We have escaped like a bird from the snare of the fowlers; the snare is broken, and we have escaped!
English Standard Version (ESV)
The repetition of "we have escaped" isn't just emphasizing relief; it highlights the sheer wonder that we—the weak and seemingly doomed—are the ones who got away, not by our own cleverness, but because the snare itself was miraculously broken. It captures that breathless astonishment when you realize you've just narrowly dodged something terrible, acknowledging that rescue was entirely out of your hands.
We have escaped like a bird from the snare of the fowlers; the snare is broken, and we have escaped!
English Standard Version (ESV)
This psalm is a song of thanksgiving, celebrating a miraculous deliverance from overwhelming danger. The psalmist recounts how close they came to complete destruction, like being swallowed alive by a raging flood, only to have God intervene. This verse continues the theme of sudden, improbable escape, comparing their vulnerability to a bird caught in a hunter's trap, which has now been miraculously broken.
Imagine the panic – a tiny bird, wings beating wildly, trapped and helpless. This vivid image speaks volumes about our own moments of desperate need.
The imagery of a bird caught in a fowler's snare is powerful because it highlights extreme vulnerability. The bird is weak, easily outmaneuvered, and utterly dependent on something external for freedom. It's a picture of the people of God facing overwhelming opposition, where human strength and wisdom are completely insufficient. The 'snare' represents the cunning traps and schemes of enemies, designed to capture and destroy. Like the bird, we can find ourselves caught in situations that feel inescapable, leaving us trembling and helpless.
It wasn't just luck; it was a divine intervention that shattered the trap. Discover the power of a God who breaks the unbreakable.
The crucial element in the bird's escape isn't its own effort, but the 'snare is broken.' This points to an active, powerful force intervening. For the psalmist, this force is God. The deliverance wasn't achieved by the bird's strength or cunning, but by the sudden, inexplicable shattering of the trap. This emphasizes that God's rescue is often sudden and decisive, not gradual. He doesn't just loosen the snare; He breaks it, rendering the enemy's efforts completely futile. It’s a reminder that even when our circumstances seem hopelessly entangled, God has the power to shatter the bonds that hold us.
Who gets the credit for such an impossible escape? The answer points to a power that dwarfs all others.
Ask a follow-up
The psalm culminates not in self-congratulation, but in praise directed to 'the LORD' and ultimately to 'the Name of Jehovah, who made heaven and earth.' This is the core theological insight: the escape was not due to human effort, cleverness, or even the victim's own strength, but entirely to God's sovereign power and faithfulness. By invoking His name as Creator, the psalm declares that the One who brought the universe into being is the same One who intervenes in history to rescue His people. No enemy's snare, no matter how complex or threatening, can stand against the God who holds all of creation in His hand. Our ultimate security and hope lie not in our own ability to escape, but in His powerful Name.
Understand the original words
nimlatnu · Hebrew Verb
To slip away from danger, bondage, or destruction; it implies divine deliverance where the subject is rescued from a situation they could not overcome on their own.
moqesh · Hebrew Noun
A trap or device used for ensnaring; metaphorically representing deceitful plots, hidden dangers, or the entrapment set by wicked individuals to destroy the righteous.
yaqush · Hebrew Noun
One who traps birds; often used metaphorically for enemies who use cunning, deceit, or ambush to entrap others.
This Psalm vividly captures the relief and astonishment of a people escaping utter destruction. The imagery of a bird freed from a fowler's snare powerfully conveys their vulnerability and miraculous deliverance, likely echoing the perilous journey and challenges faced by the Jewish returnees from Babylonian exile, especially during the rebuilding efforts under Nehemiah.
c. 586 BC
Destruction of Jerusalem and Babylonian Exile
The Babylonian Empire, under Nebuchadnezzar II, destroys Jerusalem and its Temple, exiling a significant portion of the Jewish population. This marks a profound national catastrophe and a loss of homeland.
c. 539 BC
Cyrus the Great's Conquest of Babylon
The Persian Empire, led by Cyrus the Great, conquers the Neo-Babylonian Empire. This geopolitical shift creates an opportunity for exiled peoples, including the Jews, to return to their homelands.
c. 538 BC
Edict of Cyrus allowing Jewish return
Cyrus issues a decree permitting the Jewish exiles to return to Jerusalem and rebuild their Temple. This marks the beginning of the return journey and the restoration of Jewish religious life.
c. 445-433 BC— this verse
Nehemiah's return and Temple reconstruction
Nehemiah, cupbearer to the Persian king, returns to Jerusalem to oversee the rebuilding of the city walls. This period faced significant opposition from surrounding peoples, testing the resolve of the returning exiles.
This verse uses a similar tender image of God calling His people, referring to them as 'my son' and recalling how He 'called them from Egypt.' It echoes the sentiment of a loving protector guiding a vulnerable entity out of danger.
Proverbs 6:5This passage also uses the metaphor of a bird and a snare, but with a cautionary tone, advising one to 'deliver yourself like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the snare of the fowler.' It highlights the peril and helplessness implied in being caught in a trap.
Luke 11:51Jesus speaks of the blood of prophets being required from 'this generation,' from Abel to Zechariah, who were 'slain between the altar and the sanctuary.' This connects to the theme of deliverance from those who plot destruction and persecution against God's faithful.
Acts 12:11Peter, after being miraculously freed from prison by an angel, realizes 'It is true that the Lord has sent his angel and has rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.' This narrative powerfully illustrates a divine, unexpected escape from a deadly snare, mirroring the Psalmist's praise.
poolePsalms 124:7: "Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers: the snare is broken, and we are escaped."
No text from Poole on this verse.
ellicottPsalms 124:7: "Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers: the snare is broken, and we are escaped."
(7) Snare. —Another rapid transition to a favourite figure, that of the hunter’s net. (Comp. Psalm 10:9 , &c)
The repetition of "we have escaped" isn't just emphasizing relief; it highlights the sheer wonder that we—the weak and seemingly doomed—are the ones who got away, not by our own cleverness, but because the snare itself was miraculously broken. It captures that breathless astonishment when you realize you've just narrowly dodged something terrible, acknowledging that rescue was entirely out of your hands.
This psalm is a song of thanksgiving, celebrating a miraculous deliverance from overwhelming danger. The psalmist recounts how close they came to complete destruction, like being swallowed alive by a raging flood, only to have God intervene. This verse continues the theme of sudden, improbable escape, comparing their vulnerability to a bird caught in a hunter's trap, which has now been miraculously broken.
This psalm is a song of thanksgiving, celebrating a miraculous deliverance from overwhelming danger. The psalmist recounts how close they came to complete destruction, like being swallowed alive by a raging flood, only to have God intervene. This verse continues the theme of sudden, improbable escape, comparing their vulnerability to a bird caught in a hunter's trap, which has now been miraculously broken.
"We have escaped like a bird from the snare of the fowlers; the snare is broken, and we have escaped!" — The repetition of "we have escaped" isn't just emphasizing relief; it highlights the sheer wonder that we—the weak and seemingly doomed—are the ones who got away, not by our own cleverness, but bec…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026