I have so many, but one of my favorite psalms is Psalm 124, which is especially current during this war. As a Song of Ascent, it is attributed to David, expressing gratitude to God for delivering Israel from overwhelming dangers:
1 If the LORD had not been on our side—
let Israel now declare—
2 if the LORD had not been on our side
when men attacked us,
3 when their anger flared against us,
then they would have swallowed us alive,
4 then the floods would have engulfed us,
then the torrent would have overwhelmed us,
5 then the raging waters
would have swept us away.
6 Blessed be the LORD,
who has not given us as prey to their teeth.
7 We have escaped like a bird from the snare of the fowler;
the net is torn, and we have slipped away.
8 Our help is in the name of the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
The psalm describes Israel’s survival against enemies, using vivid imagery like a bird escaping a snare, symbolic of cunning traps set, such as political or military schemes. The psalm emphasizes that without God’s intervention, Israel would have been annihilated—something Israel’s current enemies are bloodthirsty to do.
The 11th-century commentator Rashi connected the psalm to historical deliverances, such as Israel’s escape from Egypt or survival during the Babylonian exile. He interpreted “If not for the LORD” as Israel’s survival against overwhelming odds as miraculous, not due to their own strength.
The Midrash suggests the psalm reflects Israel’s deliverance from multiple enemies across history, including Pharaoh, Amalek and later oppressors. It frames the imagery of the “snare” as a metaphor for plots by nations like Edom or Rome to trap Israel, with God breaking the trap.
Modern commentators such as Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch view the psalm as timeless, applicable to any moment when Jews face persecution. Amen!
In the 4th to 5th Century, in his Expositions on the Psalms, Augustine of Hippo interpreted Psalm 124 as a celebration of God’s protection of the Church from persecution. He saw the “floods” and “snare” as symbols of Satan’s attacks or heretical movements, with God as the Church’s deliverer. In the same time period Cyril of Alexandria applied the psalm to the Church, seeing it as a prophetic hymn of Christ’s victory over death and Satan. The theological views of these Church fathers laid groundwork for replacement theology (supersessionism). While we Christians can draw spiritual applications, we must always acknowledge that the psalms belong to the Jews and to Israel.
As Jerusalem Bible teacher Derek Prince of blessed memory used to quip, “With due respect to the people who say, ‘Don’t confuse me with the facts,’ you cannot fully understand the Bible unless you know something about Israel.” Derek said that Israel is like the top button on a man’s shirt. If you don’t button the top button in the right place, all the other buttons will be out of order.
My own way of commenting on the times is this:
It’s impossible to understand the Bible if you don’t have an understanding of “Israelology.”
What is Israelology?
It’s the theological study of what the Bible teaches about Israel, focusing on its role, significance, and future in God’s plan. Popularized by Bible scholar Arnold Fruchtenbaum, Israelology emphasizes a distinct biblical view of Israel as a nation and people, rejecting replacement theology (the idea that the Church has replaced Israel). It explores Israel’s covenant relationship with God, its history, and its prophetic future. Israelology also fosters respect for Jewish people and counters antisemitism by highlighting Israel’s enduring role in Scripture.
Bible teacher Chuck Missler of blessed memory popularized the word “Israelology—” or at least that’s the first time I heard it used— saying that Christian seminaries teach on everything from the Bible to ecclesiology and Christology but totally miss the boat by not teaching Israelology.
I so agree.
The word “Israel” appears approximately 2,570 times in the Hebrew Bible based on standard English translations like the King James Version. This count includes references to the patriarch Jacob (renamed Israel), the nation and related terms.
In the New Testament Israel occurs 79 times and never once is it a description of the Church! The word Jew occurs 84 times in the New Testament. But the word Christian occurs only three times in the New Testament.
Many of my mentors in Jerusalem such as Derek Prince and Lance Lambert of blessed memory always pointed out the uniqueness of Israel as stated by David in 1 Chronicles 17:21. In fact one of Lance’s many books is entitled, The Uniqueness of Israel.
The apostle Paul emphatically stated in Romans 9: 4-5 eight distinctive features that apply exclusively to Israel and the Jews. This important New Testament passage lists Israel’s unique qualities as follows:
To them belong the adoption (as God’s chosen people).
To them belong the glory (God’s presence, such as the Shekinah).
To them belong the covenants (e.g., Abrahamic, Mosaic, Davidic). All the covenants in the Bible, including the New Covenant, were made with Israel except covenants made prior to Israel becoming a nation.
To them belong the giving of the law (the Torah given at Sinai).
To them belong the worship (the Temple service and sacrificial system).
To them belong the promises (God’s prophetic promises to Israel).
To them belong the patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, etc.).
To them belong the human ancestry of Jesus, (who came from Israel according to the flesh, not through any other people and certainly not the Palestinians!).
If I may, I might add:
To them belong the Scriptures (as scribes and custodians).
Jesus himself made a distinctive statement about the Jewish people in John 4:22, when he was speaking to a Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well:
“You [Samaritans] worship what you do not know; We [Jews] know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews.” Derek Prince used to say that those were five breathtaking words, —“salvation is of the Jews,” or as one translation renders it, “salvation proceeds from the Jews.”
Therefore, I as a former gentile owe my salvation to the Jewish people. Without them there would be no Bible, no patriarchs, no prophets, no apostles and no Savior.
The Church had better right itself! We must appreciate and protect the Jewish people in this hour!
To contact Christine Darg, visit www.JerusalemChannel.TV
