When floodwaters threaten to sweep us away we can stand steadfast in the faith. When sin threatens to undo us we can put on the full armor of God. Through every danger and distress we can confidently declare, “Our help is in the name of the LORD” (Psalm 124:8).

When someone rises up against you in anger who do you wish was by your side? When sorrow over suffering threatens to sweep you away which friend do you want beside you? When shame over sin threatens to undo you which person do you want to remind you of God’s forgiving love? When an addiction threatens to ensnare you who do you want to admonish you with the truth? Hopefully you have good, trustworthy, godly friends who came to your mind, but there is one person who stands above the others, the Friend of all friends to whom Psalm 124 points. Before we turn our attention to this psalm we need to understand its broader context.

The Lord had commanded Israel to keep three festivals a year in the city of Jerusalem (see Deut. 16:16). It’s likely that the fifteen Songs of Ascents (Psalms 120-134) were sung by the Israelites on their way to Jerusalem to keep the annual feasts, both before and after the exile. Therefore, it’s appropriate that the collection begins with the pilgrims far away from the temple in Jerusalem. They face temptations both from without (the devil and the world) and from within (their own flesh). These psalms present a picture of every believer’s journey to the new Jerusalem. They teach us about our journey as elect exiles on this earth and more importantly, about the Elect Exile who left His home in glory to fulfill His Father’s plan. They are arranged in a significant order—seven psalms on either side of the climactic one, Psalm 127, which highlights two of God’s promises to David (a place and progeny). Since the Songs of Ascents aid us in our worship of God we should study them often. In this brief article we will consider what the fifth one (Psalm 124) has to teach us.

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