Psalms 125

A Song of Degrees. We may well look upon this Psalm as a pious exhortation to the people to trust in God; when Sennacherib’s army threatened to destroy Jerusalem. And perhaps these were some of the comfortable words, which we read, 2 Chron. xxxii. G — 8. Hezekiah then spake to them; when God chastised them by that rod of his anger, (as he calls Sennacherib, Isa. x. 5.) which the Psalmist here foretold (ver. 3.) should not long aillict them. Of a Song of Degrees, see Psal. cxx.

Psalms 125:1

JL HEY that trust in the Lord sluxll be as Mount Zion, tohich cannot be removed, but abideth for ever. There are none so safe as they that repose a pious confidence in the Lord: by which they shall both maintain themselves in a settled peace and tranquillity; and remain for ever, as unmoveable, conspicuous, and illustrious, as Mount Zion.

Psalms 125:2

As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the Lord is round about his people from henceforth, even for ever. For as Jerusalem is surrounded with high hills, which make it not easily accessible by any enemies, so the Divine providence encompasses his people who depend upon him, to guard and defend them from all dangers; not only now, but in all succeeding ages, to the end of the world.

Psalms 125:3

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 power of wicked tyrants, indeed, may heavily afflict the righteous for a time: but they shall not always harass their country, nor continue their oppression so long, as quite to tire out the patience of the righteous, and tempt them to forsake their pious confidence in him, and lay hold on any means, though never so unjust, of obtaining deliverance.

Psalms 125:4

Do good, O Lord, unto those that be good, and to them that are upright in their hearts. To prevent so great an evil, be pleased now, good Lord, to deal well with those who are truly good, and reward their fidelity; who, notwithstanding all these calamities, sincerely persist in thy ways, and preserve their integrity.

Psalms 125:5

As for such as turn aside unto their crooked ways, the Lord shall lead them forth with the xoorkers of iniquity: but peace shall be upon Israel. But as for those who, instead of growing better by these oppressions, decline more and more from the ways of piety, unto the most perverse and crooked courses: the Lord shall deliver them over to be punished with their oppressors; when Israel, after all these sore afflictions, shall be settled again in peace and happiness. PSALM CXXVI.. A Song of Degrees. ARGUMKNT. This Psalm is so universally thought to be a joyful song composed by Ezra, or some such good man, when they returned out of Babylon, that I shall seek for no other interpretation: but observe, with Theodoret, that when Cyrus gavo them all leave to return to their own land, some were so ill-minded that they chose to continue where they were: but such as had any sense of the piety of their forefathers, and desired to see the worship of God, according to the law, restored, gladly embraced the opportunity of returning to their ow r n country: where they thought themselves so happy in the liberty which they enjoyed, that they pray (ver. 4.) all the rest of the nation, who remained still behind, would come and partake of it. This is the most received sense; else I should, have thought the deliverance from Sennacherib might be here celebrated; who had carried many of them captive (Isa. v. 13. and other places), and when they w r ere delivered from his oppression, they were, indeed, like men that