Read Psalm 124:1-8 1If it had not been the Lord who was on our side—let Israel now say—2if it had not been the Lord who was on our side when people rose up against us, 3then they would have swallowed us up alive, when their anger was kindled against us; 4then the flood would have swept us away, the torrent would have gone over us; 5then over us would have gone the raging waters. 6Blessed be the Lord, who has not given us as prey to their teeth! 7We have escaped like a bird from the snare of the fowlers; the snare is broken, and we have escaped! 8Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
This pilgrim song recalls the days of old when the enemies of Israel rose up against them. The Philistines. Literally hell bent on the destruction of Israel and its king, David. David, the great Philistine conqueror, knows not to take the credit for victories over the enemy, but rather he gives all credit to the Lord. Yahweh. The covenant making God of Israel, who promised a land, seed, and blessing to the offspring of Abraham and a throne forever to the offspring of David.
And so just as it did for Israel, escape comes for the Christian. Escape from our “Philistines.” Principalities. Powers. This present darkness. Escape that comes not by struggling to escape the snare, but by crying out to God – Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth. Escape that comes, not through things made, but through the rescue provided by the Maker.
Where does the Enemy have you ensnared today? How have you been struggling in your own strength to escape?
Look to Christ! Swallowed alive on the cross by the enemy. Look to Christ. Ensnared by the fowler, yet he did not struggle to escape. Instead, he trusted in the Lord. His covenant God. He cried out to the Maker of heaven and earth. Escape came. Not from the cross, our escape never comes from the cross, but from the grave.
To live is Christ is knowing that our escape has come by our union with Christ, who did not escape the cross, but escaped the grave. We too, in Christ, must cease our struggle to escape the cross, and instead embrace it, trusting that we have escaped the grave, death, condemnation, and hell.
Prayer. Jesus, just as you were set free from the tomb, set me free from the death of my hopelessness. Show me the victory I have in you. Amen.
To Live is Christ 