Psalm 125:1 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but abides forever.

NIV: A song of ascents. Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures forever.

NASB: Those who trust in the Lord Are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved but remains forever.

CSB: A song of ascents. Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion. It cannot be shaken; it remains forever.

NLT: Those who trust in the Lord are as secure as Mount Zion; they will not be defeated but will endure forever.

KJV: A Song of degrees. They that trust in the Lord shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever.

NKJV: {A Song of Ascents.} Those who trust in the Lord Are like Mount Zion, Which cannot be moved, but abides forever.

This is one of several songs (Psalm 120—134) used by Jewish pilgrims to Jerusalem (Deuteronomy 16:16). Mount Zion was a fortress captured by David which became his capital and the city of Jerusalem (2 Samuel 5:7; 1 Kings 8:1). The psalmist is expressing the idea that those who maintain faith in God cannot be "moved" against their will to commit sin. This would correspond to the New Testament teaching that the Lord never puts His people in a position where they must sin—there is always a moral option (1 Corinthians 10:13).

A parallel interpretation relates to Israel's frequent domination by enemy empires. God preserved the people during conquest and exile (2 Chronicles 36:17–21; Ezra 2:1). Yet they were often under the control of foreign powers such as Greece and Rome (Matthew 22:17; Luke 3:1). This meant constant pressure to conform to pagan customs and beliefs. It also involved oppression on God's chosen people (Deuteronomy 10:15). With His protection, however, Israel would endure.

Christians are secure and strong when their lives are built on Christ Jesus (1 Corinthians 3:11; 1 Peter 2:4–8). They may tremble under stress, but the Rock will never tremble under them. Jesus keeps His people as secure as any mountain (John 10:28).

Psalm 125:1–3 reflects on the moral strength of those who trust in the Lord. The psalmist describes them as immovable as Mount Zion (1 Kings 8:1). God's protection will not allow those who honor Him to be tempted beyond their ability (1 Corinthians 10:13). Pressure from pagan oppressors will not last forever.

The psalmist reassures those under pressure from pagan government. Faith in God will keep them secure, like Zion, the mountain at Jerusalem (2 Samuel 5:7; 1 Kings 8:1). He prays for the Lord to honor those who honor God. Those who fall away will suffer the consequences. As a prior song did for Jerusalem (Psalm 122:6), this one prays for peace on the nation of Israel.

At times, Israel struggled under the domination of foreign powers. These included eras of Babylonian captivity (2 Chronicles 26:17–21; Ezra 2:1) as well as post-exile occupation by Greece and Rome. This psalm may have been written in response to some of this history. Fifteen psalms (Psalms 120—134), including this one, were labeled songs "of ascent" and used by pilgrims traveling to Jerusalem for festivals (Deuteronomy 16:16).

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.