Psalms 125:1-3

Context

Psalm 125¹

A song of ascents.²

125:1 Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion;

it cannot be upended and will endure forever.

125:2 As the mountains surround Jerusalem,³

so the Lord surrounds his people,

now and forevermore.

125:3 Indeed,⁴ the scepter of a wicked king⁵ will not settle⁶

upon the allotted land of the godly.

Otherwise the godly might

do what is wrong.⁷

[125:1] ¹sn Psalm 125. The psalmist affirms his confidence in the Lord’s protection and justice.

[125:1] ²sn The precise significance of this title, which appears in Pss 120-134, is unclear. Perhaps worshipers recited these psalms when they ascended the road to Jerusalem to celebrate annual religious festivals. For a discussion of their background see L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 219-21.

[125:2] ³map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[125:3] ⁴tn Or “for.”

[125:3] ⁵tn Heb “a scepter of wickedness.” The “scepter” symbolizes royal authority; when collocated with “wickedness” the phrase refers to an oppressive foreign conqueror.

[125:3] ⁶tn Or “rest.”

[125:3] ⁷tn Heb “so that the godly might not stretch out their hands in wrongdoing.” A wicked king who sets a sinful example can have an adverse moral and ethical effect on the people he rules.