Reflections on Psalm 125

Psalms 125 (Contemporary English Version)


1. (A song for worship.) Everyone who trusts the LORD is like Mount Zion that cannot be shaken and will stand forever.
   
2. Just as Jerusalem is protected by mountains on every side, the LORD protects his people by holding them in his arms now and forever.
   
3. He won't let the wicked rule his people or lead them to do wrong.
   
4. Let's ask the LORD to be kind to everyone who is good and completely obeys him.
   
5. When the LORD punishes the wicked, he will punish everyone else who lives a crooked life. Pray for peace in Israel!
   

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This psalm might be summed up with Isaiah's words in Isaiah 3:10-11, "Tell the righteous that it will go well for them, for they will eat the fruit of their deeds. Woe to the wicked--it will go badly for them, for what they have done will be done to them." In other words, we reap what we sow. This is the message of Psalm 125 in a nutshell. Why is this true that we read what we sow? The truth of it could be approached from several directions, but the approach of this psalm has to do with what our trust is based on. The first verse of the psalm says that those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion that cannot be shaken. Their trust is based on what is sure and unshakable. They are like those Jesus spoke of in Matthew 7:25. Their faith is built on the solid rock, and as Jesus said, "The rain fell, the rivers rose, and the winds blew and pounded that house. Yet it didn't collapse, because its foundation was on the rock."

In contrast, those who turn to wicked ways build their lives on sand, to return to Jesus' teaching in Matthew 7:27. So when "The rain fell, the rivers rose, the winds blew and pounded that house," it collapsed. The house built on sand may be very elaborate when built, but its fall is sure. So it is with those who live lifes of wickedness. In the beginning they may build an elaborate life that appears to be wonderful. But their fall is sure. It may not happen soon, but it will happen.

Many might say, "I'm not wicked, I don't do wicked things." And this may be true. But if their trust is not in the Lord, they are still building their lives on sand rather than on the solid rock.