[Written in October 1801, after the peace agreement between France (Napoleon) and England.]

Psalm 124:1-8

“If the LORD had not been on our side, let Israel say–if the LORD had not been on our side when men attacked us, when their anger flared against us, they would have swallowed us alive; the flood would have engulfed us, the torrent would have swept over us, the raging waters would have swept us away. Praise be to the LORD, who has not let us be torn by their teeth. We have escaped like a bird out of the fowler’s snare; the snare has been broken, and we have escaped. Our help is in the name of the LORD, the Maker of Heaven and earth.”

The Psalmist, after some great deliverance either from foreign enemies or civil insurrection, records, for the instruction and encouragement of the Church in all ages, the goodness of God towards him. The precise occasion on which it was penned, is not known. Instead therefore of dwelling on historical events, which, as applied to the Psalm, must be at best conjectural—we shall take occasion from the Psalm to set before you, in reference to the solemnities of this day,

I. Matter for devout acknowledgment.

To illustrate this, two things are to be considered:

1. Our danger, which, like that alluded to in the Psalm itself, has been imminent. The number of our enemies (like a flood, verse 4, 5.) their inveteracy against us (verse 3.) and the combination of circumstances at the time of the mutiny in the fleet, well illustrate this. Irresistible, what if God had not been so decidedly for us (mark the repetition, verses 1, 2.) in some of our naval engagements? If only half of our victories had terminated as much in favor of the enemy, how different would have been our state, especially when all Europe was combined against us! tremendously torn in pieces (verse 6.) and swallowed up (verse 3-5.).

2. Our deliverance, which, like that which is here celebrated, has been sudden. Our escape is indeed like that of a bird that gets out after having been already caught in the fowler’s net, verse 7; and effectual. Peace is established; and the snare itself (the principles which occasioned the war) is broken, verse 7.

II. Our duty arising from God’s deliverance of us.

This is comprised in two things:

1. Gratitude. The language of all our hearts should be, “Praise be to the LORD, who has not let us be torn by their teeth. We have escaped like a bird out of the fowler’s snare; the snare has been broken, and we have escaped! verses 6 and 7”

2. Trust. We should in all future difficulties hope and trust in God as our almighty Protector! “Our help is in the name of the LORD, the Maker of Heaven and earth! verse 8.

APPLICATION.

However thankful we may be for our national mercies, we must not forget that there is yet more abundant cause for joy on account of our deliverance from sin and Satan, death and Hell, through the mediation and intercession of the Lord Jesus Christ!

Let the greatness of our danger, and the perfection of our deliverance, be the subject of our daily contemplations, that we may trust in Jesus with our whole hearts, and praise him with our whole souls!

Charles Simeon