Weds 8 December - Psalm 125
Psalm 125
1 Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion,
which cannot be shaken but endures forever.
2 As the mountains surround Jerusalem,
so the Lord surrounds his people
both now and forevermore.3 The scepter of the wicked will not remain
over the land allotted to the righteous,
for then the righteous might use
their hands to do evil.4 Lord, do good to those who are good,
to those who are upright in heart.
5 But those who turn to crooked ways
the Lord will banish with the evildoers.Peace be on Israel.
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Meditation on Psalm 125
As you read this Psalm, read these other four references as an introduction.
Psalm 91:1-2
Job 11:18
Romans 8:38-39
Psalm 18:1-2
Just four verses out of the many that remind us of the security we have in God as the people of God.
And this is the theme that runs through Psalm 125.
A. TOTAL SECURITY IN THE LORD Verses 1-2
The psalmist is coming straight to the point as he writes to ‘those who trust in the LORD’. This doesn’t just apply to those in the time of writing. It applies to the people of God down through the centuries to today and will apply to all those who trust the Lord until He comes again in glory.
‘Mount Zion’ is not the highest mountain 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. However, surrounded by mountains, Mount Zion was secure.
God chose Mount Zion as ‘the mountain where God chooses to reign, where the LORD Himself will dwell for ever.’ Psalm 68:16
The psalmist uses this picture to encourage us that as we trust in the Lord, we ‘cannot be shaken but endure forever.’
Jesus told His disciples, “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.”
How does He do this? Verse 2 gives us the answer – ‘He surrounds us’.
Again, we have the picture of the mountains that surround Jerusalem and, although Mount Zion may be smaller than the other mountains, it is protected by them.
So, too, are we surrounded and protected by the Lord.
We can trust Him as being totally reliable because of His grace and mercy towards us in that ‘while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us’. This is the basis of our trust.
B. TOTAL SECURITY FROM THE EVIL ONE Verse 3
We live in a world where it sometimes seems that evil is winning the battle and sometimes the righteous are caught up in the web of the wicked.
But the psalmist gives us the assurance that such thoughts are misplaced. The power (the sceptre) of the evil one is limited – ‘it will not remain’.
Remember Job, when Satan came to God and challenged Him twice to test Job’s integrity?
The devil challenges God to allow him to test Job.
God allows him to do just that but ‘so far and no further’.
Job 1:12 ‘The LORD said to Satan, “very well, then, everything he has is in your power BUT, ON THE MAN HIMSELF DO NOT LAY A FINGER.”
On the second occasion, God says to Satan, “very well, he is in your hands BUT YOU MUST SPARE HIS LIFE.”
(italics and capitals are mine).
We need to be on our guard against the attacks of the evil one lest we get sucked into his activities, rather than trusting the Lord.
C. TOTAL ASSURANCE IN PRAYER Verses 4-5
We rejoice that the LORD has our blessing in His heart. He has done good to those who are NOT good. That is the message of His salvation. That is the heart of Christmas – ‘God loved the world so much that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.’
Lord, bless you people around the world.
Lord, bring about an end to wickedness and violence around the world.
One day, He will do just that when Satan and all his cohorts will be banished for ever - ‘Even so, come Lord Jesus.’
The psalmist ends with a summary of the Aaronic blessing in Numbers 6:24-26.
Lord, bless your people and give them your peace.
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(Roger Purdom)
New International Version - UK (NIVUK)
Holy Bible, New International Version® Anglicized, NIV® Copyright © 1979, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
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