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<TITLE>Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary on the Whole Bible [Psalms CXXV].</TITLE>
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Matthew Henry<BR><I>Commentary on the Whole Bible</I> (1710)
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<CENTER>
<BR><FONT SIZE=+3><B>P S A L M S</B></FONT>
<BR>
<BR><FONT SIZE=+2>PSALM CXXV.</FONT>
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<FONT SIZE=-1>
<P> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
This short psalm may be summed up in those words of the prophet
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Isa+3:10,11">Isa. iii. 10, 11</A>),
"Say you to the righteous, It shall be well with him. Woe to the
wicked, it shall be will with him." Thus are life and death, the
blessing and the curse, set before us often in the psalms, as well as
in the law and the prophets.
I. It is certainly well with the people of God; for,
1. They have the promises of a good God that they shall be fixed
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+125:1">ver. 1</A>),
and safe
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+125:2">ver. 2</A>),
and not always under the hatches,
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+125:3">ver. 3</A>.
2. They have the prayers of a good man, which shall be heard for them,
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+125:4">ver. 4</A>.
II. It is certainly ill with the wicked, and particularly with the
apostates,
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+125:5">ver. 5</A>.
Some of the Jewish rabbies are of opinion that it has reference to the
days of the Messiah; however, we that are members of the gospel-church
may certainly, in singing this psalm, take comfort of these promises,
and the more so if we stand in awe of the threatening.</P>
</FONT>
<A NAME="Ps125_1"> </A>
<A NAME="Ps125_2"> </A>
<A NAME="Ps125_3"> </A>
<A NAME="Sec1"> </A>
<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER=0>
<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>The Security of God's People.</I></FONT></TD>
<TD ALIGN=RIGHT><FONT SIZE=-1> <! -- Date --> </FONT></TD></TR>
<TR><TD COLSPAN=2><HR SIZE=1></TD></TR>
</TABLE>
<CENTER>
<P>A song of degrees.</P>
</CENTER>
<P> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
<FONT SIZE=+1>1 They that trust in the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> <I>shall be</I>
as mount Zion, <I>which</I> cannot be removed, <I>but</I> abideth for ever.
&nbsp; 2 As the mountains <I>are</I> round about Jerusalem, so the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>
<I>is</I> round about his people from henceforth even for ever.
&nbsp; 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.
</FONT></P>
<P> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
Here are three very precious promises made to the people of God, which,
though they are designed to secure the welfare of the church in
general, may be applied by particular believers to themselves, as other
promises of this nature may. Here is,</P>
<P> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
I. The character of God's people, to whom these promises belong. Many
call themselves God's people who have no part nor lot in this matter.
But those shall have the benefit of them and may take the comfort of
them,
(1.) Who are <I>righteous</I>
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+125:3"><I>v.</I> 3</A>),
righteous before God, righteous to God, and righteous to all men, for
his sake justified and sanctified.
(2.) Who <I>trust in the Lord,</I> who depend upon his care and devote
themselves to his honour. All that deal with God must deal upon trust,
and he will give comfort to those only that give credit to him, and
make it to appear they do so by quitting other confidences, and
venturing to the utmost for God. The closer our expectations are
confined to God the higher our expectations may be raised from him.</P>
<P> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
II. The promises themselves.</P>
<P> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
1. That their hearts shall be established by faith: those minds shall
be truly stayed that are stayed on God: <I>They shall be as Mount
Zion.</I> The church in general is called <I>Mount Zion</I>
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Heb+12:22">Heb. xii. 22</A>),
and it shall in <I>this</I> respect be like <I>Mount Zion,</I> it shall
be built upon a rock, and its interests shall be so well secured that
<I>the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.</I> The stability of
the church is the satisfaction of all its well-wishers. Particular
persons, who trust in God, shall be established
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+112:7">Ps. cxii. 7</A>);
their faith shall be their fixation,
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Isa+7:9">Isa. vii. 9</A>.
<I>They shall be as Mount Zion,</I> which is firm as it is a mountain
supported by providence, much more as a holy mountain supported by
promise.
(1.) They <I>cannot be removed</I> by the prince of the power of the
air, nor by all his subtlety and strength. They cannot be removed from
their integrity nor from their confidence in God.
(2.) They <I>abide for ever</I> in that grace which is the earnest of
their everlasting continuance in glory.</P>
<P> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
2. That, committing themselves to God, they shall be safe, under his
protection, from all the insults of their enemies, as Jerusalem had a
natural fastness and fortification in the <I>mountains</I> that <I>were
round about it,</I>
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+125:2"><I>v.</I> 2</A>.
Those mountains not only sheltered it from winds and tempests, and
broke the force of them, but made it also very difficult of access for
an enemy; such a defence is God's providence to his people. Observe,
(1.) The compass of it: <I>The Lord is round about his people</I> on
every side. There is no gap in the hedge of protection which he makes
round about his people, at which the enemy, who goes about them,
seeking to do them a mischief, can find entrance,
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Job+1:10">Job i. 10</A>.
(2.) The continuance of it--<I>henceforth even for ever.</I> Mountains
may moulder and <I>come to nought, and rocks</I> be <I>removed out of
their place</I>
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Job+14:18">Job xiv. 18</A>),
but God's covenant with his people cannot be <I>broken</I>
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Isa+54:10">Isa. liv. 10</A>)
nor his care of them cease. Their being said to stand fast <I>for
ever</I>
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+125:1"><I>v.</I> 1</A>),
and here to have God <I>round about them for ever,</I> intimates that
the promises of the stability and security of God's people will have
their full accomplishment in their everlasting state. In heaven they
shall <I>stand fast for ever,</I> shall be as <I>pillars in the temple
of our God and go no more out</I>
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Re+3:12">Rev. iii. 12</A>),
and there God himself, with his glory and favour, will be <I>round
about them for ever.</I></P>
<P> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
3. That their troubles shall last no longer than their strength will
serve to bear them up under them,
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+125:3"><I>v.</I> 3</A>.
