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<TITLE>Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary on the Whole Bible [Psalms CXXV].</TITLE>
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<center><h1>Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary
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on the Whole Bible</h1>
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<h3><a href="http://www.biblesnet.com" target="_blank">Back to Biblesnet.com Home Page</a>
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Matthew Henry<BR><I>Commentary on the Whole Bible</I> (1710)
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<!-- (Begin Body) -->
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<CENTER>
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+3><B>P S A L M S</B></FONT>
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<BR>
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+2>PSALM CXXV.</FONT>
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<HR SIZE=1 WIDTH=50>
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<P>
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This short psalm may be summed up in those words of the prophet
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Isa+3:10,11">Isa. iii. 10, 11</A>),
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"Say you to the righteous, It shall be well with him. Woe to the
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wicked, it shall be will with him." Thus are life and death, the
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blessing and the curse, set before us often in the psalms, as well as
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in the law and the prophets.
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I. It is certainly well with the people of God; for,
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1. They have the promises of a good God that they shall be fixed
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+125:1">ver. 1</A>),
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and safe
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+125:2">ver. 2</A>),
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and not always under the hatches,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+125:3">ver. 3</A>.
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2. They have the prayers of a good man, which shall be heard for them,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+125:4">ver. 4</A>.
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II. It is certainly ill with the wicked, and particularly with the
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apostates,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+125:5">ver. 5</A>.
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Some of the Jewish rabbies are of opinion that it has reference to the
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days of the Messiah; however, we that are members of the gospel-church
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may certainly, in singing this psalm, take comfort of these promises,
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and the more so if we stand in awe of the threatening.</P>
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</FONT>
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<A NAME="Ps125_1"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ps125_2"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ps125_3"> </A>
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<A NAME="Sec1"> </A>
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<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER=0>
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<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>The Security of God's People.</I></FONT></TD>
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<TD ALIGN=RIGHT><FONT SIZE=-1> <! -- Date --> </FONT></TD></TR>
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<TR><TD COLSPAN=2><HR SIZE=1></TD></TR>
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</TABLE>
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<CENTER>
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<P>A song of degrees.</P>
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</CENTER>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>1 They that trust in the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> <I>shall be</I>
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as mount Zion, <I>which</I> cannot be removed, <I>but</I> abideth for ever.
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2 As the mountains <I>are</I> round about Jerusalem, so the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>
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<I>is</I> round about his people from henceforth even for ever.
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3 For the rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the
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righteous; lest the righteous put forth their hands unto
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iniquity.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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Here are three very precious promises made to the people of God, which,
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though they are designed to secure the welfare of the church in
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general, may be applied by particular believers to themselves, as other
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promises of this nature may. Here is,</P>
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<P>
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I. The character of God's people, to whom these promises belong. Many
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call themselves God's people who have no part nor lot in this matter.
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But those shall have the benefit of them and may take the comfort of
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them,
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(1.) Who are <I>righteous</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+125:3"><I>v.</I> 3</A>),
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righteous before God, righteous to God, and righteous to all men, for
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his sake justified and sanctified.
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(2.) Who <I>trust in the Lord,</I> who depend upon his care and devote
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themselves to his honour. All that deal with God must deal upon trust,
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and he will give comfort to those only that give credit to him, and
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make it to appear they do so by quitting other confidences, and
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venturing to the utmost for God. The closer our expectations are
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confined to God the higher our expectations may be raised from him.</P>
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<P>
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II. The promises themselves.</P>
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<P>
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1. That their hearts shall be established by faith: those minds shall
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be truly stayed that are stayed on God: <I>They shall be as Mount
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Zion.</I> The church in general is called <I>Mount Zion</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Heb+12:22">Heb. xii. 22</A>),
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and it shall in <I>this</I> respect be like <I>Mount Zion,</I> it shall
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be built upon a rock, and its interests shall be so well secured that
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<I>the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.</I> The stability of
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the church is the satisfaction of all its well-wishers. Particular
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persons, who trust in God, shall be established
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+112:7">Ps. cxii. 7</A>);
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their faith shall be their fixation,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Isa+7:9">Isa. vii. 9</A>.
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<I>They shall be as Mount Zion,</I> which is firm as it is a mountain
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supported by providence, much more as a holy mountain supported by
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promise.
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(1.) They <I>cannot be removed</I> by the prince of the power of the
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air, nor by all his subtlety and strength. They cannot be removed from
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their integrity nor from their confidence in God.
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(2.) They <I>abide for ever</I> in that grace which is the earnest of
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their everlasting continuance in glory.</P>
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<P>
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2. That, committing themselves to God, they shall be safe, under his
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protection, from all the insults of their enemies, as Jerusalem had a
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natural fastness and fortification in the <I>mountains</I> that <I>were
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round about it,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+125:2"><I>v.</I> 2</A>.
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Those mountains not only sheltered it from winds and tempests, and
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broke the force of them, but made it also very difficult of access for
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an enemy; such a defence is God's providence to his people. Observe,
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(1.) The compass of it: <I>The Lord is round about his people</I> on
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every side. There is no gap in the hedge of protection which he makes
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round about his people, at which the enemy, who goes about them,
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seeking to do them a mischief, can find entrance,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Job+1:10">Job i. 10</A>.
