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By William Van Zyl
Published on 18 February 2026.
It is 1652. In Edinburgh, a remarkable scene unfolds—the scene echoes the spirit of Psalm 124. King David’s unwavering gratitude is duplicated in Scotland. The huge crown is singing. But why are they singing? Listen to what they are singing at the end of this article.
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Here is the true story in a nutshell. Previously, a faithful minister of the gospel, John Durie, had been imprisoned for his convictions. His preaching had stirred opposition. His faith had provoked resistance. Yet prison walls cannot silence the purposes of God.
IMAGE: John Dury (born 1596, Edinburgh, Scot.—died Sept. 26, 1680, Kassel, Hesse-Kassel [Germany]) was a Scottish Protestant clergyman who was a leading advocate of the union of the Lutheran and Reformed churches. Credit: Britannica.
Image: Canongate Kirk. A kirkyard is a Scottish term for a churchyard, referring to the consecrated grounds surrounding a church (or “kirk”) that is used as a graveyard. These historic burial sites, common in Scotland and parts of Northern England, often date back to the Middle Ages and are typically located immediately adjacent to the place of worship. “One of the many kirkyards in Edinburgh, but worth a visit. Unfortunately, the Kirk was closed when we visited. The kirkyard, however, was open for visitors and proved to be a nice place to take beautiful photographs.” Credit: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g186525-d519681-Reviews-Canongate_Kirk-Edinburgh_Scotland.html
When Durie was finally released, around two hundred friends gathered to meet him. They did not come in silence. They came singing.
Their song was Psalm 124—David’s great anthem of deliverance:
“If it had not been the Lord who was on our side, now may Israel say…” (Psalm 124, KJV)
As they moved up the long High Street of Edinburgh, their number swelled. Two hundred became five hundred. Five hundred became a thousand. By the time they reached the upper part of the city, nearly two thousand voices were lifted in unison, praising God for deliverance.
The sight—and especially the sound—was overwhelming.
The chief persecutor, who had sought to silence the minister, was reportedly alarmed at the thunder of thanksgiving rolling through the streets. It was not merely a crowd. It was a declaration:
“Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.” (Psalm 124:8, KJV)
Scottish hymn writer Horatius Bonar later cited this powerful moment (as recorded by Charles Spurgeon) as an example of triumphant praise rising out of persecution.
When Deliverance Demands a Song
Psalm 124 is not a quiet psalm. It is not reflective in tone. It is explosive with gratitude.
David looks back at danger—overwhelming danger. He speaks of enemies rising up, waters overwhelming, a flood sweeping the soul away. Yet the psalm is not about fear. It is about rescue.
It begins with reflection:
“If it had not been the Lord…”
It ends with a declaration:
“Our help is in the name of the Lord.”
In Edinburgh’s High Street, that ancient psalm became a living testimony. The people were not merely singing Scripture; they were embodying it. Like David, they recognised that survival, freedom, and restoration come from God alone.
Gratitude as Public Witness
What strikes me most about this story is that Thanksgiving was not private.
Durie and his friends could have gathered in a quiet room and whispered thanks. Instead, they sang through the city. Their gratitude became public theology. Their praise became a proclamation.
Psalm 124 teaches us that when God delivers, we must say so.
David does not keep silent. He invites the nation:
“Now may Israel say…”
Gratitude, in Scripture, is communal. It gathers others. It multiplies. It strengthens faith in those who hear it.
Just as two hundred became two thousand in Edinburgh, thanksgiving grows when it is voiced.
The Alarm of the Oppressor
There is something profoundly powerful about a people who sing after suffering.
The persecutor could imprison a pastor—but he could not imprison praise.
He could attempt to silence preaching—but he could not silence thanksgiving.
Psalm 124 contains a beautiful image:
“Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers: the snare is broken, and we are escaped.” (Psalm 124:7, KJV)
That is the sound that echoed through Edinburgh. The sound of a snare broken. The sound of a bird released. The sound of a people who knew their help came from the Lord.
And that sound unsettled the powers of the day.
Giving Thanks Like David
David’s gratitude is specific. He remembers what might have happened. He reflects on what almost was. Then he blesses the Lord.
“Blessed be the Lord…”
True thanksgiving is not vague positivity. It is rooted in real deliverance. It looks honestly at danger—and then confidently at God’s saving hand.
In our own lives, we may not walk up a Scottish High Street with thousands singing behind us. But we have our own prisons, our own snares, our own waters that threaten to overwhelm.
And if we are honest, we too can say:
“If it had not been the Lord…”
Our Help Is in the Name of the Lord
The story from Edinburgh reminds us that thanksgiving is not optional—it is essential. It is the natural response of the redeemed. It is the anthem of the delivered.
When God sets His people free, a song follows.
Like David.
Like Durie.
Like the two thousand in the High Street.
May we be a people who give thanks openly, boldly, and joyfully.
“Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.” (Psalm 124:8, KJV).
Video: Singing of the psalm:
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Copyright © 2026 by William Van Zyl
Singing crowd grows unexpectedly from 200 to 2000 in Edinburgh: Prisoner John Durie is the focus.
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without the publisher’s permission, except for using brief quotations in a book review.
Published by Five House Publishing (New Zealand)
First Publishing, February 2026
More eBooks and articles are available at https://fivehousepublishing.com/
More about the author at http://williamvanzyl.com/
