Psalms

Psalm 124:1–5

¹A song of ascents. Of David.

If the LORD had not been on our side—

let Israel now declare—

²if the LORD had not been on our side

when men attacked us,

³when their anger flared against us,

then they would have swallowed us alive,

⁴then the floods would have engulfed us,

then the torrent would have overwhelmed us,

⁵then the raging waters

would have swept us away.

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
A song	שִׁ֥יר	šîr	Noun - masculine singular construct	H7892 song
of ascents	הַֽמַּעֲל֗וֹת	ham·ma·‘ă·lō·wṯ	Article; Noun - feminine plural	H4609 what comes up
Of David	לְדָ֫וִ֥ד	lə·ḏā·wiḏ	Preposition-l; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H1732 David
If the LORD	יְ֭הוָה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
had not	לוּלֵ֣י	lū·lê	Conjunction	H3884 if not, unless
been	שֶׁהָ֣יָה	še·hā·yāh	Pronoun - relative; Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
on our side	לָ֑נוּ	lā·nū	Preposition; first person common plural
let Israel	יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃	yiś·rā·’êl	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3478 Israel
now	נָ֝א	nā	Interjection	H4994 I (we) pray, now
declare	יֹֽאמַר־	yō·mar-	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
if the LORD	יְ֭הוָה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
had not	לוּלֵ֣י	lū·lê	Conjunction	H3884 if not, unless
been	שֶׁהָ֣יָה	še·hā·yāh	Pronoun - relative; Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
on our side	לָ֑נוּ	lā·nū	Preposition; first person common plural
when men	אָדָֽם׃	’ā·ḏām	Noun - masculine singular	H120 man, mankind
attacked	בְּק֖וּם	bə·qūm	Preposition-b; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H6965 arise, stand up, stand
us	עָלֵ֣ינוּ	‘ā·lê·nū	Preposition; first person common plural	H5921 height

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
when their anger	אַפָּ֣ם	’ap·pām	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine plural	H639 nostril, nose, face, anger
flared	בַּחֲר֖וֹת	ba·ḥă·rō·wṯ	Preposition-b; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H2734 burn, be kindled
against us	בָּֽנוּ׃	bā·nū	Preposition; first person common plural
then	אֲ֭זַי	’ă·zay	Adverb	H233 then, in that case
they would have swallowed us	בְּלָע֑וּנוּ	bə·lā·‘ū·nū	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural; first person common plural	H1104 swallow down, swallow up, engulf
alive	חַיִּ֣ים	ḥay·yîm	Noun - masculine plural	H2416 alive, living

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
then	אֲ֭זַי	’ă·zay	Adverb	H233 then, in that case
the floods	הַמַּ֣יִם	ham·ma·yim	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H4325 water, juice, urine
would have engulfed us	שְׁטָפ֑וּנוּ	šə·ṭā·p̄ū·nū	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural; first person common plural	H7857 overflow, rinse or wash off
the torrent	נַ֗֜חְלָה	naḥ·lå̄h	Noun - masculine singular; third person feminine singular	H5158 torrent, torrent-valley, wady
would have overwhelmed	עָבַ֥ר	‘ā·ḇar	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H5674 pass over, through, by, pass on
us	נַפְשֵֽׁנוּ׃	nap̄·šê·nū	Noun - feminine singular construct; first person common plural	H5315 soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
then	אֲ֭זַי	’ă·zay	Adverb	H233 then, in that case
the raging	הַזֵּֽידוֹנִֽים׃	haz·zê·ḏō·w·nîm	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H2121 insolent, raging
waters	הַ֝מַּ֗יִם	ham·ma·yim	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H4325 water, juice, urine
would have swept us away	עָבַ֣ר	‘ā·ḇar	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H5674 pass over, through, by, pass on