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Psalms 125:1 King James Version with Strong's Concordance (STRONG)

1 [[A Song H7892 of degrees.]] H4609 They that trust H982 in the LORD H3068 shall be as mount H2022 Zion, H6726 which cannot be removed, H4131 but abideth H3427 for ever. H5769

Cross Reference

Jeremiah 17:7-8 STRONG

Blessed H1288 is the man H1397 that trusteth H982 in the LORD, H3068 and whose hope H4009 the LORD H3068 is. For he shall be as a tree H6086 planted H8362 by the waters, H4325 and that spreadeth out H7971 her roots H8328 by the river, H3105 and shall not see H7200 when heat H2527 cometh, H935 but her leaf H5929 shall be green; H7488 and shall not be careful H1672 in the year H8141 of drought, H1226 neither shall cease H4185 from yielding H6213 fruit. H6529

Isaiah 52:7-8 STRONG

How beautiful H4998 upon the mountains H2022 are the feet H7272 of him that bringeth good tidings, H1319 that publisheth H8085 peace; H7965 that bringeth good tidings H1319 of good, H2896 that publisheth H8085 salvation; H3444 that saith H559 unto Zion, H6726 Thy God H430 reigneth! H4427 Thy watchmen H6822 shall lift up H5375 the voice; H6963 with the voice H6963 together H3162 shall they sing: H7442 for they shall see H7200 eye H5869 to eye, H5869 when the LORD H3068 shall bring again H7725 Zion. H6726

Matthew 16:16-18 STRONG

And G1161 Simon G4613 Peter G4074 answered G611 and said, G2036 Thou G4771 art G1488 the Christ, G5547 the Son G5207 of the living G2198 God. G2316 And G2532 Jesus G2424 answered G611 and said G2036 unto him, G846 Blessed G3107 art thou, G1488 Simon G4613 Barjona: G920 for G3754 flesh G4561 and G2532 blood G129 hath G601 not G3756 revealed G601 it unto thee, G4671 but G235 my G3450 Father G3962 which G3588 is in G1722 heaven. G3772 And G1161 I say G3004 also G2504 unto thee, G4671 That G3754 thou G4771 art G1488 Peter, G4074 and G2532 upon G1909 this G5026 rock G4073 I will build G3618 my G3450 church; G1577 and G2532 the gates G4439 of hell G86 shall G2729 not G3756 prevail against G2729 it. G846

Ephesians 1:12-13 STRONG

That G1519 we G2248 should be G1511 to G1519 the praise G1868 of his G846 glory, G1391 who G3588 first trusted G4276 in G1722 Christ. G5547 In G1722 whom G3739 ye G5210 also G2532 trusted, after that ye heard G191 the word G3056 of truth, G225 the gospel G2098 of your G5216 salvation: G4991 in G1722 whom G3739 also G2532 after that ye believed, G4100 ye were sealed with G4972 that holy G40 Spirit G4151 of promise, G1860

Proverbs 3:5-6 STRONG

Trust H982 in the LORD H3068 with all thine heart; H3820 and lean H8172 not unto thine own understanding. H998 In all thy ways H1870 acknowledge H3045 him, and he shall direct H3474 thy paths. H734

Psalms 132:13-14 STRONG

For the LORD H3068 hath chosen H977 Zion; H6726 he hath desired H183 it for his habitation. H4186 This is my rest H4496 for ever: H5703 here will I dwell; H3427 for I have desired H183 it.

Psalms 118:8-9 STRONG

It is better H2896 to trust H2620 in the LORD H3068 than to put confidence H982 in man. H120 It is better H2896 to trust H2620 in the LORD H3068 than to put confidence H982 in princes. H5081

Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Psalms 125

Commentary on Psalms 125 Matthew Henry Commentary


Psalm 125

This short psalm may be summed up in those words of the prophet (Isa. 3:10, 11), "Say you to the righteous, It shall be well with him. Woe to the wicked, it shall be will with him.' Thus are life and death, the blessing and the curse, set before us often in the psalms, as well as in the law and the prophets.

  • I. It is certainly well with the people of God; for,
    • 1. They have the promises of a good God that they shall be fixed (v. 1), and safe (v. 2), and not always under the hatches (v. 3).
    • 2. They have the prayers of a good man, which shall be heard for them (v. 4).
  • II. It is certainly ill with the wicked, and particularly with the apostates (v. 5).

Some of the Jewish rabbies are of opinion that it has reference to the days of the Messiah; however, we that are members of the gospel-church may certainly, in singing this psalm, take comfort of these promises, and the more so if we stand in awe of the threatening.

A song of degrees.

Psa 125:1-3

Here are three very precious promises made to the people of God, which, though they are designed to secure the welfare of the church in general, may be applied by particular believers to themselves, as other promises of this nature may. Here is,

