Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary
Psalms 125:1

Clarke's Commentary

PSALM CXXV

The safety of those who trust in God, 1, 2.

God's protecting providence in behalf of his followers, 3.

A prayer for the godly, 4.

The evil lot of the wicked, 5.

NOTES ON PSALM CXXV

This Psalm is without a title: it belongs most probably to the times after the captivity; and has been applied, with apparent propriety, to the opposition which Sanballat the Horonite, Geshem the Arabian, and Tobiah the Ammonite, gave to the Jews while employed in rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem, and restoring the temple.

Verse Psalms 125:1. They that trust in the Lord — Every faithful Jew who confides in Jehovah shall stand, in those open and secret attacks of the enemies of God and truth, as unshaken as Mount Zion; and shall not be moved by the power of any adversary.

Bridgeway Bible Commentary

Psalms 125-128 Lessons from Jerusalem

As the worshippers journey towards Jerusalem, they recall some of the varied experiences that the city has passed through. They see these as typical of the experiences of God’s people as a whole. Believers are like Jerusalem in that they are completely secure and fully protected (125:1-2). Although Jerusalem sometimes came under the rule of its enemies, God never allowed these enemies to control it for long, in case God’s people lost their devotion to him (3). In the same way God cares for the righteous and punishes their enemies (4-5).
On another occasion God saved Jerusalem from some who plundered the land and threatened to destroy the capital. Israel rejoiced in God’s loving deliverance (126:1-3). But their problems were not over. Hard work lay ahead of them if they were to restore the land. They relied on God to provide water in the dry Negeb region, but they realized that they would have to work hard and long before they could enjoy the fruits of the land again. The lesson for the travellers is that they must persevere if they are to enjoy God’s blessing (4-6).
Whether in governing Jerusalem or in building a family, people must acknowledge the sovereign rule of God. If they become nervous wrecks because of worry-filled days and sleepless nights, their faith in God is shown to be weak (127:1-2). The travellers receive a further encouragement to trust in God by the reminder that a large and healthy family is a blessing from God. It also gives a person stability, strength and honour in society (3-5)
If people’s lives are characterized by trust, obedience and perseverance, they will enjoy the blessings of personal security and a happy home (128:1-4). Wherever God dwells, whether in the sense of dwelling in the family or in the sense of dwelling in Jerusalem, his people there will enjoy his fullest blessing (5-6).

Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible

"They that trust in Jehovah Are as mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but standeth forever. As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, So Jehovah is round about his people From this time forth and forevermore."

The thought here is simply that the love and protection of God for Israel is just as sure to continue forever as the mountains that surround the holy city are immovable. This, of course, is gloriously true. God still loves the true Israel of God, identified in the New Testament as Jesus Christ (John 15:1).

The racial element in the identification of God's Israel disappeared when Zechariah broke "Beauty" and "Bands"; but the marvelous thing about this is that even racial Jews who choose to be within the ranks of God's only Israel today are not merely welcome, they are admitted upon the same terms as any other races, there being "no distinction" whatever between racial Jews and Gentiles (Romans 3:22; Romans 10:12; Acts 11:12; Acts 15:9).

For a complete discussion of God's breaking his covenant with racial Israel (but not with the true Israel), see Vol. 4 of my series on the minor prophets, pp. 164-167.

Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

They that trust in the Lord - His people; his friends. It is, and has been always, a characteristic of the people of God that they trust or confide in him.

Shall be as mount Zion - The mountain which David fortified, and on which the city was at first built, 2 Samuel 5:6-9. The name Zion became also the name by which the entire city was known.

Which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever - A mountain is an emblem of firmness and stability; and it is natural to speak of it as that which could not be removed. There is something more than this, however, intended here, as there is some ground of comparison especially in regard to Mount Zion. This must have been either the idea that Zion was particularly strong by position, or that it was under the divine protection, and was therefore safe. Most probably it refers to Zion as a place secure by nature, and rendered more so by art.

Calvin's Commentary on the Bible

1.They who confide in Jehovah are as mount Zion. The present Psalm differs from the preceding in this — that while in the other it was said that the Church had been preserved by the power of God, without any human means, the Holy Spirit, in the one before us, teaches that in the time to come she shall always continue in perfect safety, because she is defended by the invincible power of God. When the Church is emblematically described by the situation of the city of Jerusalem, the design of the Prophet is to encourage each of the faithful to believe, that the safety promised in common to all the chosen people belongs to him. But in exhibiting to the eyes a visible image of the Church, he accommodates himself to the rudeness of those who, detained by the dulness of the flesh, still continue settled down in the earth. It ought then, in the first place, to be noticed, that to those who may not sufficiently apprehend by faith the secret protection of God, the mountains which environ Jerusalem are exhibited as a mirror, in which they may see, beyond all doubt, that the Church is as well defended from all perils, as if it were surrounded on all sides with like walls and bulwarks. Moreover, it is profitable to know what I have just now touched upon — that whenever God speaks to all his people in a body, he addresses himself also to each of them in particular. As not a few of the promises are extended generally to the whole body of the Church, so many contemplate them as at a distance, as far removed from them, and will not presume to appropriate them to themselves. The rule here prescribed must therefore be observed, which is, that each apply to himself whatever God promises to his Church in common. Nor does the Psalmist without cause make Jerusalem a representation of the Church, for the sanctuary of God and the ark of the covenant were there.

