The Lord Surrounds His People

A Song of (A)Ascents.

125 Those who (B)trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion,
    which (C)cannot be moved, but abides forever.
As the mountains surround Jerusalem,
    so (D)the Lord surrounds his people,
    from this time forth and forevermore.
For (E)the scepter of wickedness shall not (F)rest
    on (G)the land allotted to the righteous,
lest the righteous (H)stretch out
    their hands to do wrong.
(I)Do good, O Lord, to those who are good,
    and to those who are (J)upright in their hearts!
But those who (K)turn aside to their (L)crooked ways
    the Lord will lead away with (M)evildoers!
    (N)Peace be upon Israel!

Psalm 125[a]

Israel’s Protector

A song of ascents.

Those trusting in the Lord are like Mount Zion,
    unshakable, forever enduring.(A)
As mountains surround Jerusalem,
    the Lord surrounds his people
    both now and forever.(B)

The scepter of the wicked will not prevail
    in the land allotted to the just,[b]
Lest the just themselves
    turn their hands to evil.

Do good, Lord, to the good,
    to those who are upright of heart.(C)
But those who turn aside to crooked ways
    may the Lord send down with the evildoers.(D)
Peace upon Israel!(E)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 125 In response to exilic anxieties about the ancient promises of restoration, the Psalm expresses confidence that God will surround the people as the mountains surround Zion (Ps 125:1–2). The just will not be contaminated by the wicked (Ps 125:3). May God judge between the two groups (Ps 125:4–5).
  2. 125:3 The land allotted to the just: lit., “the lot of the righteous.” The promised land was divided among the tribes of Israel by lot (Nm 26:55; Jos 18). The righteous are the members of the people who are obedient to God. If the domination of the wicked were to continue in the land, even the just would be infected by their evil attitudes.

Psalm 125

A song of ascents.

Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion,(A)
    which cannot be shaken(B) but endures forever.
As the mountains surround Jerusalem,(C)
    so the Lord surrounds(D) his people
    both now and forevermore.

The scepter(E) of the wicked will not remain(F)
    over the land allotted to the righteous,
for then the righteous might use
    their hands to do evil.(G)

Lord, do good(H) to those who are good,
    to those who are upright in heart.(I)
But those who turn(J) to crooked ways(K)
    the Lord will banish(L) with the evildoers.

Peace be on Israel.(M)

125 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.

For the rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous; lest the righteous put forth their hands unto iniquity.

Do good, O Lord, unto those that be good, and to them that are upright in their hearts.

As for such as turn aside unto their crooked ways, the Lord shall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity: but peace shall be upon Israel.