As the Mountains Surround Jerusalem
Psalm 125 summary: what it means
Psalm 125 is a short psalm built on the landscape around Jerusalem. Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved. Just as the mountains surround the city, the LORD surrounds his people, and the psalm says this lasts from now on and forever. Verse 3 adds a promise that wicked rule will not stay over the land given to the righteous.
The reason given for that promise is practical: so that the righteous are not pushed into doing evil themselves. The psalm then asks God to do good to the upright, and says those who turn to crooked ways will be led away with evildoers. It ends with a short blessing: Peace be on Israel.
Psalm 125: As the Mountains Surround Jerusalem
World English Bible, public domain. allpsalms.com/psalm-125
Psalm 125 commentary: explained verse by verse
Those who trust in the LORD are as Mount Zion,which can’t be moved, but remains forever.
They that trust in the LORD shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever.
The psalm compares people who trust in the LORD to Mount Zion. Like the mountain, they cannot be moved and remain forever.
Also read Psalm 122:1, Psalm 121:1, Isaiah 51:8, Isaiah 51:16
As the mountains surround Jerusalem,so the LORD surrounds his people from this time forward and forever more.
As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the LORD is round about his people from henceforth even for ever.
The image widens from one mountain to the ring of mountains around Jerusalem. As they surround the city, the LORD surrounds his people, from this time forward and forever more.
Also read Psalm 34:7, Psalm 121:8, Lamentations 4:12, Isaiah 4:5
For the scepter of wickedness won’t remain over the allotment of the righteous,so that the righteous won’t use their hands to do evil.
For the rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous; lest the righteous put forth their hands unto iniquity.
The scepter of wickedness, a picture of wicked rule, will not stay over the land allotted to the righteous. The reason is so the righteous will not be pressed into using their own hands to do evil.
Also read 1 Corinthians 10:13, Isaiah 27:8, Isaiah 10:5, Psalm 103:9
Do good, LORD, to those who are good,to those who are upright in their hearts.
Do good, O LORD, unto those that be good, and to them that are upright in their hearts.
The psalm turns to a request. It asks the LORD to do good to those who are good and upright in their hearts.
Also read Psalm 7:10, Psalm 84:11, Psalm 94:15, Psalm 73:1
But as for those who turn away to their crooked ways,the LORD will lead them away with the workers of iniquity.Peace be on Israel.
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.
Those who turn aside to crooked ways will be led away with the workers of iniquity. The psalm then closes with a simple blessing: Peace be on Israel.
Also read Hosea 2:18, Psalm 94:4, Psalm 40:4, 1 Peter 1:2
A prayer from Psalm 125
LORD, those who trust in you are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved but remains forever. Help me to trust you like that. As the mountains surround Jerusalem, surround your people from this time forward and forever more. Do not let the scepter of wickedness remain over the righteous, so that they are not drawn into doing evil with their own hands. Do good, LORD, to those who are good and upright in their hearts. Keep me from turning aside to crooked ways. Peace be on Israel. Amen.
Psalm 125 Bible study questions
- In verse 1, what are those who trust in the LORD compared to, and what two things does the verse say about it?
- In verse 3, what reason does the psalm give for why the scepter of wickedness will not remain?
- Verse 2 pictures the LORD surrounding his people like mountains. What does being surrounded in that way mean to you?
- Verse 5 speaks of those who turn away to crooked ways. What helps a person stay upright in heart over a long time?
- Psalm 46:5 says of God's city, she shall not be moved. How does that line compare with the picture of Mount Zion in Psalm 125:1?
Questions about Psalm 125
What is the meaning of Psalm 125?
It says that people who trust in the LORD are as secure as Mount Zion, that God surrounds his people as mountains surround Jerusalem, and that wicked rule will not last over the righteous.
Who wrote Psalm 125?
The text does not name an author. The heading calls it a Song of Ascents, one of fifteen psalms, 120 to 134, that carry that heading.
What does Psalm 125:1-2 say in the KJV?
The King James Version reads: "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."
What does Psalm 125:3 mean?
It promises that the scepter of wickedness will not remain over the land of the righteous, so that the righteous are not driven to do evil themselves.
What does Psalm 125:5 mean?
It says those who turn to crooked ways will be led away with the workers of iniquity, and ends with the blessing Peace be on Israel.
