Psalm CXXV

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.

4 Do good, O Lord, unto those that be good, and to them that are upright

in their hearts.

5 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.

Faithfulness under temptation is the grace that shines out in this song. It is sung amid enemies, when they environ the Lord’s servant on every side. Two thoughts contribute mutually to strengthen and confirm the determined and decided adherence of the Psalmist to his Lord, viz., the thought of Jehovah’s faithfulness to him, and the thought of the short-lived prosperity of foes.

“Tlieij that trust in Jehovah are like the hill of Zion, It moves not; For ever it abides.

Jerusalem, the hills are round about her;
And (so) Jehovah is round about his people,
From henceforth, and unto eternity.’’’’

In verse 3 the “lot of the righteous” is inheritance or possession. The worshipper rejoices that never shall rod, or sceptre, of the wicked, extend its influence to that happy spot, the allotted portion, the Canaan-lot of the Lord’s people; and thus the old temptation to idolatry, and other evils, shall be for ever escaped. The language of verse 3 has a peculiarity in it; it is literally, “the rod of the Wicked One,” thus fitting the Psalm for the circumstances of the saints even in the lasc days, when “that Wicked,” Vv shall be revealed and then destroyed.

In verse 5 the pilgrim seems to sing the unhappy end of backshders, of those who once joined their company in going to the house of God. The Lord, it is said, “will let them go with the workers of iniqiiitij (D!Dv’) Hengstenberg), as if to suggest to us, who know now of the great day’s awful scenes, the word of the Judge, “Depart!” and the description of the result — “These shall go away into everlasting punishment.” He shall assign them their portion with the hypocrites, (Matt. xxiv. 51).

How calm, how sweet the contrast to which our eyes are suddenly and abruptly turned! It is the high priest pronouncing what remained of his full blessing (Num. vi. 26). The Lord lifts up his countenance upon them, and gives the word — “Peace upon Israel!” Everything desirable is wrapt up in this peace. Thine eyes shall see Jerusalem a quiet habitation, a tabernacle that shall not be taken down, (Isa. xxxiii. 20). This will be the “good” which the Lord will do to his Israel, when he places him in his lot in the end of the days. And with his soul full of thoughts like these, we need but wonder at The Lord’s servant’s faithfal adherence to his faithful Ood.