Psalms 125:1

PSALM 125

JEHOVAH IS ROUND ABOUT HIS PEOPLE

This is another of the very brief Songs of Ascent. It is No. 6 in the Little Psalter, which was the songbook of the pilgrim Jewish worshippers attending the great national feasts such as Passover, Pentecost, Tabernacles, and other feasts added later. These songs were sung by them on the way "up" to Jerusalem, hence Songs of Ascent. The elevation of Jerusalem was emphasized dramatically by the geographical fact of its being so near the Dead Sea with its elevation of 1,292 feet below sea level. In this psalm, the dramatic mountains of Judea surrounding Jerusalem are made a metaphor of God's surrounding Israel with His loving protection and blessing.

"Although this is a psalm mainly of comfort, prayer and threatening are also in it."[1] Jerusalem is on high ground, "But the Mount of Olives on the east, and The Hill of Evil Counsel on the south are higher."[2] On the west side of the city, beyond the valley of Jehoshaphat, was a high ridge, and to the north there was the plateau-like area surrounding Scopas. From these is taken the metaphor of God's surrounding his people with love and protection.

Psalms 125:1-2

"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; 10:12; Acts 11:12; 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.