On Our Side

“What if the LORD had not been on our side? Let all Israel repeat:
What if the LORD had not been on our side when people attacked us?
They would have swallowed us alive in their burning anger.
The waters would have engulfed us; a torrent would have overwhelmed us.
Yes, the raging waters of their fury would have overwhelmed our very lives.

Psalm 124:1–5 (NLT)

Being a Christian doesn’t insulate us from troubles or shield us from the deep and difficult challenges of life. Following Jesus doesn’t exempt us from facing gut‑wrenching realities that can shake our peace or, in some seasons, even threaten our very lives. Israel certainly learned this in the Old Testament. They were God’s people—called to walk with Him—but their obedience wavered. Sometimes they followed faithfully; sometimes they failed dramatically.

That is what makes this Psalm so powerful. It begins with a question that cuts straight to the heart:

“What if the Lord had not been on our side?”

This is a question worth revisiting often. Because storms will come. Heartache, disappointment, and pressure are not abnormalities—they are a normal part of the human condition. But the presence of God makes all the difference. His presence doesn’t always remove the circumstance, but it changes the outcome.

With God on our side:

• We may feel the stinging rain, but we are not washed away.
• We may hear the roar of “raging waters,” but we are not engulfed.
• We may face opposition, but we are never abandoned.

God stands with us in the storm—not always calming the chaos around us but always calming the chaos within us. Israel sang this Psalm as a reminder that His presence is their protection, even when life surges like a flood.

Eugene Peterson captures this beautifully:

“We speak our words of praise in a world that is hellish; we sing our songs of victory in a world where things get messy; we live our joy among people who neither understand nor encourage us.

But the content of our lives is God, not humanity.

We are not scavenging in the dark alleys of the world, poking in its garbage cans for a bare subsistence. We are traveling in the light, toward God who is rich in mercy and strong to save.

It is Christ, not culture, that defines our lives.
It is the help we experience, not the hazards we risk, that shapes our days.”

So, lift your head today and look to Jesus.

No matter what is raging around you, keep your eyes fixed on Him. Sing a song of praise—even when singing feels costly. He is on your side. He sees you. He knows exactly what you’re facing. And He is with you—now, tomorrow, and to the end of the age. He died to give you eternal life, and He lives to walk with you through every moment. Here are the words of a song from the past:

Standing somewhere in the shadows you’ll find Jesus.
He’s the only One who cares and understands.
Standing somewhere in the shadows you will find Him—
and you’ll know Him by the nail prints in His hands!