by Wendy Reaume

Psalm 124

A song of ascents. Of David.

If the LORD had not been on our side—

let Israel say—

if the LORD had not been on our side

when people attacked us,

they would have swallowed us alive 

when their anger flared against us;

the flood would have engulfed us,

the torrent would have swept over us,

the raging waters

would have swept us away.

Praise be to the LORD, 

who has not let us be torn by their teeth.

We have escaped like a bird

from the fowler’s snare;

the snare has been broken, 

and we have escaped.

Our help is in the name of the LORD,

The Maker of heaven and earth.

Psalms of thanksgiving include corporate thanksgiving. Psalm 124 is song encouraging the whole nation to sing in thanksgiving for their deliverance.   In the Old Testament there were multiple times that the leaders were instructed to gather the people together and to read the words of the Torah aloud. God’s people were to come and be reminded of all that He had done, and in thankfulness, recognize Him and continue trusting in Him. 

Josiah was the youngest king in the Bible. He became king at only 8 years old.

Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem 31 years. His mother’s name was Jedidah daughter of Adaiah; she was from Bozkath. He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD and followed completely the ways of his father David, not turning aside to the right or to the left. (2 Kings 22:1,2)

While repairing the temple of God the Book of the Law (Bible) was found. It was brought to King Josiah.

When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his robes. He gave these orders…Go and inquire of the LORD for me and for the people and for all Judah about what is written in this book that has been found. Great is the LORD’s anger that burns against us because those who have gone before us have not obeyed the words of this book; they have not acted in accordance with all that is written there concerning us. (2 Kings 22:11-13)

Once he received and answer, Josiah called the nation together.

Then the king called together all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem. He went up to the temple of the LORD with the people of Judah, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the priests and the prophets—all the people from the least to the greatest. He read in their hearing all the words of the Book of the Covenant, which had been found in the temple of the LORD. The king stood by the pillar and renewed the covenant in the presence of the LORD—to follow the LORD and keep his commands, statutes and decrees with all his heart and all his soul, thus confirming the words of the covenant written in this book.   Then all the people pledged themselves to the covenant. 

(2 Kings 23:1-3)

Here we have another example of a whole nation bowing its knee to God in thankfulness that we do not get what we deserve and committing themselves to follow Him, from the least to the greatest.

We do not live in a nation today that will see its leaders doing this. However, as a church family and as a body of believers it is good to come together and as a representative of our nation, tell God of our thanksgiving. As Moses stood in the gap[1] for his people gone astray, we too can stand in the gap in prayer and thank God for His hand upon our nation (Ezekiel 22:30.) It may be a wicked nation, but without the grace of God it would be even worse. And we know that through our prayers and petitions, God hears and has the power to change things if it is in His will. May we be a nation, even of 3 or 4, who give thanks to God with our own psalm of thanksgiving. 

 Our song for today is Jesus Be Praised by Brandon Lake.