Psalm 124 (Translation)

This is the fifth of fifteen "Songs of Ascent" that I hope to comment on.
And though I don't have comments ready, I want to go ahead and post my translation.
Enjoy this great psalm!

Psalm 124:1-8

Song of Ascents. Of David. If it were not YHWH who was for us--
Come on, Israel. Say it:
If it were not YHWH who was for us when men arose against us:
then they would have swallowed us alive when their anger broke out against us.
then the waters would have washed us away, the stream would have passed over our throats.
then, covering our throats, the raging waters would have passed over.
Blessed be YHWH, who has not given us over as prey to their teeth.
Our lives were like a bird saved from a birdtrap; the birdtrap, catching birds in its snare, was broken, and we have gotten ourselves to safety.
Our help is in the Name of YHWH (His being & power), Maker of heaven and earth.

Psalm 103:3

Psalm 103:3 spoke to me this week. Here's my translation:
But you, Yahweh, are a Shield around me, my Glory, and the Lifter of my head.
The Psalm deals with enemy persecution, and the psalmist is in real danger. My devotional material this year is coming from Celtic Daily Prayer, and I've noticed that the Celtic saints place great emphasis on the need for protection. In their mission efforts, they were out confronting pagan religion, and their lives were often in real danger. Thus we have prayers like "The Breastplate of Saint Patrick," caim prayers, and the like.

This verse, however, just struck me as beautiful. In the midst of an oncoming threat, the psalmist is reminded of the Invisible One who never leaves his side.

• God is a shield around him--he provides protection and is worthy of trust.
• God is his glory--he does not have to worry about his earthly reputation. His identity is secure in God; he has the LORD Himself as his glory! (Why settle for earthly praise?)
• God is the Lifter of his Head. This is one of my favorite images...a loving father gently lifting his downcast child's head, as if to say, "I love you. Daddy's here now, and it's all gonna be OK. I'll never leave you. You can do this, because I am with you." He lifts our spirits, gives us confidence, and reassures us in our weakness.

What a great God, huh? Not only does He provide physical protection, but He provides for our self-image and our feelings, too. He's awesome. Later on in this short psalm is where we get the words for the song you may have sung in a youth group: "I am not afraid of 10,000s of people who have set themselves against me. Arise, arise, deliver me, O my God!" I remember singing this song many times while walking alone through the streets of Sofia, Bulgaria late at night. I was praying for physical protection, but I didn't know about verse 3. Now, I can say this prayer, knowing that He really is my "all in all."

Thank You, Lord.