With respect to the explanation of the words, it is to be observed that the last two verbs of the first verse may be understood in two ways. They may both be governed by Jerusalem as the nominative. But some understand the first verb, לא ימוט al, lo yimmot, shall not be removed, only as spoken of Jerusalem and the latter verb, ישב, yesheb, shall abide, as referring to the faithful, so that according to this view there is a change of number, which is very common among the Hebrews — the singular number, ישב, yesheb, being used instead of the plural, ישבו, yeshbu. And certainly the sentence might not improperly be translated thus: They who trust in Jehovah, as mount Zion shall not be removed, shall dwell for ever, or continue steadfast, for the verb translated to abide is taken in this sense. We now perceive the meaning of the Prophet, which is, that although the world is subject to so many and so sudden changes as almost to put on a new face every moment, and although the faithful are mingled with and placed in the same external condition as others, yet their safety continues steadfast under the invincible protection of God. Not that they are permitted to dwell undisturbed and at ease; but because their safety being under the guardianship of God is assaulted in vain; at least they can never altogether fall, although they may stumble. But let us notice that the word הבמחים , habbtechim, which signifies, those who hope or wait for, conveys an implicit injunction to steadfastness of faith. Whoever, then, desires to be sustained by the hand of God, let him constantly lean upon it; and whoever would be defended by it, let him patiently repose himself under it. When God suffers us to be often carried hither and thither, or driven about like chaff by the wind, this comes to pass through our own inconstancy — because we prefer fluttering in the air to fixing our minds on the rock of his help. The similitude employed in the second verse is abundantly plain, teaching us, that as the continuous chain of mountains round about Jerusalem exhibits the appearance of walls, so God encompasses the faithful by his power, to ward off from them all harm. ⁽⁸²⁾ Similar forms of expression are frequently to be met with in the Scriptures’ God often promises to be a wall and a fore-wall to his people. But David, or whoever was the author of the psalm, proceeds still farther, showing under the figure of mountains the secret protection with which God defends his own people, to the end that the ignorant and feeble-minded who are still held down to the earth by their own dulness of understanding, aided by the sight of the mountains, may raise their minds upwards to the conception and contemplation of heavenly things.

(82) From the mountains or hills which surrounded Jerusalem, the Prophet Ezekiel (Ezekiel 11:3) represents it under the image of a “cauldron.”

Smith's Bible Commentary

Psalms 125:1-5 . We're still ascending towards Jerusalem.

They that trust in the LORD shall be as mount Zion ( Psalms 125:1 ),

The mount upon which Jerusalem was built.

which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever ( Psalms 125:1 ).

Now the Mount of Olives won't abide forever. Zion will, but the Mount of Olives is soon going to be split by a tremendous earthquake. Right in the middle, a new valley will be formed out of Jerusalem. Now you have the valley of Hinnom, in which the valley of Kidron, and the Tyropean and the Hinnom valley merged in the valley of Hinnom, goes on out of Jerusalem. But there's going to be a new valley going out of Jerusalem when the Mount of Olives splits right in the middle and a new valley forms out of the city. This, of course, will take place when Jesus returns and puts His foot upon the top of the Mount of Olives.

The geologists have discovered a major earth fault right through the center of the Mount of Olives. It doesn't really mean anything to me. The Lord can split it without an earth fault. It shall be split. Actually, it will open up a hole, it will open up an underground river and a new river will come gushing forth out of Jerusalem, flowing into this valley and going clear on down to the Dead Sea. And the fresh waters of this new river that is formed will actually heal the waters of the Dead Sea so that they'll be able to have fish living in the Dead Sea. And it will become a center of the fishing industry. The mount of Zion abides.

As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the LORD is round about his people ( Psalms 125:2 )

So you stand there in Jerusalem, you look and you see the Mount Zion on the south. You see Scopus over towards the north. You see the Mount of Olives on towards the east. Golgotha, Calvary towards the west. As the mountains surround the little city of Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds His people.

from henceforth even for ever ( Psalms 125:2 ).

