What is Psalm 124 for: protection and peace on difficult days

Psalm 124 is cited as an important ally to get through difficult times. Commonly invoked in times of uncertainty and hardship, those who pray and believe the words of Psalm 124, truly trusting in the Lord, need not fear the power and deception of the enemy.

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Psalm 124

Psalm 124 is a thanksgiving that teaches that Israel’s very existence is due to God who rescues them. In the first part, Israel’s enemies are compared to the mythical sea dragon ( Ps 124.2b – 3a ; cf. Jer 51.34 ) and the Flood ( Ps 124.3b – 5 ; cf. Is 51.9-10 ). The Psalm heightens the malice of human enemies, linking them to the primordial enemies of God’s creation. Israel is a bird freed from the hunter’s trap (Ps 124:6-8) – originally freed from Pharaoh and now from present danger.

“If it had not been for the Lord, who was on our side, now let Israel say; * 2 If it had not been for the Lord, who was on our side, when men rose up against us. * 3 Then they would have swallowed us alive, when their anger was kindled against us. * 4 Then the waters would have overflowed over us, and the stream would have passed over our soul; * 5 Then the haughty waters would have passed over our soul; * 6 Blessed be the Lord, who did not give us a prey in his teeth. * 7 Our soul has escaped, like a bird from the snare of fowlers; the bond was broken, and we escaped. * 8 Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.”

Why pray the Psalms?

The blessings of praying the Psalms are many. On the one hand, the Psalms are Spirit-inspired words, given by God to speak about God and for God. Even the best Christian hymn writers or composers are not inspired by the Spirit in this definitive and authoritative way. Every word of every psalm is given by God.

“The interpretative key to the Psalms is how the New Testament uses them.”
Furthermore, the Psalms connect our personal walk with God to the corporate life of the entire church of Christ throughout the world and across the centuries. We do not invent our individual spiritualities (in the way that is so fashionable in Western cultures today); rather, we unite ourselves with the spirituality given by God to the entire Church of Christ. In particular, many psalms will help us identify and support the persecuted church.

And so the Psalms greatly enrich the depth and breadth of our affections and our emotions, so that we learn, for example, to mourn in a godly way, to hope and hope in a godly way, to praise even in dark days of a pious way. path.

But how should we do this? I’m not here asking the musical question. In the past, the Psalms were sung more frequently, as they still are in some denominations. But this musical form can often be boring when sung by a congregation and doesn’t seem exactly contemporary. Therefore, we should be grateful to musicians who place the psalms in contemporary settings that can be sung well by an uneducated congregation.

FIND OUT | Prayer for problem solution to materialize

4 Most Powerful Psalms to Pray When You Need God’s Help

Psalm 86:1-6
Incline your ear, Lord, and answer me,
for I am poor and oppressed.
Preserve my life, for I am dedicated;
save your servant who trusts in you.
You are my God; have mercy on me, Lord;
I call you all day.
Rejoice the soul of Your servant;
To You, Lord, I elevate my soul.
Lord, You are good and
merciful to all who call upon You.
Lord, hear my prayer;
hear my cry for help.

For Meditation
When you cry out to God, you are letting him know that you need him. This is exactly what the psalmists did and because of it they were blessed beyond words! Whatever you need today, tell God. Recognize that your soul needs His strength and humbly reaffirm that you know your spirit is poor and contrite before Him. The Lord always hears and honors the prayer of a humble child… and He will hear yours in this time of need.

Psalm 119:132-137
Turn to me and have mercy,
according to His judgment, for those
who love His Name.
Firm my feet according to Your promise;
do not let iniquity take me.
Free me from human oppression,
so that I may observe Your precepts.
Let your face shine upon your servant;
teach me your statutes.
My eyes shed tears
because Your Law is not observed.
You are fair, Lord,
and righteous are Your judgments.

For Meditation
When you ask God to “stay your feet” according to His promises, you are asking Him to be your guide – the Captain of your ship as you traverse the stormy seas – and that is exactly what He wants you to do! In essence, you are trusting Him just as the apostles did when they were sitting in the boat in dangerous waters; learning to stand firm when strong winds blow. Tell God you need His direction in your life. Ask Him to keep you firm and safe as you find cover under His loving wings and His infallible Word. No matter how uncertain the times, through faith and prayer, He will help you stay safe no matter the circumstances. His promises are eternal and will always help you walk by faith… and not by sight.

Psalm 79:8-9
Don’t remember against us
of the iniquities of our ancestors;
let Your compassion advance
quickly in front of us,
for we were greatly slaughtered.
Help us, God our Savior,
for the glory of Your Name.
Deliver us, forgive our sins
for Your Name’s sake.

For Meditation
In this prayer, the psalmist was pleading with God not to use the sins of his past against him, but instead, to lavish him with divine mercy as he (the psalmist) was on the verge of despair. Have you ever felt like that? On the verge of despair? Sometimes we need God’s help because we feel like we’ve messed up with some action we took or some word we said. But our Lord is always compassionate to the humble and repentant spirit. Even if you don’t feel like you deserve His forgiveness, you are forgiven! Ask Him today to lift you up from the low place you are in and fill you with His mercy and compassion. Through this prayer, He will never fail to comfort, strengthen and lift you from whatever situation you find yourself in.

Psalm 16 1-2, 7-10
Keep me safe, O God;
in You I take refuge.
I say to the Lord:
You are my Lord,
You are my only asset.
I bless the Lord who advises me;
Even at night my heart urges me.
I keep the Lord always before me;
with Him at my right hand, I will never be shaken.
Therefore my heart is glad, my soul rejoices;
my body is safe too,
for you will not abandon my soul…

For Meditation
Often when we turn to God for help, it is because our circumstances have made us feel vulnerable and afraid. When we feel this way, we naturally seek refuge – an innate desire to be protected. Because of His infinite goodness, God not only promises His protection to those who take refuge in Him, but He desires to be their only Protector! The Lord knows that He is the only true Protector, and when you run to Him it shows your faith in His divinity. As you pray these psalms, reaffirm that you dare not take refuge in your own abilities and strengths; but first you take refuge only in Him. Believe with all your heart that He will protect you and help you through whatever you are going through… and He will.

Read more: prayer of Our Lady of Aparecida It is prayer of Saint Expedito.