Psalms 125

In Psalm 124, the remnant gives thanks to the LORD because He has kept them. Now with resolute heart they make the decision to trust the LORD always.

The elect outside the land have left the lands of their foreignness. They are approaching the mountains of Israel, yes the city of the great King (Mt 5:35), Jerusalem, the city that will be given a new name, Yahweh Shammah, which means “the LORD is there” (Eze 48:35). This city enjoys the protection of the Keeper of Israel. What a comfort this is for the remnant. It will be great to be with Him soon.

This sixth “Song of Ascents” begins with trust in the LORD (verse 1). Associated with this is great assurance for the righteous. Every step of the righteous is a step of faith, a step of trust. Never has the LORD put their trust to shame (cf. Rom 10:11). In this psalm, the step of trust is transformed into a walk of trust. The righteous learn that the LORD is trustworthy (cf. Psa 36:5).

One who is aware of this stands unshaken in his faith. He is “like Mount Zion”, endlessly unshakable. Jerusalem, except for its northern side, had very steep slopes. This made the city a natural fortress and it was seen as an unshakable mountain.

However, the strength of Zion no longer lies in its geographical location, but in the fact that the LORD Himself is its Protector. Zion is more than a mountain. It is the symbol of God’s help, of His presence in blessing and protecting His people, and of the privileges of the covenant relationship He has with His people. Those who trust in God have connected themselves to Him. This trust He never puts to shame. The psalmist’s trust is a statement with respect to the elect themselves (verse 1), with respect to the LORD (verse 2), and with respect to the hostile wicked (verse 3).

The LORD is around His people, as the mountains are around Jerusalem (verse 2). Zion at this time is not higher than the mountains that surround Jerusalem. In the future, it will be different (Isa 2:2). The Mount of Olives east of Jerusalem and Mount Scopus to its northeast are higher, as are several other mountains. Therefore, Mount Zion is sheltered in the midst of the mountains. Mount Zion itself is stable and, because of the surrounding mountains, also secure.

The psalmist uses this picture for those who trust in the LORD. The trusting believer is like Mount Zion, and the LORD is like the mountains around it. The LORD protects His people from all sides (Zec 2:5; cf. Job 1:10). Because of this, nothing or no one is able to do any harm to the people who trust in Him, now or forever.

The need for this sure protection is “the scepter of wickedness” which “rest upon the land of the righteous” (verse 3). The scepter is a symbol of the power of a king. The issue here is the power of the wicked. The wicked will have power over the promised land for a short time, that is both the antichrist and the Assyrians. They will wield the scepter of wickedness in Israel, they will be in charge there, but only for a short time (Isa 10:5; cf. Isa 14:5). The scepter will be broken when these enemies have carried out the discipline over His people according to God’s plan (Isa 10:12).

Then the righteous will be put in possession of their inheritance. The elect (Mt 24:31) who are outside the land are called “the righteous” because they have resolved to live by the standard of the Word and the new covenant of the LORD. They can do this only by the power of the blood of the new covenant. And according to this covenant, the righteous will receive the inheritance of the LORD.

Receiving the inheritance, they do not owe to themselves, but to Him Who has reserved it for them. They themselves have been protected for that inheritance (cf. 1Pet 1:4-5). They owe the right to their inheritance to Christ, Who redeemed the inheritance by His blood, cleansing it of the sin that had fallen on it through the guilt of His people. Through the blood, the righteous requirements of the covenant have been fulfilled and the LORD now gives His blessing to His people.

If the reign of the wicked lasted longer than the righteous could endure, there would be a great danger that the righteous would take the law into their own hands (cf. Ecc 7:7a; Mt 24:22). But God determines both the severity and duration of a trial (1Cor 10:13b).

They “will not put forth their hands to do wrong”, that is, they should not become unfaithful to the covenant (cf. Psa 73:1-15), but wait for God’s time. “Wrong” has the meaning of wickedness, unrighteousness. It implies here that they would lose their trust in the LORD. If that were the case, they would miss out on their inheritance, the blessings of the covenant.

After the righteous has experienced and expressed his trust in the LORD’s protection (verses 1-3), he makes intercession for others, indeed for all the people (verse 4). From the trust that the scepter of wickedness is temporary, the prayer for the blessing of the covenant follows. The scepter of wickedness is an impediment to the blessing of the covenant.

The righteous asks the LORD to do good “to those who are good and to those who are upright in their hearts”. He is praying here for all the righteous. They have life from God and are therefore good and upright in their heart. Therefore, God will do good to them.

Opposed to those who are good and upright are “those who turn aside to their crooked ways” (verse 5; cf. Jdg 5:6). These are the faithless in Israel, the ungodly multitude, those who forsake the covenant with the LORD, depart from the LORD’s straight way, and go crooked ways. The LORD “will lead them away”, along “with the doers of iniquity”, which are the wicked oppressors, the hostile nations around God’s people.

When justice has thus prevailed, the prayer that “peace be upon Israel” is answered. Peace is desired here not only for Jerusalem as in a previous Song of Ascents (Psa 122:6-8), but for the whole people (cf. Rom 11:26), the twelve tribes, that is, the true Israel, the Israel of God (cf. Gal 6:16). Peace upon Israel is possible only when Christ, the King of peace, reigns. The latter will happen when all enemies are set as a footstool for His feet (Psa 110:1-2).