1.
If it had not been the LORD who was on our side, now may Israel say;
1, 2. on our side—for us ().
now—or, "oh! let
Israel"
2.
If it had not been the LORD who was on our side, when men rose up against us:
2. rose . . . against, c.—
(Psalms 3:1 Psalms 56:11).
3.
Then they had swallowed us up quick, when their wrath was kindled against us:
3. Then—that is, the time of
our danger.
quick—literally,
"living" (Numbers 16:32;
Numbers 16:33), description of
ferocity.
4.
Then the waters had overwhelmed us, the stream had gone over our soul:
4, 5. (Compare Psalms 18:4;
Psalms 18:16).
5.
Then the proud waters had gone over our soul.
5. The epithet proud
added to waters denotes insolent enemies.
6.
Blessed be the LORD, who hath not given us as a prey to their teeth.
6, 7. The figure is changed to
that of a rapacious wild beast (), and then of a fowler (), and complete escape is denoted by breaking the net.
7.
Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers: the snare is broken, and we are escaped.
8.
Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth.
8. (Compare ).
name—in the usual sense
(Psalms 5:11; Psalms 20:1).
He thus places over against the great danger the omnipotent God, and
drowns, as it were in an anthem, the wickedness of the whole world
and of hell, just as a great fire consumes a little drop of water
[LUTHER].