1<A Song of the going up. Of David.> If it had not been the Lord who was on our side (let Israel now say); 2If it had not been the Lord who was on our side, when men came up against us; 3They would have made a meal of us while still living, in the heat of their wrath against us: 4We would have been covered by the waters; the streams would have gone over our soul; 5Yes, the waters of pride would have gone over our soul. 6Praise be to the Lord, who has not let us be wounded by their teeth. 7Our soul has gone free like a bird out of the net of those who would take her: the net is broken, and we are free. 8Our help is in the name of the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth.
Matthew Henry's Commentary
The deliverance of the church. (1-5) Thankfulness for the deliverance. (6-8) 1-5 God suffers the enemies of his people sometimes to prevail very far against them, that his power may be seen the more in their deliverance. Happy the people whose God is Jehovah, a God all-sufficient. Besides applying this to any particular deliverance wrought in our days and the ancient times, we should have in our thoughts the great work of redemption by Jesus Christ, by which believers were rescued from Satan. 6-8 God is the Author of all our deliverances, and he must have the glory. The enemies lay snares for God's people, to bring them into sin and trouble, and to hold them there. Sometimes they seem to prevail; but in the Lord let us put our trust, and we shall not be put to confusion. The believer will ascribe all the honour of his salvation, to the power, mercy, and truth of God, and look back with wonder and thanksgiving on the way in which the Lord has led him. Let us rejoice that our help for the time to come is in him who made heaven and earth.