What If The Lord Had Not Been On Our Side?

What if the Lord had not been on our side? Let all Israel repeat: Psalm 124:1

David opened this psalm with a question that forces deep reflection. What if the Lord had not been on our side? It challenges us to consider all the victories God has given us.

Think about your life for a moment. Where would you be today if God had not intervened? Would addiction control you? Would bitterness have corroded your heart?

How about despair? Would it have pushed you toward hopelessness? Without the Lord on our side, some of us may have faced financial collapse, broken families, or even death.

And spiritually speaking, one reality remains certain. Without the Lord on our side, without His mercy, every person would die in their sin. Redemption would have no meaning whatsoever.

I believe David wanted his readers to pause and let the weight of this truth sink in. So he repeated his question in verse two to give all of us a chance to reflect on it.

What if the Lord had not been on our side when people attacked us? They would have swallowed us alive in their burning anger. Psalm 124:2-3

We, too, must ask the same question. What if God had left us on our own? What if God hadn’t equipped us with His Spiritual armor? How would we fend off the devil when he attacks us?

Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. Ephesians 6:10-11
Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then, after the battle, you will still be standing firm. Ephesians 6:13

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Remembering God’s Initiative

This psalm reminds us that God didn’t wait for Israel, or us, to earn His protection. He acted first and chose to fight for His people. Then He initiated the rescue plan. God stays in rescue mode.

The Lord says, “I will rescue those who love me. I will protect those who trust in my name. When they call on me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue and honor them. I will reward them with a long life and give them my salvation. Psalm 91:14-16

David urged the nation, “Let all Israel repeat, what if the Lord had not been on our side?” As he stood firm on his testimony, he called for the entire community to proclaim the same truth.

The truth is that God kept them alive and protected them from the fury of their enemies. David continued by painting a grim picture of what defeat may have looked like.

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. Psalm 124:4-5

The Lord not only stands beside His people but He pursues them with deliverance. David’s faith didn’t rest on chance or luck, and neither does ours. It rests on the determined love of God.

When the Lord is on Our Side, We Escape Disaster

Life sometimes feels like a flood rushing toward us, threatening to overwhelm both body and soul. A spiritual attack can come like violent waves, making us struggle to catch our breath.

Yet, David insists that God breaks in before the flood consumes His children. He heads off a tsunami of disaster coming straight at us by opening the floodgates of His love.

Maybe you’ve experienced that kind of rescue. Perhaps you’ve faced a crisis that should have destroyed you. But with a sigh, you whisper What if the Lord had not been on my side?

David shifted to another powerful metaphor, from floods to snares. He praised the Lord because the Israelites escaped the teeth of the enemy’s snare.

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! Psalm 124:6-7

When the Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy in his second epistle, he referred to those who oppose God’s truth. He wants us to gently instruct them because the devil has them snared.

Perhaps God will change those people’s hearts, and they will learn the truth. Then they will come to their senses and escape from the devil’s trap. For they have been held captive by him to do whatever he wants. 2 Timothy 2:25-26

The enemy sets traps, often subtle and deceptive. He uses temptation to lure us in and accusations to entangle us. Then he uses circumstances designed to pin us down.

Have you ever felt that way? You’ve found yourself caught in something you couldn’t escape from on your own? In those moments, though, God’s intervention proves the most powerful.

A Testimony of God’s Power

One day, a pastor friend faced some sharp accusations. A group confronted him, ready to trap him with his words. Before the meeting, he felt the Lord whisper, “Be still and let Me defend you.”

During that meeting, the pastor sat in silence. One by one, his accusers’ arguments unraveled, and soon the focus shifted toward their conduct. The snare snapped. The trap broke.

I sat in that meeting and could hardly believe what I had witnessed. God defended this pastor. God turned the conversation around, and the pastor never uttered a single word in his defense.

This story echoes the truth of Psalm 124: God still breaks our snares. He still rescues us from schemes too heavy to bear alone. At times, we have to wonder, what if the Lord had not been on our side?

David began by asking, “What if the Lord had not been on our side? He concluded this psalm with a declaration that anchors our hope.

Our help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. Psalm 124:8

When trouble comes, our first instinct often leans toward self-reliance. We tighten our grip and plan our defense. Yet David points us to stand back and watch the Lord move.

Living the Psalm Today and Carrying it into Our Daily Lives?

Practice remembrance. Rehearse moments when God rescued you and you uttered something like. “What would have happened if the Lord had not been on my side?”
Share your stories with others. Just as Israel repeated the Lord’s deliverance, our testimony fuels faith in those around us.
Trust God’s defense. Resist the urge to fight every battle with your own strength. Sometimes the Spirit whispers, Be still. Obedience in silence can open space for God’s glory to shine.
Bless the name of the Lord. Don’t wait until you feel like praising Him. David blessed the Lord even while remembering the snares and floods. Praise breaks chains because it declares, “God rules my story.”

Anchor your hope in His power. When anxiety builds, remind your heart: My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. That truth steadies our faith and silences our fear.

Lord, thank you that we never have to wonder if you are on our side. Continually teach us to remember your deliverance, to trust your defense, and to bless your name in every season.