서론
Psalm 124 Introduction
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영문 원문
This psalm, one of the "Songs of Degrees," is, like Psalm 122:1-9, ascribed to David. See the Introductory Notes to that psalm. There is nothing in the one before us to render it improbable that it was composed by him, but it is now impossible to ascertain on what occasion it was written. It would be appropriate to be sung on the return from Babylon, and there is no improbability in the supposition that it may have been used on that occasion. But there is nothing in it to prove that it was composed then, or to make it applicable to that occasion alone. Very many were the occasions in the Jewish history when such a psalm was applicable; very many have been the occasions in the history of the Christian church; very many, also, in the lives of individual believers.
The idea in the psalm is, that deliverance from trouble and danger is to be ascribed wholly to God; that the people of God are often in such circumstances that there is no human help for them, and that the praise of theft deliverance is due to God alone.
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Psalm 124:1
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「若不是耶和華幫助我們」——若不是耶和華與我們同在。這裏的思想是：曾有一位與他們同在，並拯救了他們；而這干預的性質如此，只能歸之於耶和華，別無他人。它帶著不容誤認的證據，表明那是他的作為。這拯救屬於唯有他才能成就的那一類。人生中常有這樣的事：為我們所作的介入如此非凡，以至我們只能將它歸於神，別無他人。
「以色列人要說」——可以合宜而真實地這樣說。危險如此之大，他們的無助如此明顯，拯救又如此清楚是神的作為，以致有理由說：這事若沒有發生，毀滅便不可避免、無可挽回。
영문 원문
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 interposition that it could be ascribed to no one but Yahweh. It bore unmistakeable 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.
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Psalm 124:2
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「若不是耶和華幫助我們」——重複這意念，因為心中滿了它，並把這思想推向前。這是這些詩篇中思想遞升的例子之一；有人以為「上行之詩」這標題就是由此而賦予這集合的。然而，試參 Psalm 120:1-7 的緒論。
「當人起來攻擊我們」——當我們被仇敵攻擊的時候。這事發生在什麼場合，如今已無法確定。
영문 원문
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 Psalm 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.
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Psalm 124:3
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「就把我們活活地吞了」——別無幫助，毀滅——徹底的毀滅——必快快臨到我們。「活活」一詞在此指活着；這觀念取自被地震吞沒、或被裂開之地吞沒的人，如可拉、大坍、亞比蘭的事例（Numbers 16:32-33）。比較 Psalm 106:17。此處的意思是：他們必被毀滅，如同被裂開的地吞沒一般；就是說，必是徹底的毀滅。
「向我們發怒的時候」——希伯來文作「在他們向我們燃起怒氣之時」。在聖經中，怒氣常被描繪為燃燒或燒熱——如烈火吞滅面前的一切。
영문 원문
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; and the idea is derived from persons 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 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.
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Psalm 124:4
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「那時，波濤必漫過我們」——我們的毀滅，必如海洋的波浪漫過我們一般。
「河水必淹沒我們」——洪流必把我們沖去。參 Psalm 18:4；Psalm 18:16。
영문 원문
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 Psalm 18:4, Psalm 18:16.
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Psalm 124:5
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「狂傲的水必淹沒我們」——意即漫過我們。這裏「狂傲的」一語是用來形容水，彷彿水在怒吼、膨脹、翻滾、激盪；彷彿它們自恃、傲慢、驕橫。這樣怒吼的波濤在岸邊破碎、拍擊之時，正是人的激烈情緒的鮮明表徵——無論是在個人裏面，或在眾人的聚集中，如軍隊或暴民。比較 Psalm 65:7。這又是一種鋪陳，是思想的層層遞升。見 Psalm 124:2 的註釋。然而，這不過是為表達增添強度的詩意修飾而已。
영문 원문
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 embIem of human passions, whether in an individual, or in a gathering of men - as an army, or a mob. Compare Psalm 65:7. This is again an amplification, or an ascent of thought. See the notes at Psalm 124:2. It is, however, nothing more than a poetical embellisment, adding intensity to the expression.