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(2.) The continuance of it--<I>henceforth even for ever.</I> Mountains
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may moulder and <I>come to nought, and rocks</I> be <I>removed out of
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their place</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Job+14:18">Job xiv. 18</A>),
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but God's covenant with his people cannot be <I>broken</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Isa+54:10">Isa. liv. 10</A>)
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nor his care of them cease. Their being said to stand fast <I>for
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ever</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+125:1"><I>v.</I> 1</A>),
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and here to have God <I>round about them for ever,</I> intimates that
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the promises of the stability and security of God's people will have
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their full accomplishment in their everlasting state. In heaven they
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shall <I>stand fast for ever,</I> shall be as <I>pillars in the temple
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of our God and go no more out</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Re+3:12">Rev. iii. 12</A>),
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and there God himself, with his glory and favour, will be <I>round
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about them for ever.</I></P>
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<P>
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3. That their troubles shall last no longer than their strength will
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serve to bear them up under them,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+125:3"><I>v.</I> 3</A>.
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(1.) It is supposed that the <I>rod of the wicked</I> may come, may
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fall, <I>upon the lot of the righteous.</I> The rod of their power may
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oppress them; the rod of their anger may vex and torment them. It may
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fall upon their persons, their estates, their liberties, their
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families, their names, any thing that falls to their lot, only it
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cannot reach their souls.
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(2.) It is promised that, though it may come upon their lot, it shall
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not rest there; it shall not continue so long as the enemies design,
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and as the people of God fear, but God will cut the work short in
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righteousness, so short that even <I>with the temptation he will make a
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way for them to escape.</I>
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(3.) It is considered as a reason of this promise that if the trouble
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should continue over-long the righteous themselves would be in
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temptation to <I>put forth their hands to iniquity,</I> to join with
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wicked people in their wicked practices, to say as they say and do as
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they do. There is danger lest, being long persecuted for their
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religion, at length they grow weary of it and willing to give it up,
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lest, being kept long in expectation of promised mercies, they begin to
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distrust the promise, and to think of casting God off, upon suspicion
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of his having cast them off. See
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+73:13,14">Ps. lxxiii. 13, 14</A>.
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Note, God considers the frame of his people, and will proportion their
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trials to their strength by the care of his providence, as well as
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their strength to their trials by the power of his grace. <I>Oppression
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makes a wise man mad,</I> especially if it continue long; therefore
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<I>for the elect's sake</I> the days shall be shortened, that, whatever
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becomes of their lot in this world, they may not lose their lot among
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the chosen.</P>
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<A NAME="Ps125_4"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ps125_5"> </A>
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<A NAME="Sec2"> </A>
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<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER=0>
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<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>The Security of God's People.</I></FONT></TD>
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<TD ALIGN=RIGHT><FONT SIZE=-1> <! -- Date --> </FONT></TD></TR>
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<TR><TD COLSPAN=2><HR SIZE=1></TD></TR>
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</TABLE>
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<P>
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<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
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are</I> upright in their hearts.
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5 As for such as turn aside unto their crooked ways, the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>
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shall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity: <I>but</I> peace
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<I>shall be</I> upon Israel.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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Here is,
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1. The prayer the psalmist puts up for the happiness of those that are
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sincere and constant
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+125:4"><I>v.</I> 4</A>):
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<I>Do good, O Lord! unto those that are good.</I> This teaches us to
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pray for all good people, to <I>make supplication for all saints;</I>
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and we may pray in faith for them, being assured that those who do well
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shall certainly be well dealt with. Those that are as they should be
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shall be as they would be, provided they be <I>upright in heart,</I>
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that they be really as good as they seem to be. <I>With the upright
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God will show himself upright.</I> He does not say, Do good, O Lord! to
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those that are perfect, that are sinless and spotless, but to those
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that are sincere and honest. God's promises should quicken our prayers.
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It is comfortable wishing well to those for whom God has engaged to do
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well.
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2. The prospect he has of the ruin of hypocrites and deserters; he does
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not pray for it (<I>I have not desired the woeful day, thou
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knowest</I>), but he predicts it: <I>As for those,</I> who having known
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the way of righteousness, for fear of the rod of the wicked, basely
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turn aside out of it <I>to their wicked ways,</I> use indirect ways to
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prevent trouble or extricate themselves out of it, or those who,
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instead of reforming, grow worse and worse and are more obstinate and
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daring in their impieties, God shall <I>send them away, cast them
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out,</I> and <I>lead them forth with the workers of iniquity,</I> that
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is, he will appoint them their portion with the worst of sinners. Note,
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(1.) Sinful ways are <I>crooked ways;</I> sin is the perverting of that
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which is right.
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(2.) The doom of those who turn aside to those crooked ways out of the
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right way will be the same with theirs who have all along walked in
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them, nay, and more grievous, for if any place in hell be hotter than
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another that shall be the portion of hypocrites and apostates. God
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shall <I>lead them forth,</I> as prisoners are led forth to execution.
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<I>Go, you cursed, into everlasting fire;</I> and <I>these shall go
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away;</I> all their former righteousness shall not be mentioned unto
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them. The last words, <I>Place upon Israel,</I> may be taken as a
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prayer: "God preserve his Israel in peace, when his judgments are
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abroad reckoning with evil-doers." We read them as a promise: <I>Peace
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shall be upon Israel;</I> that is,
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[1.] When those who have treacherously deserted the ways of God meet
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with their own destruction those who faithfully adhere to them, though
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they may have trouble in their way, shall have peace in the end.
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[2.] The destruction of those who walk in crooked ways will contribute
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to the peace and safety of the church. When Herod was cut off <I>the
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word of God grew,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ac+12:23,24">Acts xii. 23, 24</A>.
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[3.] The peace and happiness of God's Israel will be the vexation, and
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will add much to the torment, of those who perish in their wickedness,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Lu+13:28,Isa+65:13">Luke xiii. 28; Isa. lxv. 13</A>.
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<I>My servants shall rejoice, but you shall be ashamed.</I></P>
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