  • I. The character of God's people, to whom these promises belong. Many call themselves God's people who have no part nor lot in this matter. But those shall have the benefit of them and may take the comfort of them,
    • (1.) Who are righteous (v. 3), righteous before God, righteous to God, and righteous to all men, for his sake justified and sanctified.
    • (2.) Who trust in the Lord, who depend upon his care and devote themselves to his honour. All that deal with God must deal upon trust, and he will give comfort to those only that give credit to him, and make it to appear they do so by quitting other confidences, and venturing to the utmost for God. The closer our expectations are confined to God the higher our expectations may be raised from him.
  • II. The promises themselves.
    • 1. That their hearts shall be established by faith: those minds shall be truly stayed that are stayed on God: They shall be as Mount Zion. The church in general is called Mount Zion (Heb. 12:22), and it shall in this respect be like Mount Zion, it shall be built upon a rock, and its interests shall be so well secured that the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. The stability of the church is the satisfaction of all its well-wishers. Particular persons, who trust in God, shall be established (Ps. 112:7); their faith shall be their fixation, Isa. 7:9. They shall be as Mount Zion, which is firm as it is a mountain supported by providence, much more as a holy mountain supported by promise.
      • (1.) They cannot be removed by the prince of the power of the air, nor by all his subtlety and strength. They cannot be removed from their integrity nor from their confidence in God.
      • (2.) They abide for ever in that grace which is the earnest of their everlasting continuance in glory.
    • 2. That, committing themselves to God, they shall be safe, under his protection, from all the insults of their enemies, as Jerusalem had a natural fastness and fortification in the mountains that were round about it, v. 2. Those mountains not only sheltered it from winds and tempests, and broke the force of them, but made it also very difficult of access for an enemy; such a defence is God's providence to his people. Observe,
      • (1.) The compass of it: The Lord is round about his people on every side. There is no gap in the hedge of protection which he makes round about his people, at which the enemy, who goes about them, seeking to do them a mischief, can find entrance, Job 1:10.
      • (2.) The continuance of it-henceforth even for ever. Mountains may moulder and come to nought, and rocks be removed out of their place (Job 14:18), but God's covenant with his people cannot be broken (Isa. 54:10) nor his care of them cease. Their being said to stand fast for ever (v. 1), and here to have God round about them for ever, intimates that the promises of the stability and security of God's people will have their full accomplishment in their everlasting state. In heaven they shall stand fast for ever, shall be as pillars in the temple of our God and go no more out (Rev. 3:12), and there God himself, with his glory and favour, will be round about them for ever.
    • 3. That their troubles shall last no longer than their strength will serve to bear them up under them, v. 3.
      • (1.) It is supposed that the rod of the wicked may come, may fall, upon the lot of the righteous. The rod of their power may oppress them; the rod of their anger may vex and torment them. It may fall upon their persons, their estates, their liberties, their families, their names, any thing that falls to their lot, only it cannot reach their souls.
      • (2.) It is promised that, though it may come upon their lot, it shall not rest there; it shall not continue so long as the enemies design, and as the people of God fear, but God will cut the work short in righteousness, so short that even with the temptation he will make a way for them to escape.
      • (3.) It is considered as a reason of this promise that if the trouble should continue over-long the righteous themselves would be in temptation to put forth their hands to iniquity, to join with wicked people in their wicked practices, to say as they say and do as they do. There is danger lest, being long persecuted for their religion, at length they grow weary of it and willing to give it up, lest, being kept long in expectation of promised mercies, they begin to distrust the promise, and to think of casting God off, upon suspicion of his having cast them off. See Ps. 73:13, 14. Note, God considers the frame of his people, and will proportion their trials to their strength by the care of his providence, as well as their strength to their trials by the power of his grace. Oppression makes a wise man mad, especially if it continue long; therefore for the elect's sake the days shall be shortened, that, whatever becomes of their lot in this world, they may not lose their lot among the chosen.

Psa 125:4-5

Here is,

  • 1. The prayer the psalmist puts up for the happiness of those that are sincere and constant (v. 4): Do good, O Lord! unto those that are good. This teaches us to pray for all good people, to make supplication for all saints; and we may pray in faith for them, being assured that those who do well shall certainly be well dealt with. Those that are as they should be shall be as they would be, provided they be upright in heart, that they be really as good as they seem to be. With the upright God will show himself upright. He does not say, Do good, O Lord! to those that are perfect, that are sinless and spotless, but to those that are sincere and honest. God's promises should quicken our prayers. It is comfortable wishing well to those for whom God has engaged to do well.
  • 2. The prospect he has of the ruin of hypocrites and deserters; he does not pray for it (I have not desired the woeful day, thou knowest), but he predicts it: As for those, who having known the way of righteousness, for fear of the rod of the wicked, basely turn aside out of it to their wicked ways, use indirect ways to prevent trouble or extricate themselves out of it, or those who, instead of reforming, grow worse and worse and are more obstinate and daring in their impieties, God shall send them away, cast them out, and lead them forth with the workers of iniquity, that is, he will appoint them their portion with the worst of sinners. Note,
    • (1.) Sinful ways are crooked ways; sin is the perverting of that which is right.
    • (2.) The doom of those who turn aside to those crooked ways out of the right way will be the same with theirs who have all along walked in them, nay, and more grievous, for if any place in hell be hotter than another that shall be the portion of hypocrites and apostates. God shall lead them forth, as prisoners are led forth to execution. Go, you cursed, into everlasting fire; and these shall go away; all their former righteousness shall not be mentioned unto them. The last words, Place upon Israel, may be taken as a prayer: "God preserve his Israel in peace, when his judgments are abroad reckoning with evil-doers.' We read them as a promise: Peace shall be upon Israel; that is,
      • [1.] When those who have treacherously deserted the ways of God meet with their own destruction those who faithfully adhere to them, though they may have trouble in their way, shall have peace in the end.
      • [2.] The destruction of those who walk in crooked ways will contribute to the peace and safety of the church. When Herod was cut off the word of God grew, Acts 12:23, 24.
      • [3.] The peace and happiness of God's Israel will be the vexation, and will add much to the torment, of those who perish in their wickedness, Lu. 13:28; Isa. 65:13. My servants shall rejoice, but you shall be ashamed.