Psalm 125 KJV: the King James Version
They that trust in the LORD shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever.1
As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the LORD is round about his people from henceforth even for ever.2
For the rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous; lest the righteous put forth their hands unto iniquity.3
Do good, O LORD, unto those that be good, and to them that are upright in their hearts.4
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.5
Psalm 125 in Hebrew
The Hebrew text from the Westminster Leningrad Codex, public domain. Verse numbers follow the Hebrew Bible, which counts a psalm's heading as verse 1, so they can run one ahead of English Bibles.
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1 שִׁ֗יר הַֽמַּ֫עֲל֥וֹת הַבֹּטְחִ֥ים בַּיהוָ֑ה כְּֽהַר־צִיּ֥וֹן לֹא־יִ֝מּ֗וֹט לְעוֹלָ֥ם יֵשֵֽׁב׃
2 יְֽרוּשָׁלִַ֗ם הָרִים֮ סָבִ֪יב לָ֥הּ וַ֭יהוָה סָבִ֣יב לְעַמּ֑וֹ מֵ֝עַתָּ֗ה וְעַד־עוֹלָֽם׃
3 כִּ֤י לֹ֪א יָנ֡וּחַ שֵׁ֤בֶט הָרֶ֗שַׁע עַל֮ גּוֹרַ֪ל הַֽצַּדִּ֫יקִ֥ים לְמַ֡עַן לֹא־יִשְׁלְח֖וּ הַצַּדִּיקִ֨ים בְּעַוְלָ֬תָה יְדֵיהֶֽם׃
4 הֵיטִ֣יבָה יְ֭הוָה לַטּוֹבִ֑ים וְ֝לִֽישָׁרִ֗ים בְּלִבּוֹתָֽם׃
5 וְהַמַּטִּ֤ים עַֽקַלְקַלּוֹתָ֗ם יוֹלִיכֵ֣ם יְ֭הוָה אֶת־פֹּעֲלֵ֣י הָאָ֑וֶן שָׁ֝ל֗וֹם עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
Psalm 125 in the Catholic Douay-Rheims Bible
The Douay-Rheims Bible, 1899 edition, public domain. It follows the Greek and Latin numbering, so this psalm is Psalm 124 there.
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1 They that trust in the Lord shall be as mount Sion: he shall not be moved for ever that dwelleth
2 In Jerusalem. Mountains are round about it: so the Lord is round about his people from henceforth now and for ever.
3 For the Lord will not leave the rod of sinners upon the lot of the just: that the just may not stretch forth their hands to iniquity.
4 Do good, O Lord, to those that are good, and to the upright of heart.
5 But such as turn aside into bonds, the Lord shall lead out with the workers of iniquity: peace upon Israel.
Psalm 125 in Latin
The Clementine Vulgate, public domain, where this psalm is Psalm 124.
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1 Canticum graduum. Qui confidunt in Domino, sicut mons Sion: non commovebitur in æternum, qui habitat
2 in Jerusalem. Montes in circuitu ejus; et Dominus in circuitu populi sui, ex hoc nunc et usque in sæculum.
3 Quia non relinquet Dominus virgam peccatorum super sortem justorum: ut non extendant justi ad iniquitatem manus suas,
4 benefac, Domine, bonis, et rectis corde.
5 Declinantes autem in obligationes, adducet Dominus cum operantibus iniquitatem. Pax super Israël !
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Psalm 125 at a glance
| Verses | 5 |
| Heading in the text | A Song of Ascents. |
| Attributed to | Not named in the text. The heading calls it a Song of Ascents, one of the fifteen psalms, 120 to 134, that carry that heading. |
| Type | Song of Ascents and Trust |
| Number in Greek and Latin Bibles | Psalm 124 |
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Psalm 125 in other translations
This page prints the World English Bible and the King James Version because both are public domain. The NIV, ESV, NKJV, NLT and NASB are under copyright, so they cannot be printed in full here. You can read Psalm 125 in those translations at Bible Gateway.
Where Psalm 125 belongs
Songs of AscentsBook 5 of the Psalms
How this page was made
The psalm text comes from public domain translations and is not edited. The summary, the verse notes and the answers are written for this page from the text of the psalm itself. Where a claim goes beyond the text, it is sourced below.
Sources
- Text: World English Bible and King James Version, both public domain, from ebible.org source
- Hebrew text: Westminster Leningrad Codex, public domain, from ebible.org source
- Douay-Rheims: Douay-Rheims Bible, 1899 edition, public domain, from ebible.org source
- Latin text: Clementine Vulgate, public domain, from ebible.org source
- Numbering: Greek and Latin psalm numbering, Wikipedia, Psalms source