Psalm 125

The Lord Surrounds His People
A Song of Ascents.

125:1 Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion,
which cannot be moved, but abides forever.
2 As the mountains surround Jerusalem,
so the Lord surrounds his people,
from this time forth and forevermore.
3 For the scepter of wickedness shall not rest
on the land allotted to the righteous,
lest the righteous stretch out
their hands to do wrong.
4 Do good, O Lord, to those who are good,
and to those who are upright in their hearts!
5 But those who turn aside to their crooked ways
the Lord will lead away with evildoers!
Peace be upon Israel!

The psalmist praised God that believers are secure in their salvation and that God will
keep temptation from overwhelming them. However, he cautioned God's people to follow
the Lord faithfully or lose His blessing because they lived as unbelievers do. This psalm
of ascent is a communal song of confidence and a communal lament.398


1. The security of God's people 125:1-3

Believers in Yahweh are as secure in their position as the mountain God had chosen and
established as His special habitation (cf. Rom. 8:31-39). The Lord forever surrounds His
people as a protective army keeping overwhelming forces from defeating them (cf. 1 Cor.
10:13).
"Mount Zion is not the highest peak in the mountain range around
Jerusalem. To its east lies the Mount of Olives, to its north Mount Scopus,
to the west and south are other hills, all of which are higher than Mount
Zion. Surrounded by mountains, Mount Zion was secure, by its natural
defensibility. So the psalmist compares the Lord to the hills around
Jerusalem and the people to Mount Zion."399
God promised not to let wicked authorities overcome the righteous totally. God did
permit Israel's foreign neighbors to oppress and dominate her for periods in her history.

However the promise of verse 3 is that they would never completely and finally defeat
Israel. The NIV translators rendered the last part of verse 3, "For then the righteous might
use their hands to do evil."


2. The choices before God's people 125:4-5

However even though God's people are secure, they have a choice concerning how they
will live. They can be faithful to the Lord or depart from Him and live sinful lives. In
verse 4 the psalmist asked God to bless those of His people who do good and remain
upright in their attitudes and affections. In verse 5 he warned that those believers who did
not follow Him faithfully would suffer a fate similar to that of the wicked. They would
cease to enjoy the privileges of intimate fellowship with Yahweh. For Israel this meant
banishment and captivity as an ultimate punishment. Nevertheless they would never
cease to be His people (vv. 1-3). The psalmist closed by praying for peace on Israel,
which in the context required walking with God.
This psalm makes a distinction that is obvious in the history of Israel. The New
Testament teaches that these principles apply to Christians as well. Those who trust in the
Lord are eternally secure, but they can choose to follow Him faithfully and experience
His blessing or depart from Him and suffer His discipline.

1 cor: 13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

1 thess4:3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; 4 that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, 5 not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God;