Psalms 124:4
Then the waters had overwhelmed us, the stream had gone over our soul:
Original Language Analysis
הַמַּ֣יִם
the waters
H4325
הַמַּ֣יִם
the waters
Strong's:
H4325
Word #:
2 of 7
water; figuratively, juice; by euphemism, urine, semen
שְׁטָפ֑וּנוּ
had overwhelmed
H7857
שְׁטָפ֑וּנוּ
had overwhelmed
Strong's:
H7857
Word #:
3 of 7
to gush; by implication, to inundate, cleanse; by analogy, to gallop, conquer
נַ֝֗חְלָה
us the stream
H5158
נַ֝֗חְלָה
us the stream
Strong's:
H5158
Word #:
4 of 7
a stream, especially a winter torrent; (by implication) a (narrow) valley (in which a brook runs); also a shaft (of a mine)
עָבַ֥ר
had gone over
H5674
עָבַ֥ר
had gone over
Strong's:
H5674
Word #:
5 of 7
to cross over; used very widely of any transition (literal or figurative; transitive, intransitive, intensive, causative); specifically, to cover (in
Cross References
Revelation 17:15And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.Psalms 69:15Let not the waterflood overflow me, neither let the deep swallow me up, and let not the pit shut her mouth upon me.Isaiah 59:19So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him.
Historical Context
Water imagery would resonate powerfully with people who experienced the Red Sea deliverance (Exodus 14) and Jordan crossing (Joshua 3). Israel's salvation history involved God controlling waters to deliver His people. Conversely, floods represented judgment (Noah) and chaos. The imagery also recalls prophetic descriptions of invading armies as floods (Isaiah 8:7-8; Jeremiah 47:2).
Questions for Reflection
- How does water imagery communicate helplessness differently than the swallowing imagery?
- What does it mean for waters to go 'over our soul' rather than merely threaten physically?
- How does Israel's historical experience of water deliverance (Red Sea, Jordan) shape interpretation of this verse?
- In what ways do believers experience 'overwhelming' circumstances that threaten to drown faith?
- How does baptism imagery in the New Testament connect to this psalm's water symbolism?
Analysis & Commentary
Alternative imagery continues the hypothetical destruction: 'Then the waters had overwhelmed us, the stream had gone over our soul.' Water imagery replaces the swallowing monster metaphor but conveys similar totality of threat. 'Waters overwhelmed' suggests flood, tsunami, or drowning - forces too powerful to resist. The word 'overwhelmed' (Hebrew 'shataph') means to rinse away, overflow, or drown. The parallel 'stream had gone over our soul' emphasizes that destruction would have been personal and complete - the 'soul' (nephesh - whole person) would have been submerged. Water often symbolizes chaos and death in Scripture (Genesis 1:2; Psalm 69:1-2; Jonah 2:3-5). The dual imagery (swallowing and drowning) from verses 3-4 reinforces the message: without God, destruction was certain, total, and imminent from multiple directions.