Psalms 125:2

As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the LORD is round about his people from henceforth even for ever. (AS) THE MOUNTAINS (ARE) ROUND ABOUT JERUSALEM, SO THE LORD IS ROUND ABOUT HIS PEOPLE, FROM HENCEFORTH EVEN FOREVER - (.) 'Jerusalem is upon the mountain-range shut in by the two valleys Jehoshaphat and Hinnom. All the surrounding hills are higher. In the east, the mount of Olives; on the south, the so-called hill of evil counsel, ascending from the valley of Hinnom. On the west the ground rises gently to the border of the great Wady; while in the north the bend of a ridge which adjoins the mount of Olives limits the view to a distance of about one and a half miles' (Robinson)....

1-3 All those minds shall be truly stayed, that are stayed on God. They shall be as Mount Zion, firm as it is; a mountain supported by providence, much more as a holy mountain supported by promise. They cannot be removed from confidence in God. They abide for ever in that grace which is the earnest of their everlasting continuance in glory. Committing themselves to God, they shall be safe from their enemies. Even mountains may moulder and come to nothing, and rocks be removed, but God's covenant with his people cannot be broken, nor his care of them cease. Their troubles shall last no longer than their strength will bear them up under them. The rod of the wicked may come, may fall upon the righteous, upon their persons, their estates, their liberties, their families names, on any thing that falls to their lot; only it cannot reach their souls. And though it may come upon their lot, it s...

Verse Psalms 125:2. _AS THE MOUNTAINS_ ARE _ROUND ABOUT JERUSALEM_] Jerusalem, according to _Sandys_, was situated on a rocky mountain every way to be ascended, except a little on the north, with steep ascents and deep valleys, naturally fortified. It is surrounded with other _mountains_, at no great distance, as if placed in the midst of an amphitheatre; for on the _east_ is Mount _Olivet_, separated from the city by the _valley of Jehoshaphat_, which also encompasses a part of the _north_; on the _south_, the mountain of _Offiner_ interposed with the _valley of Gehinnom_; and on the _west_ it was formerly fenced with the _valley of Gihon_, and the _mountains_ adjoining. The situation was such as to be easily rendered impregnable. _THE LORD_ IS round about his peopl

AS THE MOUNTAINS ARE ROUND ABOUT JERUSALEM - Hebrew, “Jerusalem - the mountains are round about her.” Jerusalem, except on the north, is encompassed with hills or mountains, so that although the city was built on hills - Zion, Moriah, Bezethah, Acra - it was itself surrounded by hills higher than any of these, and was, in a certain sense, in a valley. See the notes at Matthew 2:1. Compare the notes at Psalms 48:1. SO THE LORD IS ROUND ABOUT HIS PEOPLE ... - As Jerusalem is thus protected by the hills around, so the people of God are protected by Yahweh. He surrounds the church; he is exalted far above the church; he guards the approaches to the church; he can defend it from all its foes. Under his protection it is safe. Jerusalem, as surr

EXPOSITION This a psalm, mainly, of comfort; but with comfort, prayer (Psalms 125:4) and threatening (Psalms 125:5) are blended. God's people are always under God's protection. He will always "be good" to them. But the double-minded he will infallibly cast out. PSALMS 125:1 THEY THAT TRUST IN THE LORD SHALL BE AS MOUNT ZION; rather, _are as Mount Zion_; _i_._e_. are as firmly fixed and established as "the mount of God," WHICH CANNOT BE REMOVED, BUT ABIDETH FOREVER (comp. Isaiah 28:16)....

AS THE MOUNTAINS [ARE] ROUND ABOUT JERUSALEM,.... There was Mount Zion on the side of the north, and the mount of Olives on the east, and other mountains on the other sides of it; so that it was encompassed with them, and was naturally as well as artificially fortified. Tacitus k describes Jerusalem as inaccessible, walls and mountains, rocks and towers, surrounding it: and the poet Coerilus l makes mention of a people that spoke the Phoenician language, by whom he plainly means the Jews, οικουν δ'εν σολυμοις ορεσι, "that inhabited the mountains of Solyma"; which are spoken of by Homer m, from whence, according to Tacitus n, Jerusalem had its name: yet, as Kimchi observes, this did not hinder the enemy from taking it; wherefore the Lord is a greater security to his people; SO THE LORD [IS] ROUND ABOUT HIS PEOPLE, FROM HENCEFORTH EVEN FOR EVER; he encompasses them with his favour and lov...

Psalms 125:1. _They that trust in the LORD shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever._ Various conquerors have destroyed the buildings upon Mount Zion, but the mountain itself is still there. None have ever dug it up, and cast it into the Mediterranean Sea. It stands fast, and will stand there as long as the world endures; and «they that trust in the Lord shall be as Mount Zion,» they shall abide as firmly as that sacred mountain does. Nothing can move them, or remove them; they are in the hands of Christ, and none can pluck them thence. «My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all;» says Christ, «and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.» Oh, what a solidity does faith give to a man! Psalms 125:2. As the mountains are round about

PSALM 120-134 The Psalms of Degrees Fifteen brief Psalms follow, called songs of degrees, or, ascents. They were in all probability used by Israel going up to Jerusalem three times a year to celebrate the feasts of the Lord--”Whither the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD, a testimony for Israel, to give thanks unto the name of the LORD.” They are indeed Psalms of “the goings-up” for we rise higher and higher as we read through them. Prophetically they give us again the steps from trial and suffering to the glorious consummation. As they are so simple in language and construction no lengthy annotations are needed. Psalms 120:1 begins with distress, picturing again the suffering of the righteous godly remnant. In Psalms 121:1 the Keeper of Israel, the Covenant Keeping God, is revealed

CXXV. YAHWEH'S PROTECTIVE CARE OF ISRAEL. Yahweh will not allow heathen to rule over Israel, because this would tempt Jews to please their masters by adopting heathen usages....

DISCOURSE: 717 TRUST IN THE LORD Psalms 125:1. _They that trust in the Lord shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever. As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the Lord is round about his people, from henceforth even for ever._ IN forming our estimate of men, we are apt to look at their actions only; and even our own characters, also, we try by that standard. But it is the habit of the mind that chiefly marks the man; and by that we shall be estimated at the tribunal of our God. Doubtless actions are important, as indicative of principles from whence they flow; and by them, _we_, who can only see the external fruits, are constrained to judge of the quality of the root from whence they proceed. But the heart-searching God looks at the root itself; and approves or disapproves of men according to the real quality and habit of their mi