Surrounded by God. Paul the apostle, when he was talking to the Epicurean philosophers there at the Areopagus on Mars Hill in Greece, in Athens, he said, "I perceive you men are very spiritual." He said, "As I've been going through your city, I've observed the number of idols that you have. Your places of worship. All of the different gods." For the Greeks had deified everything they could think of. You know, the sun, the moon, the planets, they were all deities. And then having run out of stars and planets and constellations to deify, they began to deify even emotions. So they had the god of love, the god of hate, the god of fear, the god of joy, the god of sorrow, the god of grief, and the various gods. They had deified just about anything you could think of.

Now one fellow got an idea, "Maybe we're missing a god. Maybe we haven't thought of him." So he built an altar and he put the inscription over, "To the Unknown God." "Whoever you may be, wherever you might be. We don't want you to feel offended and that you've been slighted. So here, we've got an altar to worship the unknown God."

So Paul said, "I perceive you're very religious. I've seen all of your altars as I've walked through your city." He said, "And one caught my attention. For it was inscribed, 'To the Unknown God.'" He said, "I'd like to tell you about this God. He's the One who made the heaven and the earth and everything that is in them. And in Him we live and move and have our being" ( Acts 17:28 ) In other words, I am surrounded by Him. I am living in His midst. I live, I move, I have my being in Him.

When Daniel was brought before Belshazzar at this feast, after the writing appeared on the walls, he said, "Belshazzar, God gave to your grandfather this glorious kingdom of Babylon. But he was lifted up with pride. And so God allowed him a period of madness until he realized that it was God who ruled and reigned." And he said, "But this God, the very God in whose hand your breath is, you have not glorified." Surrounded by God. My very breath depended upon Him.

So as the mountains are around about Jerusalem, so God is around about His people. You're surrounded by God. He encompasses us. As the one-hundred-and-thirty-ninth psalm said, "O Lord, Thou hast searched me and known me. You know every time I sit down, every time I stand up." He said, "You have gone before me. You're behind me, and Your hand is upon me." "Thou has beset me before and behind, and Thine hand is upon me" ( Psalms 139:5 ). Surrounded by God.

I never come to any place in my life but God has not preceded me there. I can look back and see the hand of God, as He was on my life even in the past, even when I wasn't interested. Surrounded by God. Your life is encompassed by Him.

For the rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous; lest the righteous put forth their hands unto iniquity. Do good, O LORD, unto those that be good, and to them that are upright in their hearts. As for such as turn aside unto their crooked ways, the LORD shall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity: but peace shall be upon Israel ( Psalms 125:3-5 ).

So, again, the remembrance of the troubles from the cities from whence they were coming. Looking forward again to that time of coming into the consciousness of God's presence "

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

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. Romans 8:31-39). The Lord forever surrounds His people as a protective army keeping overwhelming forces from defeating them (cf. 1 Corinthians 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." [Note: VanGemeren, p. 788.]

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, Psalms 125:3 promises that they would never completely and finally defeat Israel. The NIV translators rendered the last part of Psalms 125:3, "For then the righteous might use their hands to do evil."

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

Psalms 125

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. [Note: Dahood, 3:214.]

Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

They that trust in the Lord [shall be] as Mount Zion,.... Who trust not in themselves, and in their own hearts; nor in anything of theirs, their strength or wisdom, riches or righteousness; nor in any creature whatever, in the mightiest or best of men; but in the Lord; in God, as the God of nature and providence, for all temporal mercies; and in him, as the God of grace, for all spiritual and eternal ones; who should be trusted in at all times, whether of affliction, temptation, or darkness; for which there is abundant reason. The Targum is,

"the righteous that trust in the Word of the Lord;''

in Christ the essential Word, who is trusted in by all that know him, and that know there is salvation in him, and in no other: these trust in him for acceptance with God, for a justifying righteousness, for remission of sin, for all supplies of grace, and for eternal life; and such are like Mount Zion for many things, being beloved and chosen of God, enjoying his presence, and the blessings of his grace; and being the joy of the whole earth, and a perfection of beauty; but here for their firmness and stability, as follows. Arama observes, that Mount Zion is made mention of, because here the prophecy was given; to which may be added, the psalmist was upon it, and had it in view, when he compared those that trust in the Lord unto it;

[which] cannot be removed, [but] abideth for ever: either, which Mount Zion is immovable, and continually abides, for which reason the church and people of God are compared unto it; or everyone of those that trust in the Lord, like that, can never be removed, but always abide: they can never be removed from the Lord, though they may be removed from his house and ordinances, as sometimes David was; and from his gracious presence, and sensible communion with him, and out of the world by death; yet never from his heart's love, nor out of the covenant of his grace, which is sure and everlasting; nor out of his family, into which they are taken; nor from the Lord Jesus Christ, nor out of his hands and arms, nor from off his heart; nor from off him, the foundation on which they are laid; nor out of a state of grace, either regeneration or justification; but such abide in the love of God, in the covenant of his grace, in the hands of his Son, in the grace wherein they stand, and in the house of God for evermore.

Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible

A song of degrees.

      1 They that trust in the LORD shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever.   2 As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the LORD is round about his people from henceforth even for ever.   3 For the rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous; lest the righteous put forth their hands unto iniquity.

      Here are three very precious promises made to the people of God, which, though they are designed to secure the welfare of the church in general, may be applied by particular believers to themselves, as other promises of this nature may. Here is,

      I. The character of God's people, to whom these promises belong. Many call themselves God's people who have no part nor lot in this matter. But those shall have the benefit of them and may take the comfort of them, (1.) Who are righteous (Psalms 125:3; Psalms 125:3), righteous before God, righteous to God, and righteous to all men, for his sake justified and sanctified. (2.) Who trust in the Lord, who depend upon his care and devote themselves to his honour. All that deal with God must deal upon trust, and he will give comfort to those only that give credit to him, and make it to appear they do so by quitting other confidences, and venturing to the utmost for God. The closer our expectations are confined to God the higher our expectations may be raised from him.

      II. The promises themselves.

      1. That their hearts shall be established by faith: those minds shall be truly stayed that are stayed on God: They shall be as Mount Zion. The church in general is called Mount Zion (Hebrews 12:22), and it shall in this respect be like Mount Zion, it shall be built upon a rock, and its interests shall be so well secured that the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. The stability of the church is the satisfaction of all its well-wishers. Particular persons, who trust in God, shall be established (Psalms 112:7); their faith shall be their fixation, Isaiah 7:9. They shall be as Mount Zion, which is firm as it is a mountain supported by providence, much more as a holy mountain supported by promise. (1.) They cannot be removed by the prince of the power of the air, nor by all his subtlety and strength. They cannot be removed from their integrity nor from their confidence in God. (2.) They abide for ever in that grace which is the earnest of their everlasting continuance in glory.

      2. That, committing themselves to God, they shall be safe, under his protection, from all the insults of their enemies, as Jerusalem had a natural fastness and fortification in the mountains that were round about it,Psalms 125:2; Psalms 125:2. Those mountains not only sheltered it from winds and tempests, and broke the force of them, but made it also very difficult of access for an enemy; such a defence is God's providence to his people. Observe, (1.) The compass of it: The Lord is round about his people on every side. There is no gap in the hedge of protection which he makes round about his people, at which the enemy, who goes about them, seeking to do them a mischief, can find entrance, Job 1:10. (2.) The continuance of it--henceforth even for ever. Mountains may moulder and come to nought, and rocks be removed out of their place (Job 14:18), but God's covenant with his people cannot be broken (Isaiah 54:10) nor his care of them cease. Their being said to stand fast for ever (Psalms 125:1; Psalms 125:1), and here to have God round about them for ever, intimates that the promises of the stability and security of God's people will have their full accomplishment in their everlasting state. In heaven they shall stand fast for ever, shall be as pillars in the temple of our God and go no more out (Revelation 3:12), and there God himself, with his glory and favour, will be round about them for ever.

      3. That their troubles shall last no longer than their strength will serve to bear them up under them, Psalms 125:3; Psalms 125:3. (1.) It is supposed that the rod of the wicked may come, may fall, upon the lot of the righteous. The rod of their power may oppress them; the rod of their anger may vex and torment them. It may fall upon their persons, their estates, their liberties, their families, their names, any thing that falls to their lot, only it cannot reach their souls. (2.) It is promised that, though it may come upon their lot, it shall not rest there; it shall not continue so long as the enemies design, and as the people of God fear, but God will cut the work short in righteousness, so short that even with the temptation he will make a way for them to escape. (3.) It is considered as a reason of this promise that if the trouble should continue over-long the righteous themselves would be in temptation to put forth their hands to iniquity, to join with wicked people in their wicked practices, to say as they say and do as they do. There is danger lest, being long persecuted for their religion, at length they grow weary of it and willing to give it up, lest, being kept long in expectation of promised mercies, they begin to distrust the promise, and to think of casting God off, upon suspicion of his having cast them off. See Psalms 73:13; Psalms 73:14. Note, God considers the frame of his people, and will proportion their trials to their strength by the care of his providence, as well as their strength to their trials by the power of his grace. Oppression makes a wise man mad, especially if it continue long; therefore for the elect's sake the days shall be shortened, that, whatever becomes of their lot in this world, they may not lose their lot among the chosen.