This is another psalm sung by the pilgrims on their journey up to Jeru­salem. As they did so it didn’t es­cape their attention that the city was ringed by mountains. Jerusalem was strategically situated. Derek Kidner paints the picture for us, ‘The hills and the holy city, much in view and much in mind to the pilgrims, make their presence felt again; and once more the thoughts they arouse are searching and fundamental, piercing to the realities behind these impressive sights’.

1. A Picture of Stability and Secu­rity (1-2)⤒🔗

There are two metaphors used in the first two verses. First; ‘Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion which cannot be moved, but abides forever’ (1). The believer is compared to the unshakable Mount Zion. We’re not compared to Jerusalem or the Tem­ple which have been destroyed many times. We are like Mount Zion — the mountain upon which the city and temple stood. Can you think of anything more stable than a mountain? That’s what we who trust in the Lord are like. We are as fixed and firm as Mount Zion.

Perhaps you think, ‘But I don’t feel like that. I don’t feel strong or stable. I feel weak and fragile and vulner­able’. We don’t feel bullet proof. We are caught up in the same bundle of life: subject like everyone to pain, sickness, disease, accident, injury and death. But the psalmist assures us that believers are as secure in their position, as the mountain God had chosen and established as His special habitation (cf. John 10:28, Romans 8:31-39 and Phil. 1:6). We are able to stand — not because we are tough and tenacious, but because He is faithful and able to save us.

Secondly, ‘As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds His people, from this time forth and forevermore’ (2). The Lord forever surrounds His people, as a protective army keeps overwhelming forces from defeating them. ‘Mount Zion is not the high­est peak in the mountain range around Jerusalem. To its east lies the Mount of Olives, to its north Mount Scopus, to the west and south are other hills, all of which are higher than Mount Zion. Sur­rounded by mountains, Mount Zion was secure by its natural defensibil­ity. So the psalmist compares the Lord to the hills around Jerusalem and the people to Mount Zion’ (Van Gemeren).

Just as Jerusalem is ringed by natural defences, so the Lord prom­ises to surround His people. He promises that, ‘the eternal God is your dwelling place and under­neath are the everlasting arms’ (Deut. 33:27). And, ‘He will tend His flock like a shep­herd; He will gather the lambs in His arms; He will carry them in His bosom, and gently lead those that are with young’ (Isaiah 40:11). And, ‘I will be to her a wall of fire all around’ (Zech. 2:5). We rightly believe in the eternal security of the saints.

The psalmist is not saying that our life is one of uninterrupted calm and peace and tranquility. He is not saying that there will be no difficulties or griefs in our way. He is however saying that He ‘is our refuge and our strength, a very present help in time of need’.

We need to be assured of this great truth before the day of trou­ble comes: before the knock comes on the door, or the tele­phone rings in the middle of the night, or the doctor delivers un­wanted news. We are called to trust what God says. We must believe His promises. If we were surrounded by a wall of concrete or steel we could see the protec­tion. But faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Though we don’t see it, we have an enduring de­fence (cf. 2 Kings 6:16 and Psalm 91:1-6). In a world in which seemingly everything changes and nothing lasts, we need to be convinced of this.

2. A Promise of Success and Support (3)←⤒🔗

‘For the sceptre of wickedness shall not rest on the land allot­ted to the righteous, lest the righteous stretch out their hands to do wrong’ (3). Dark shadows begin to appear. ‘Now emerges the bleak situation in which these words have been spo­ken; one in which evil has appar­ently the upper hand and the right­eous are wavering’ (Kidner).

The sceptre of wickedness is expressive of the rule of the wicked. The promise is that the Lord will not permit evil ultimately to prevail. When was wickedness exercising its sceptre over the land allotted to the righteous? It may well refer to the period of the exile when Babylon was waving its scep­tre. Many identify the period as post exilic (e.g. Nehemiah 5-6) when there were still much antago­nism and opposition to cope with. It could refer to a much earlier pe­riod: David, for example, had to endure the wicked sceptre of Absa­lom.

