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Psalm 125 Bible study: Like Mount Zion
Psalm 125 gives two pictures: those who trust in the LORD are as Mount Zion, which can't be moved, and the LORD is around his people as the mountains are around Jerusalem. The WEB's two remains are two Hebrew verbs: Zion stays; the scepter of wickedness won't settle over the allotment of the righteous, so that they won't use their hands to do evil.
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“As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the LORD surrounds his people from this time forward and forever more.”
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“Psalm 125 says Mount Zion remains forever, and the scepter of wickedness won't remain over the allotment of the righteous.”
Is that in Psalm 125, or not? Make your call.
What's really going on
The mountain, and the mountains around
The psalm's title is "A Song of Ascents" (125:1) (tap Ascents), and it is one of fifteen psalms in a row with that title (Psalm 120:1 to 134:1). It doesn't name who speaks. It begins with two pictures. The first: "Those who trust in the LORD are as Mount Zion, which can’t be moved, but remains forever" (125:1) (tap trust, Zion and moved). The second: "As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the LORD surrounds his people from this time forward and forever more" (125:2) (tap mountains and surround). In the first picture, those who trust are as the mountain. In the second, the LORD is around his people as the mountains are around Jerusalem.
Honest questions
Questions people ask about Psalm 125
- "Those who trust in the LORD are as Mount Zion, which can’t be moved" (125:1). Does the psalm promise that trouble won't come to those who trust?
- "the scepter of wickedness" (125:3). Whose scepter is it?
- "Do good, LORD, to those who are good" (125:4). Is the psalm saying the LORD is good only to good people?
That was a taste
The rest of Psalm 125 is waiting in Favor
- What remains, and what doesn't
- The good, and the crooked ways
- Never shaken, in three psalms
- From this time forward and forever more
- 6 questions as you read
- 13 more Hebrew words
- A short check at the end
- Your notes, saved as you go
Favor reads the Bible in order, so you'll reach Psalm 125 with everything before it in view. First week free, then $10 a month per person.
The Hebrew word behind it
סָבִיבsavivsay sa-VEEV
Strong's: "a circle, neighbour, or environs; but chiefly (as adverb, with or without preposition) around". Brown-Driver-Briggs: "circuit, round about". "As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the LORD surrounds his people" (125:2). The WEB's surround and surrounds are this one word, twice, and there is no verb for them in the Hebrew: the mountains are around Jerusalem, and the LORD is around his people. It is not the verb savav of "All the nations surrounded me" (Psalm 118:10). The Psalms have saviv 19 times in Hebrew; one is "The LORD’s angel encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them" (Psalm 34:7), where around is this word.
For your group
Psalm 125 Bible study questions
- 1"Those who trust in the LORD are as Mount Zion, which can’t be moved" (125:1). What is trying to move you right now, and what would trusting the LORD look like in it?
- 2"As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the LORD surrounds his people" (125:2). When have you seen that the LORD was around you, only looking back?
- 3"so that the righteous won’t use their hands to do evil" (125:3). When a hard time goes on and on, where are you most tempted to reach for a wrong way out?
Leading a group? In Favor, everyone reads Psalm 125 during the week and answers these questions privately. Answers stay sealed until you meet, then appear together, and you can print the week's sheet.
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Questions
What is Favor?
Favor is a Bible study app that explains every chapter as you read: the Hebrew and Greek behind the words, the details most readers miss, and how each part of the Bible leads to Jesus. Read on your own, or start a Bible study with friends, family or your church.
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Favor takes the Bible as one story, in order, so you'll reach Psalm 125 with everything that leads up to it in view. Start from Genesis, or meet Jesus first in the Gospels. You can read the text of any chapter in Favor's Look up whenever you like.
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No. Many people read on their own. If you'd like to read with others, start a Bible study and share one link. Everyone's answers stay private until you meet.
I've never really read the Bible. Is this for me?
Yes. Favor starts where you are and explains as it goes. The questions along the way aren't marked right or wrong: you answer, then see what the text shows.
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The World English Bible, a modern, readable translation in the public domain. God's name appears as "the LORD", as in most English Bibles.
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Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible, which is in the public domain. Hebrew and Greek words are checked against the original-language texts and public-domain lexicons. What we believe · Favor home