서론
Psalm 124 Introduction
英文原文
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.
1
Psalm 124:1
若不是耶和华帮助我们——除非那与我们同在的是雅威 Yahweh。这里的思想是：曾有一位与他们同在，并搭救了他们，而这介入的性质如此，只能归功于雅威。它带有不可否认的证据，表明这是祂的作为。这拯救属于唯有祂才能成就的那一种。人生中常有这样的情形：那为我们的介入如此非凡，以致我们不能把它归给神以外的任何人。
以色列人要说——可以合宜而真实地说。危险如此之大，他们的无助如此明显，拯救又如此清楚是神的作为，以致可以说：若这事没有发生，毁灭就必无可避免、无可挽回。
英文原文
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.
2
Psalm 124:2
若不是耶和华帮助我们——重复这一观念，因为心中满了它，并将这思想继续向前推进。这是这些诗篇中思想层层上升的实例之一，有人据此推想，本诗集便是因此得了"上行之诗"的标题。然而，参见 Psalm 120:1-7 的序言。
当人起来攻击我们——当我们遭受仇敌攻击的时候。这事究竟发生于什么场合，如今已无法查明。
英文原文
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.
3
Psalm 124:3
“就把我们活活地吞了”——那时再无别的帮助，毁灭——彻底的毁灭——很快就会临到我们。这里译作“活活地”（quick）一词意为“活着”；这个观念来自被地震吞灭的人，或被裂开的地开口吞没的人，如可拉、大坍、亚比兰一案。见 Numbers 16:32-33；并参 Psalm 106:17。这里的意思是：他们本会被毁灭，如同被裂开的地吞没一般；也就是说，那将是彻底的毁灭。
“向我们发怒的时候”——希伯来文作“在他们的怒气向我们焚烧的时候”。在圣经中，怒气常被描绘为燃烧或烧热——仿佛把面前的一切都烧尽。
英文原文
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.
4
Psalm 124:4
那时，波涛必漫过我们——我们的毁灭，就会像洪海的波涛漫过我们一样。
河水必淹没我们——激流本会把我冲去。参 Psalm 18:4, Psalm 18:16。
英文原文
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.
5
Psalm 124:5
狂傲的水必淹没我们——即漫过我们。这里的“狂傲”一词用于形容水，仿佛它们怒吼、翻腾、翻滚、汹涌；仿佛它们自信满满、傲慢、狂妄。这样狂怒的巨浪拍岸碎裂、迎面冲击之时，正是人间激愤的生动象征——无论在个人心中，还是在人群聚集——如军队或暴徒——之中。比较 Psalm 65:7。这又是一种铺张，或思想的递进。参 Psalm 124:2 的注释。然而，这不过是诗意的修饰，为表达增添力量罢了。
英文原文
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.
6
Psalm 124:6
耶和华是应当称颂的——即愿耶和华受赞美；或者说，我们既有理由赞美耶和华，因为我们已蒙拯救脱离这些灾殃。
他没有把我们当野食交给他们吞吃——比喻在这里换了，虽然观念保持不变。现在的意象是被野兽毁灭——这是一种不比洪水泛滥更不可怕的毁灭形式。这类意象的变换在诗篇中处处出现，在一切热情洋溢的诗中也是如此。心灵充满了一个主题；思绪急速流转之际浮现无数例证；心灵先抓住这一个、再抓住那一个，看哪个最能表达灵魂的情感。下一节提供了这种突然转换的又一个例证。
英文原文
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.
7
Psalm 124:7
我们逃脱了——我们已经逃脱；我们的性命得以保全。
好像雀鸟，从捕鸟人的网罗里——即借着网罗或机关的破裂。鸟被缠住，但网破了，鸟就逃脱。见 Psalm 91:3 的注释。
网罗破裂，我们逃脱了……——那网罗不够坚固，扣不住挣扎的鸟，被擒的鸟挣脱而去。我们也是这样，仿佛曾被捉住。仇敌似乎已把我们完全掌握在他权下，但逃脱之路向我们敞开，正如鸟发现网突然破裂、自己重获自由时那样。
英文原文
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.
8
Psalm 124:8
我们得帮助，是在乎耶和华的名——即在乎主，在乎伟大的耶和华。见 Psalm 121:2。
造天地的——即伟大的创造主，真神。我们所得的拯救引领我们归向他。这些拯救唯独可以归于他。它们不可能出于我们自己，不可能出于我们的同胞，不可能出于天使，也不可能出于任何或所有受造之物。在人生中，当我们从危险中获救时，常能感受到这一点；当我们想到自己灵魂的救赎时，我们总是可以、也应当感受到这一点。那是一件我们自己永远无法成就的工作；是我们的同胞无法替我们完成的；是任何天使都无法做到的；是全体受造之物合力也无法达成的；唯独那位“造天地”的、创造万物的主才能成就。见 Colossians 1:13-17。
英文原文
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.
本诗是"上行之诗"之一，像 Psalm 122:1-9 一样归于大卫。参见那篇诗的引言。我们眼前的这诗中，没有任何使它不大可能出于他手的内容；但如今已无法查明它写于何种场合。它适合在从巴比伦归回之时歌唱；假定它可能用于那场合，也无不妥。但其中没有任何东西证明它写于那时，也没有任何东西使它唯独适用于那场合。犹太历史中适用这样一篇诗的场合非常多；基督教会的历史中也非常多；个别信徒的生平中也是如此。
本诗的观念是：从患难和危险中蒙拯救，当完全归于神；神的子民常处于无人能助的境地，而他们蒙拯救的赞美唯独属于神。