Psalms 124:4

Psa 124:4 Then the waters had overwhelmed us, the stream had gone over our soul:

Ver. 4. Then the waters had overwhelmed us] As once the Red Sea did the Egyptians, or as the general deluge did the old world.

The stream had gone over our soul] Neither could we have withstood it by any art or industry.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

4. (Psa 124:4) Then the waters would have overwhelmed us (and) a stream passed over our soul. The common version (had overwhelmed us) is entirely correct, and more poetical in form than that here given, but at the same time ambiguous, as the sentence, taken by itself, would seem to mean, that before the time signified by then, the waters had actually overwhelmed them, which was not the case. The figures are the same as in Psa 18:4; Psa 18:16; Psa 144:7.

Joseph Addison Alexander, The Psalms Translated and Explained (1850) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

124:4-5 the raging waters of their fury: The enemies could have overwhelmed the Israelites and wiped them out if the Lord had not been with his people (cp. 69:15; Jer 46:8).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

He useth most proper similitudes to express the great danger that the Church was in, and out of the which God miraculously delivered them.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

4. The waters had then overwhelmed us. He embellishes by an elegant metaphor the preceding sentiment, comparing the dreadful impetuosity of the enemies of the Jews to an inundation, which swallows up whatever it meets with in its overflowing course. And he continues to preserve the character of a man affrighted. He names the waters, next the torrent, thirdly, the proud or impetuous waters. He says, over us, and over our soul, as if, by presenting the thing to the eye, he intended to strike terror into the people. And certainly this impassioned language ought to have all the effect of a graphic representation, that the faithful might the better feel from what a profound gulf they had been rescued by the hand of God. He only truly attributes his deliverance to God, who acknowledges himself to have been lost before he was delivered. The adverb them is here either demonstrative, as if the Psalmist had pointed to the thing with the finger, or it is taken for long ago. The former signification is, however, more suitable to the present passage.

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

(4) Waters.—The sudden transition in the imagery from the earthquake to the flood is characteristic of Hebrew poetry. (For the flood, see Psa_18:4; Psa_18:16; Psa_69:14; Psa_144:7.)

Stream.—The torrent swollen with the winter rain. (Comp. Isa_8:7-8.)

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

4. For the figure cp. Psa_18:16; Psa_69:1-2; Psa_69:15; Isa_8:7-8; Lam_3:54.

the stream] The torrent, suddenly swollen by a storm. Cp. Jdg_5:21.

had gone over our soul] Overwhelmed us and put an end to our existence.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Then the waters had overwhelmed us,.... People, comparable to waters for their multitude, Strength, force, and impetuosity; which bear down all before them, and against which there is no standing; which, like the waters of the flood, overflow and destroy all they pass over. These are the floods of ungodly men, which are very destructive and terrible; see Rev 17:15; together with all those reproaches, afflictions, and persecutions, which come along with them; which the presence of God only can bear up his people under, and carry them through, Sol 8:7;

the stream had gone over our soul; and so deprived them of life; the whole force of the enemy; which, like a stream, flows in with great strength and rapidity, when a breach is made and spreads itself, Arama interprets it of the stream of the Egyptians, and restrains it to them, their armies and forces; but it rather designs others, and the enemies of God's people in general, which threaten their ruin, even their very souls and lives: it may be applied to the stream of corruptions, the flood of temptation and flow of persecutions, such as the flood the dragon cast out of his mouth after the woman; which, were it not for divine grace and assistance, would destroy the saints, who have no might against this great force, Ch2 20:12.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Then the waters had overwhelmed us - Our destruction would have been as if the waves of the ocean had overwhelmed us.

The stream had gone over our soul - The torrent would have swept us away. Compare Psa 18:4, Psa 18:16.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Ver. 4. Then the waters had overwhelmed us. Rising irresistibly, like the Nile, the flood of opposition would soon have rolled over our heads. Across the mighty waste of waters we should have cast an anxious eye, but looked in vain for escape. The motto of a royal house is, "Tossed about but not submerged": we should have needed an epitaph rather than an epigram, for we should have been driven by the torrent and sunken, never to rise again.

The stream had gone over our soul. The rushing torrent would have drowned our soul, our hope, our life. The figures seem to be the steadily rising flood, and the hurriedly rushing stream. Who can stand against two such mighty powers? Everything is destroyed by these unconquerable forces, either by being submerged or swept away. When the world's enmity obtains a vent it both rises and rushes, it rages and rolls along, and spares nothing. In the great water floods of persecution and affliction who can help but Jehovah? But for him where would we be at this very hour? We have experienced seasons in which the combined forces of earth and hell must have made an end of us had not omnipotent grace interfered for our rescue.

