Psalms 124:1

“If [it had not been] the Lord who was on our side, etc.] Or, “was for us”f1756. The Syriac version is, “that rose up for us”; against their enemies, that rose up against them, as in (<19C302>Psalm 123:2): or, “was with us”, as Kimchi and Ben Melech; to help and assist, support and supply, strengthen and defend: or, “was among us”, as the Arabic version; as their King, Protector, and Saviour. This implies that he was on their side; was for them, with them, and among them, and took their part against their enemies; (see <19B806>Psalm 118:6,7); which if he had not done, their case would have been miserable and deplorable; or if any other had took their part, and not he, let them be who they…”

“To praise for God's favor to His people is added a prayer for its continued manifestation. (Psa 126:1-6) When the Lord, &c.--The joy of those returned from Babylon was ecstatic, and elicited the admiration even of the heathen, as illustrating God's great power and goodness. turned again the captivity--that is, restored from it (Job 39:12; Psa 14:7; Pro 12:14). HENGSTENBERG translates: "When the Lord turned Himself to the turning of Zion" (see Margin), God returns to His people when they return to Him (Deu 30:2-3).”

“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…”

“Ps 124 This thanksgiving song describes what might happen if the Lord were not present with his people. 124:1-2 The negative rhetorical questions emphasize the positive idea that the Lord was indeed on their side.”

“The Lord: Psa 27:1, Psa 46:7, Psa 46:11, Psa 54:4, Psa 56:9, Psa 118:6, Psa 118:7; Exo 15:1; Isa 8:9, Isa 8:10; Rom 8:31; Heb 13:5, Heb 13:6 now may: Psa 129:1 Psalms 124:2”

“It is commonly rendered, "If it had not been Jahve who was for us." But, notwithstanding the subject that is placed first (cf. Gen 23:13), the שׁ belongs to the לוּלי; since in the Aramaizing Hebrew (cf. on the other hand Gen 31:42) לוּלי שׁ (cf. Arab. lawlâ an) signifies nisi (prop. nisi quod), as in the Aramaic (דּ) שׁ (לואי) לוי, o si (prop. o si quod). The אזי, peculiar to this Psalm in the Old Testament, instead of אז follows the model of the dialectic אדין, Arab. iḏan, Syr. hāden (הידין, הדין). In order to begin the apodosis of לוּלי (לוּלא) emphatically the older language makes use of the confirmatory כּי, Gen 31:42; Gen 43:10; here we have אזי (well rendered by the lxx ἄρα), as…”