(1.) It is supposed that the <I>rod of the wicked</I> may come, may
fall, <I>upon the lot of the righteous.</I> The rod of their power may
oppress them; the rod of their anger may vex and torment them. It may
fall upon their persons, their estates, their liberties, their
families, their names, any thing that falls to their lot, only it
cannot reach their souls.
(2.) It is promised that, though it may come upon their lot, it shall
not rest there; it shall not continue so long as the enemies design,
and as the people of God fear, but God will cut the work short in
righteousness, so short that even <I>with the temptation he will make a
way for them to escape.</I>
(3.) It is considered as a reason of this promise that if the trouble
should continue over-long the righteous themselves would be in
temptation to <I>put forth their hands to iniquity,</I> to join with
wicked people in their wicked practices, to say as they say and do as
they do. There is danger lest, being long persecuted for their
religion, at length they grow weary of it and willing to give it up,
lest, being kept long in expectation of promised mercies, they begin to
distrust the promise, and to think of casting God off, upon suspicion
of his having cast them off. See
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+73:13,14">Ps. lxxiii. 13, 14</A>.
Note, God considers the frame of his people, and will proportion their
trials to their strength by the care of his providence, as well as
their strength to their trials by the power of his grace. <I>Oppression
makes a wise man mad,</I> especially if it continue long; therefore
<I>for the elect's sake</I> the days shall be shortened, that, whatever
becomes of their lot in this world, they may not lose their lot among
the chosen.</P>
<A NAME="Ps125_4"> </A>
<A NAME="Ps125_5"> </A>
<A NAME="Sec2"> </A>
<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER=0>
<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>The Security of God's People.</I></FONT></TD>
<TD ALIGN=RIGHT><FONT SIZE=-1> <! -- Date --> </FONT></TD></TR>
<TR><TD COLSPAN=2><HR SIZE=1></TD></TR>
</TABLE>
<P> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
<FONT SIZE=+1>4 Do good, O L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>, unto <I>those that be</I> good, and <I>to them that
are</I> upright in their hearts.
&nbsp; 5 As for such as turn aside unto their crooked ways, the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>
shall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity: <I>but</I> peace
<I>shall be</I> upon Israel.
</FONT></P>
<P> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
Here is,
1. The prayer the psalmist puts up for the happiness of those that are
sincere and constant
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+125:4"><I>v.</I> 4</A>):
<I>Do good, O Lord! unto those that are good.</I> This teaches us to
pray for all good people, to <I>make supplication for all saints;</I>
and we may pray in faith for them, being assured that those who do well
shall certainly be well dealt with. Those that are as they should be
shall be as they would be, provided they be <I>upright in heart,</I>
that they be really as good as they seem to be. <I>With the upright
God will show himself upright.</I> He does not say, Do good, O Lord! to
those that are perfect, that are sinless and spotless, but to those
that are sincere and honest. God's promises should quicken our prayers.
It is comfortable wishing well to those for whom God has engaged to do
well.
2. The prospect he has of the ruin of hypocrites and deserters; he does
not pray for it (<I>I have not desired the woeful day, thou
knowest</I>), but he predicts it: <I>As for those,</I> who having known
the way of righteousness, for fear of the rod of the wicked, basely
turn aside out of it <I>to their wicked ways,</I> use indirect ways to
prevent trouble or extricate themselves out of it, or those who,
instead of reforming, grow worse and worse and are more obstinate and
daring in their impieties, God shall <I>send them away, cast them
out,</I> and <I>lead them forth with the workers of iniquity,</I> that
is, he will appoint them their portion with the worst of sinners. Note,
(1.) Sinful ways are <I>crooked ways;</I> sin is the perverting of that
which is right.
(2.) The doom of those who turn aside to those crooked ways out of the
right way will be the same with theirs who have all along walked in
them, nay, and more grievous, for if any place in hell be hotter than
another that shall be the portion of hypocrites and apostates. God
shall <I>lead them forth,</I> as prisoners are led forth to execution.
<I>Go, you cursed, into everlasting fire;</I> and <I>these shall go
away;</I> all their former righteousness shall not be mentioned unto
them. The last words, <I>Place upon Israel,</I> may be taken as a
prayer: "God preserve his Israel in peace, when his judgments are
abroad reckoning with evil-doers." We read them as a promise: <I>Peace
shall be upon Israel;</I> that is,
[1.] When those who have treacherously deserted the ways of God meet
with their own destruction those who faithfully adhere to them, though
they may have trouble in their way, shall have peace in the end.
[2.] The destruction of those who walk in crooked ways will contribute
to the peace and safety of the church. When Herod was cut off <I>the
word of God grew,</I>
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ac+12:23,24">Acts xii. 23, 24</A>.
[3.] The peace and happiness of God's Israel will be the vexation, and
will add much to the torment, of those who perish in their wickedness,
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Lu+13:28,Isa+65:13">Luke xiii. 28; Isa. lxv. 13</A>.
<I>My servants shall rejoice, but you shall be ashamed.</I></P>
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