Psalm 125 - Cannot be shaken

Psalm 125 - Cannot be shaken

Read: Psalm 125 vs 1-5

Years ago I had a friend who liked to tell things as they were. One of the greatest compliments they could pay someone was to say that such and such a person was ‘very down to earth, with no airs or graces’.

The Bible is a down to earth book, and time and again across Old and New Testaments we find God’s word coming to us with no ‘airs or graces’. In many ways Jesus Himself was the ultimate down to earth teacher. When He wanted to teach people what the Kingdom of God was like He didn’t reach for some kind of deep philosophical language but rather he spoke about gates, sheep, mustard seeds, and loaves of bread. 

The book of Psalms have this down to earth quality about them and we find this today in Psalm 125. The writer (on the road to worship at Jerusalem) is thinking about people who trust in the LORD, then they look at the mountains around Jerusalem (including Mount Zion) and suddenly dots join in their mind:

‘Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures forever.

As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the LORD surrounds His people both now and forevermore.’ (vs 1-2)

So what was it about these mountains that made this singer / songwriter think of people trusting God? Looking at the mountains the writer sees great spectacles of nature that are permanent, enduring, always there. There is an immovable-ness about mountains and it is this quality about God that moves this person to sing, and that moves them to urge others to keep a true heart before this God (vs 4).

This Psalm ends with a blessing, a prayer for ‘peace’ on all who made this journey of faith, and upon all who make it today. A prayer that such people will never be shaken, knowing God’s surrounding presence, both now and forevermore.

Prayer: Lord in a world where many things can threaten us, help us to find security in You. May we never be shaken as we continue on the road that will one day lead us home. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.