Psalms 124:4

Key Reflection

In the psalmist's time, being "swallowed up alive" by a hostile force could literally refer to drowning in a flood or being overwhelmed by enemies in a river crossing—a common military tactic of submerging one’s enemies in water. This vivid imagery reflects the psalmist’s recognition that divine intervention was necessary to prevent such dire physical harm and to preserve their community from complete destruction at the hands of their adversaries.