Commonplace –
“Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth” (Psalm 124:8).
The psalm begins with “If it had not been the Lord, who was on our side” and goes into the ramifications of what life would have been without God’s help. Yet, God was on the side of Israel, and they were saved. This song served to remind the Israelites of their history. As they made their pilgrimage to Jerusalem, they were to consider all God had done for them.
As Matthew Henry notes, it is also a reminder to us:
“It is a comfort to all…that Israel’s God is the same that made the world, and therefore will have a church in the world, and secure that church in times of the greatest danger and distress. In him therefore let the church’s friends put their confidence, and they shall not be put to confusion” (598).
On one’s own pilgrimage through life, it is helpful to to remember and remind oneself of all the ways God has been “our help”.
Works Cited
Henry, Matthew. “Psalm 124.” Matthew Henry’s Commentary On the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition. Volume 3 and Volume 6, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., March 1996.
Holy Bible: Giant Print with Study Aids. Dugan Publishers, Inc., 1984.
© 2025 Angela Hormberg
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