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Psalm 124:6
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耶和華是應當稱頌的——願耶和華受讚美；或者說：我們既已蒙拯救脫離這些災禍，就有理由稱頌耶和華。
他沒有把我們當獵物交給他們的牙齒——這裏意象改換了，但意念依然保留。如今的意象，是被野獸毀滅——這是並不亞於洪水氾濫之毀滅的可怖形式。這種意象的轉換，在詩篇中、在一切富於情感的詩歌中，不斷出現。心中充滿一個主題；在急速的思緒中湧現出許多例證；心思便抓住這一個、又抓住那一個，以最適於表達靈魂情感的為準。下一節便提供了這種突然轉換的另一個例子。
영문 원문
Blessed be the Lord - The Lord be praised; or, We have reason to praise the Lord because we have been delivered from these calamities.
Who hath not given us as a prey to their teeth - The figure is here changed, though the same idea is retained. The imago is now that of destruction by wild beasts - a form of destruction not less fearful than that which comes from overflowing waters. Such changes of imagery constantly occur in the Book of Psalms, and in impassioned poetry everywhere. The mind is full of a subject; numerous illustrations occur in the rapidity of thought; and the mind seizes upon one and then upon another as best suited to express the emotions of the soul. The next verse furnishes another instance of this sudden transition.
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Psalm 124:7
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「我們的性命逃脫了」——我們已經逃脫；我們的性命得了保全。
「好像雀鳥從捕鳥人的網羅裏逃脫」——是因網羅或陷阱斷裂而得以逃脫。雀鳥被纏住了，但網破了，鳥就逃脫。見 Psalm 91:3 的註釋。
「網羅破裂……」——那網羅不夠堅固，拘不住掙扎的雀鳥，被擄的鳥便掙脫了。我們也照樣似乎已被困住。仇敵看似已將我們完全掌握在他權下，但逃脫之路臨到了我們，正如雀鳥發現網羅突然破裂、自己重獲自由時所得的逃脫一樣。
영문 원문
Our soul is escaped - We have escaped; our life has been preserved.
As a bird out of the snare of the fowlers - By the breaking of the snare, or the gin. The bird is entangled, but the net breaks, and the bird escapes. See the notes at Psalm 91:3.
The snare is broken ... - It was not strong enough to retain the struggling bird, and the captive broke away. So we seemed to be caught. The enemy appeared to have us entirely in his power, but escape came to us as it does to the bird when it finds the net suddenly break, and itself again at large.
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Psalm 124:8
繁體中文
「我們得幫助，是在乎倚靠耶和華的名」 — 是在於主；在於偉大的雅巍（Yahweh）。見 Psalm 121:2。
「造天地」 — 指偉大的創造者；獨一的真神。我們屢次蒙拯救的經歷，都引領我們歸向他。這樣的拯救唯獨能歸於他。它不可能出於我們自己；不可能出於我們的同類；不可能出於天使；也不可能出於任何或一切受造之物。在人生之中，當我們從危險中蒙拯救時，常能感受到這一點；當我們想到自己靈魂的救贖時，我們總是可以、也應當感受到這一點。那是一項我們自己永遠無法成就的工作；是我們的同類無法為我們成全的；是沒有任何天使能作成的；是全受造界聯合起來也無法促成的；唯有那位「造天地」的——那位創造萬有的——才能成就。見 Colossians 1:13-17。
영문 원문
Our help is in the name of the Lord - In the Lord; in the great Yahweh. See Psalm 121:2.
Who made heaven and earth - The great Creator; the true God. Our deliverances have led us up to him. They are such as can be ascribed to him alone. They could not have come from ourselves; from our fellow-men; from angels; from any or all created beings. Often in life, when delivered from danger, we may feel this; we always may feel this, and should feel this, when we think of the redemption of our souls. That is a work which we of ourselves could never have performed; which could not have been done for us by our fellow-men; which no angel could have accomplished; which all creation combined could not have worked out; which could have been effected by no one but by him who "made heaven and earth;" by him who created all things. See Colossians 1:13-17.
本篇是「上行之詩」之一，與 Psalm 122:1-9 一樣歸於大衛。參見該篇的導論註釋。我們眼前的這一篇，沒有任何東西使它不可能出於他的手筆；但如今已無法查明它寫於甚麼場合。它適合在自巴比倫歸回之時歌唱，設想它可能用於那場合，也並非不合理。但詩中沒有任何東西證明它寫於那時，或使它只適用於那場合。在猶太人的歷史中，有許許多多這樣的詩篇適用的場合；在基督教會的歷史中，也有過許許多多；在個別信徒的生活中，同樣有許許多多。
本篇的意念乃是：從患難與危險中得蒙拯救，當完全歸於神；神的百姓常處於無人能助的境況，而他們得救的讚美，惟獨當歸給神。