Albert Barnes Commentary Psalms 124

If it had not been the Lord who was on our side - Unless it was Yahweh who was with us. The idea is that someone had been with them and had delivered them, and that such was the nature of the intervention that it could be ascribed to no one but Yahweh. It bore unmistakable evidence that it was his work. The deliverance was of such a kind that it could have been accomplished by him only. Such things often occur in life, when the intervention in our behalf is so remarkable that we can ascribe it to no one else but God.

Now may Israel say - May well and truly say. The danger was so great, their helplessness was so manifest, and the deliverance was so clearly the work of God, that it was proper to say that if this had not occurred, ruin would have been inevitable and entire.

If it had not been the Lord who was on our side - Repeating the idea, since the mind was full of it, and carrying the thought forward. This is one of the instances of an ascent of thought in these psalms, from which it has been supposed that the title “Songs of Degrees” was given to this collection. See, however, Introduction to Psalms 120:1-7.

When men rose up against us - When we were assailed by our enemies. On what occasion this occurred, it is now impossible to determine.

Then they had swallowed us up quick — There was no other help, and ruin—utter ruin—would have soon come upon us. The word 'quick' here means alive. This idea is derived from persons being swallowed up in an earthquake or by the opening of the earth, as in the case of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram (Numbers 16:32–33). Compare to Psalm 106:17. The meaning here is that they would have been destroyed as if they were swallowed up by the opening of the earth; that is, there would have been complete destruction.

When their wrath was kindled against us — Hebrew, In the kindling of their wrath against us. Wrath is often represented in the Scriptures as burning or heated—as that which consumes all before it.

Then the waters had overwhelmed us - Our destruction would have been as if the waves of the ocean had overwhelmed us.

The stream had gone over our soul - The torrent would have swept us away. Compare Psalms 18:4 and Psalms 18:16.

Then the proud waters had gone over our soul—Over us. The word 'proud' here is applied to the waters as if raging, swelling, rolling, tumultuous; as if they were self-confident, arrogant, haughty.

Such raging billows, as they break and dash upon the shore, are a striking emblem of human passions, whether in an individual, or in a gathering of men—as an army or a mob. .

This is again an amplification, or an ascent of thought. (See the notes at Psalms 124:2). It is, however, nothing more than a poetical embellishment, adding intensity to the expression.