‘But the situation envisaged is wider than any specific period ... The sceptre of wickedness is always in evidence; constantly in operation; it is the world in which we live’ (Motyer).

The lesson of the psalm is there­fore timeless. Its spiritual values are the possession of God’s people in every generation. It was a popu­lar psalm during the struggle of the Covenanters in Scotland; and in France when the Huguenots were being hunted by Louis XIV. It’s especially relevant today for believ­ers in Syria, in Afghanistan, in Iraq, Iran and in N. Korea. It’s more relevant to us than we perhaps realise. The sceptre of wick­edness is more sub­tle today. We would be naive to think we have a government of ministers who are influenced by our Christian past. Far from it. We live in a society where there is real animosity to­ward Christianity. We will see it mani­fested more blatantly in the run up to the same sex marriage plebiscite. There will be difficult days ahead. ‘They will utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account’ (Matt. 5:11). Be assured however that the sceptre of the wicked will remain only for as long as the Lord appoints — and no longer. When the right time comes He will smash their sceptre. NB: In using ‘sceptre’ language the psalmist is holding on to an ancient promise, ‘The sceptre shall not depart from Judah ... and to Him shall be the obedience of the people’ (Gen. 49:10). Wick­edness will ultimately bow to the One (Christ) whom God has prom­ised.

The second part of verse 3 is not so easy to understand. ‘For then the godly might be tempted to do wrong’ (NLT). Perhaps it’s a description of the corrupting and corroding influence that persistent evil can exercise upon the people of God. Long and constant trial can be wearying. As water eventu­ally erodes the rock, so Christians can be worn down and tempted to compromise so that, ‘many will be lead astray ... and the love of many will grow cold’ (Matt. 24:12). Perhaps the situation envis­aged is described in Psalm 73. The psalmist (Asaph) was so envious of the peaceful and prosperous lives of the wicked; and so overwhelmed by his own trials, that he almost lost his foothold of faith. He, how­ever, happily concludes, ‘Nevertheless, I am continually with you; you hold me by my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterwards you will receive me to glory’ (Ps. 73:23). The life of faith is not easy, but the life of unbelief is much harder — in this life and in the life to come. ‘God is faithful, and He will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation He will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it’ (1 Cor. 10:13).

3. A Prayer for Blessing and Banishment (4-5)←⤒🔗

‘Do good, O LORD, to those who are good, and to those who are upright in their hearts!’ (4). Notice how the be­liever is variously described in this psalm: ‘the good’, ‘the up­right in heart’ and ‘the righteous’. This is not what we are by nature — but by grace. Good­ness comes by being in a right relationship with God who alone is good. ‘The upright and the righteous’ is not describing per­fect people — but is shorthand to describe those who trust in God’s covenant promises to us in Christ — we become righteous by be­lieving on Him.

Note the context of the prayer: it asks the LORD to ‘do good to those who are good’ while the sceptre of wickedness was still prevalent. But would God ever intentionally not do us good? Of course not. See Romans 8:28­ 29. This is the perspective we need to maintain. Even when the sceptre of evil prevails the Lord will still do good to those who love Him. ‘He surrounds His people from this time forth and forevermore’. This prayer requires that we continue to trust and love Him.

There is a Part B to the prayer, ‘But those who turn aside to their wicked ways the LORD will lead away with evil doers!’ (5) This is a Romans 12:19 prayer, ‘vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord’. ‘He has fixed a day when He will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom He has appointed’. He will say to those who have turned aside to crookedness, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed into the eter­nal fire prepared for the devil and his angels’ (Matt. 25:41).

There is also Part C to the prayer (which also appears at the end of Psalm 128), ‘Peace be upon Is­rael’ (5c). It appears to be a con­densed version of the Aaronic bless­ing, ‘The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace’ (Num. 6:24-26). This is the peace pictured in verses 1­2. The Lord surrounds His people — and gives us peace.