Scott Schutte: Psalm one twenty four. What if the Lord had not been on our side? Let all Israel repeat, what if the Lord had not been on our side? When people attacked us, they would have swallowed us alive in their burning anger. The waters would have engulfed us.
A torrent would have overwhelmed us. Yes. The raging waters of their fury would have overwhelmed our very lives. Praise the Lord who did not let their teeth tear us apart. We escaped like a bird from a hunter's trap.
The trap is broken and we are free. Our help is from the Lord who made heaven and earth. This is another one of the Psalms in that are called the songs of ascent. These are Psalms that the people would sing as they were traveling to Jerusalem for the festivals that they celebrate. And this psalm is really highlighting all the things, that God has done for us and his faithfulness.
I think we're pretty quick to forget how he has come through in the past, and we're very focused on what's not going our way in the present. And it's good for us to remind ourselves what would our life had looked like if God had never been there for us. Even some of the things that seem to have not gone our way in life, they could have been worse. And where things were good in life, they could have been bad. And so this is really something that challenges us to reflect on our life and reflect on how God has saved us from things.
He's delivered us from things and he has had his hand of protection on us. He is our help. And so God, thank you for all the ways that you've come through for us. Thank you for how you guide and protect and have your hand of protection over us. Even in moments where, we wouldn't identify them as answered prayers, you have stepped in and you have saved us from things.
And so God, I pray that as we go about our day that you would help us to reflect on all the ways that you are faithful to us. And all this we lift up in Jesus' name. Amen.