Psalms 125:1-3

Psalms 125:1. They that trust in the LORD shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever.

I noticed, in one of the reports of the survey of Palestine, that it is said that, albeit every building upon Mount Zion has been demolished, and not one stone has been left upon another, yet the scarps of the hill are altogether immovable, and remain the same as ever. Mount Zion itself cannot be removed, but abideth for ever, and the child of God, by faith in Jesus, cannot be moved by fear, nor removed by sin, but abideth for ever. We abide in Christ, and Christ abides in us and this makes us like Mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever. If any of you are tossed to and fro, or are changeable, so that you do not know your own minds, may the Lord deliver you from such a state as that! It is faith that makes us steadfast.

Psalms 125:2. As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the LORD is round about his people from henceforth even for ever.

Here is security as well as stability. The mountains stand like sentinels around the central hill of Zion, so the city is well guarded, and God protects his own people against adversaries of every kind, and he will continue to do so «from henceforth even for ever.»

Psalms 125:3. For the rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous;

God does not completely screen his people from trial. They sometimes feel the rod of the wicked in the form of slander, oppression, opposition, and persecution, but they shall not always feel it: «The rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous;»

Psalms 125:3. Lest the righteous put forth their hands unto iniquity.

If too heavily oppressed, they might do wrong in order to escape from oppression, and God will not have that. He will not let his people be tried above what they are able to bear. He knows that the tendency of poverty and suffering might be to provoke them to sin, therefore he will not let the rod of the wicked rest upon them, lest they put forth their hands unto iniquity.

Psalms 125:4. Do good, O LORD, unto those that be good, and to them that are upright in their hearts.

God is always good to his own people. This prayer is also a prophecy that it shall be well with those that fear the Lord.

«In time, and to eternal days

‘Tis with the righteous well.»

Psalms 125:5. As for such as turn aside unto their crooked ways,

There are still such people, who profess to be all right, yet they are not; for, after apparently going a little way in the straight road, they turn aside unto their crooked ways. Well, what shall happen to them?

Psalms 125:5. The LORD shall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity:

They chose the same way, so they shall share the same end. What a sad end for those, who once stood side by side with the saints, to be led out to execution side by side with the workers of iniquity!

Psalms 125:5. But peace shall be upon Israel.

In the 1 st and 2 nd verses of the Psalm, they are said to be like Salem; in this last verse, they are said to have Salem, that is, peace: «Peace shall be upon Israel.»