Psalm 125 is a praise song that the Israelites sang together while walking to Jerusalem for the Feast of Jehovah. This feast was celebrated every year. The people would make the trip so they could worship and celebrate together. Can you picture the scene?… a steady stream of people joyfully singing as they make their way up towards the city surrounded by mountains and hills. The temple sits at the highest point of the city so as they march up, praising God together with this song, their eyes are on the temple. The imagery is stunning and I get goose bumps thinking of the sound of masses of people praising God with this song on their journey. I wish I could hear the melody that goes with these words.
This tribute to God shows the people’s reverence toward His holy name. It speaks of His long-suffering, His goodness and grace, and it shouts thanksgiving for His everlasting mercy. These people had witnessed God’s faithfulness in the past. They were confident in His continuing goodness and grace toward them in the future. They recognized that God’s loving-kindness is unsurpassed and that His strength is matchless. They knew with certainty that God’s promises to His people last forever so they publicly and shamelessly raised their voices in this song to thank God.
“Those who trust in the Lord are as secure as Mount Zion; they will not be defeated but will endure forever. Just as the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds His people, both now and forever.”
The promises in this Psalm are meant for us just as they were for the Israelites. We can look back through our own lives and see God’s goodness, faithfulness, grace, kindness and strength. We can recall the times He protected us, intervened on our behalf, and loved us beyond what we can comprehend. We should also look forward to the fulfillment of His promise to complete the good work He has started in all of us through Jesus. His promises last forever so He will not abandon us in our partially “finished” state. He will continue to shape us, renew our hearts, and complete the work of making us more like Him. This is praiseworthy! This makes me want to get to a mountaintop so I can shout out my thanks! There is hope for the things I am struggling with and the flaws in my person. He is working in me and changing me. He will complete the good work He has begun in me!!!