Ver. 4,5. A familiar, but exceedingly apt and most significant figure. Horrible is the sight of a raging conflagration; but far more destructive is a river overflowing its banks and rushing violently on: for it is not possible to restrain it by any strength or power. As, then, he says, a river is carried along with great impetuosity, and carries away and destroys whatever it meets with in its course; thus also is the rage of the enemies of the church, not to be withstood by human strength. Hence, we should learn to avail ourselves of the protection and help of God. For what else is the church but a little boat fastened to the bank, which is carried away by the force of the waters? or a shrub growing on the bank, which without effort the flood roots up? Such was the people of Israel in the days of David compared with the surrounding nations. Such in the present day is the church compared with her enemies. Such is each one of us compared with the power of the malignant spirit. We are as a little shrub, of recent growth and having no firm hold: but he is like the Elbe, overflowing, and with great force overthrowing all things far and wide. We are like a withered leaf, lightly holding to the tree; he is like the north wind, with great force rooting up and throwing down the trees. How, then, can we withstand or defend ourselves by out' own power? Martin Luther.

Ver. 4,5. First the "waters"; then "the stream" or torrent; then "the proud waters, "lifting up their heads on high. First the waters overwhelm us; then the torrent goes over our soul; and then the proud waters go over our soul. What power can resist the rapid floods of waters, when they overspread their boundaries, and rush over a country? Onward they sweep with resistless force, and men and cattle, and crops and houses, are destroyed. Let the impetuous waters break loose, and, in a few minutes, the scene of life, and industry, and happiness, is made a scene of desolation and woe. Perhaps there is an allusion here to the destruction of the Egyptians in the Red Sea. The floods fell upon them, the depths covered them: they sank into the bottom as a stone. Had God not stretched forth his hand to rescue the Israelites, their enemies would have overwhelmed them. Happy they who, in seasons of danger, have Jehovah for a hiding place. N. McMichael.

Psalms 124:5*

Charles H. Spurgeon's The Treasury of David (1869–1885) — public domain. Psalms only. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

4. The waters… overwhelmed us—Probably an allusion to Exo_14:27-28.

The stream—The mountain torrent. These, in the rainy season, are terrible, and against them no art or power of man can prevail. A single thunder storm of rain will often suffice to create a flood which sweeps away habitations and families and animals. Such a seil, or flood, in the Wady Solaf, Mount Sinai, in 1867, swept away an Arab encampment, and forty persons, with many camels, sheep, and cattle, perished in the waters. Palmer and his company saw trunks of large palm trees which had been carried thirty miles down the valley by this flood. See Psa_18:13; Psa_18:15. The description of Isa_8:7-8, refers to the excessive overflow of the Nile or of the Euphrates, which, though more rare and gradual, is yet far more terrible. These perils from the great forces of nature are a fit emblem of the dangers, often as sudden as overwhelming, to which the militant Church is exposed.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Then the waters had overwhelmed us. A sudden and startling change of metaphor. In the quick transition of Oriental thought, the fire becomes a flood an irresistible torrent-stream, carrying all before it. (comp. Psa_18:4 Psa_144:7) The stream had gone over our soul; i.e. "had mounted up over our heads, and stifled our breath of life."

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

General Information:

In these two verses the author compares the enemies of Israel to a flood of water.

The water would have swept us away ... would have drowned us

This continues the hypothetical statement from the previous verse. It describes a result that did not happen, because Yahweh was actually on their side. AT: "The water did not sweep us away ... did not drown us" (See: Hypothetical Situations)

The water ... the torrent ... the raging waters

These phrases mean the same thing. (See: Parallelism)

swept us away ... overwhelmed us ... drowned us

These phrases mean the same thing. (See: Parallelism)

The water would have swept us away

Here the enemies of the writer are spoken of as if they were a flood of water. AT: "Our enemies would have easily defeated us" (See: Metaphor)

the torrent would have overwhelmed us

Here the enemies of the writer are spoken of as if they were a flood of water that would have drowned the Israelites. AT: "our enemies would have overwhelmed us" (See: Metaphor)

the raging waters would have drowned us

Here the enemies of the writer are spoken of as if they were a raging river that would have drowned the Israelites. AT: "our enemies would have destroyed us" (See: Metaphor)

translationWords

water

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

illness Heb. נחלה, expression of illness (חלי).

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.