on our side. 

This psalm is similar to the story of Elisha when an army of horses and solders surround him and his servant to defeat and take them captive. But Elisha reassures his servant, “Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them” (2 Ki 6:16). 

God’s power is greater than the enemies and the things in this world. Our greatest enemy is sin and death, and that is defeated to the point where Paul says, "Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” (1 Co 15:55). 

We have the living God defending us, the one who protects and keeps us. What do we have to fear or be afraid. God is with us to the very end, and because He is, we don’t need to fear anything on this earth whether it be Satan, his demons, sicknesses, afflictions, people, and even death.

Praise God that He is the God that is for us!