Psalm 125 – The Lord Protects His People:
A Song of Ascents.
“Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but abides forever. 2 As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds His people from this time forth and forever. 3 For the scepter of wickedness shall not rest on the land allotted to the righteous, lest the righteous reach out their hands to iniquity. 4 Do good, O Lord, to those who are good, and to those who are upright in their hearts. 5 As for such as turn aside to their crooked ways, the Lord shall lead them away with the workers of iniquity. Peace be upon Israel!”
- Mt. Zion is Jerusalem, God’s holy city. It’s located in Israel and is the Jewish nation’s capital. One day it will be the capital of the entire world where Jesus Christ Himself will rule the earth and reign for 1,000 years. This will happen and no matter how many opposing nations try and subvert God’s divine plan; in the end, God always wins. This future destiny cannot change no more than Mt. Zion, or God’s people, can be moved out of place.
There is an entire mountain range that surrounds Jerusalem and in this psalm we discover that in the same way those mountains encircle the holy city, so God wraps Himself around His people. God has always done this for He is a loving God. The phrase, ‘His people’ refer to the Jews in the OT and later, the Church in the NT. It can also refer to the future trib-saints during the seven-year tribulation. The phrase, ‘the scepter (rule) of wickedness shall not rest on the land allotted to the righteous’ is a statement of fact pertaining to God’s protection of Israel, and more specifically, Jerusalem. While many nations in the past have attempted to invade and resettle Jerusalem, they could never stay there. So it is even now as Iran and other Arab nations are bent on evicting the Jews and taking their land.
The phrase, ‘lest the righteous reach out their hands to iniquity’ is a warning phrase that is repeated in this short psalm. It states that if the righteous fall into iniquity, they will be judged; in this case, they will lose their land. This has already been proven in biblical history, every time the Jews forsook the Lord, He would allow an invading army to attack and relocate them at great cost and loss of Jewish life. The Lord tells us that ‘He will do good to those who are good and upright in their hearts,’ this is His reward for obedience. However, for those who ‘turn aside to their crooked ways,’ they too shall receive the same judgment as the wicked. The prayer for this psalmist here is for peace to be upon Israel, a land that has been war torn since her inception and rebirth.
During the tribulation, Israel will be fought over at great effort and soiled intentions, however, God will protect her. For those Jews who refuse to repent and turn to the Lord, they will be lost, 2/3rds to be exact. However, 1/3rd of them will be saved by the Lord and preserved for His millennial kingdom. God honors His people and their obedience, but each person must choose for themselves what they believe and how they will live out their faith. Just like with the NT Church, we all have to choose for ourselves what our faith in Jesus looks like. While I see this psalm as a depiction of what has already occurred in the past, I also see it as a forecast to what is about to occur in Israel in the near future, like a few years (or less) from now when the armies of the world attempt to invade her, but fail miserably (Ezekiel 38,39) and die on the mountains of Israel, those same mountains that surround Jerusalem. The same way those mountains surround Mt. Zion, which can infer not just a place, but a people; so God protects His people and preserves them for His righteous plan. We are so close to all of this happening. Stay ready man (and lady) of God, the first bus is about to leave; be sure to be on it.
Maranatha!
Encouragemen is a blog written by Pastor Rob Lee, recently relocated to Northern Missouri. He lives with his wife of 33-years, near their three adult children, their spouses, and children (their grandchildren). Pastor Rob is an Ordained Assemblies of God minister, a former Lead Pastor (25 years), police chaplain, and community advocate. He continues to serve, consult, and disciple men of God, including those who are in the ministry.
Encourage Men 