Martin Luther on Psalms 125:1

THE COMMENTARY OF Dr. MARTIN LƲTHER, Upon the CXXV PSALM.

THE Pſalm going before,The argument of the Pſalm. is a Thankſgiving or a Sacrifice of Praiſe, becauſe the Godly ſee, and by experience feel that the Lord is faithful and helpeth them in the time of need. This Pſalm following containeth alſo, in a manner, the ſame matter: For it pertaineth to the Doctrine of Faith, and exhorteth the Faithful likewiſe to a ſure truſt and aſſiance in the help of the Lord in all their neceſſities: Whereunto he ſtirreth them up with great and excellent promiſes. It may alſo be eaſily underſtood by that which we have ſaid before. For herein conſiſteth all this Heavenly Wiſdom, that we do utterly remove out of our ſight, whatſoever fleſh can comprehend, and believe that which the Word only telleth us, even againſt all that which either we know, feel, or ſee: And therefore this Wiſdom is againſt all humane Wiſdom and Reaſon. For by Reaſon, and all that Reaſon can comprehend, we feel, ſee, and conceive all things contrary to that which Faith leadeth us unto.

He that lyeth ſick at the point of Death, can by Reaſon conceive nothing elſe but the imagination of Death. But a Chriſtian man leaving his imagination, knoweth that in Death there is true Life. But thou wilt ſay: He ſeeth and feeleth Death indeed, but Life he cannot feel. I Anſwer, that becauſe he reſteth upon the Word, and after it he judgeth, and not after his own feeling, therefore even in Death he ſeeth nothing but Life, and in the midſt of Darkneſs moſt clear light. For like as God maketh all things of nothing, and of darkneſs light: ſo he worketh by his Word, that in Death there is nothing but life.The power of the Word. Pſal. 33. They then which ſtick to the Word and Promiſe of God, and follow the ſame, do find it true which David ſaith, He ſpake the Word and it was done, &c. But before we can come to this experience, we muſt abide ſome trouble, and therefore have need of ſuch exhortation as this Pſalm here ſetteth forth.

Verſe 1. They that truſt in the Lord, ſhall be as Mount Sion, which cannot be removed, but remaineth for ever. The Prophet uſeth here a ſimilitude of Mount Sion, becauſe Jeruſalem wherein Sion ſtood, when the Temple was builded had moſt ample and notable promiſes of God (as appeareth in very many places of the Prophets) that it ſhould ſtand ſure and invincible for ever againſt all troubles and Calamities, for that the Lord had his abiding and dwelling there; according to that promiſe where he ſaith, Here is my reſt, here will I dwell, &c. And therefore David in another Pſalm glorieth on this wiſe: Lo, the Kings were gathered and went together, when they ſaw it, they marvelled; They were aſtonied and ſuddenly driven back. As we may ſee it came to paſs under Ezechias in the great Deſtruction of the Aſſyrians and other Kings, as the ſtories witneſs; which ſhew that Jeruſalem remained ſafe in all dangers, not by ſtrength and Policy of the inhabitants, but by the miraculous Work of God dwelling in it, and thus mightily preſerving and beautifying his own Common-wealth. Now therefore, ſaith he, like as Mount Sion and our Holy City Jeruſalem is never moved, but remaineth ſure and ſafe by the mighty protection of the Lord in all Extremities: ſo he that truſteth in the Lord ſhall be defended againſt the furious Rage of the World and the Gates of Hell for ever Note how he commandeth no Work here to be done, as in Popery, in the time of trouble men were taught to enter into ſome kind of Religion, to faſt, to go on Pilgrimage, and to do ſuch other fooliſh Works of Devotion, which they deviſed, as an high Service unto God, and thereby thought to make Condigne Satisfaction for Sin,To hope and truſt in the Lord, is tke greateſt Service that we can do to him. and merit Eternal Life; but ſimply he leadeth us the plain Way unto God, pronouncing this to be the chiefeſt Anchor of our Salvation, only to hope and truſt in the Lord, and that this is the greateſt Service that we can do unto God. For this is the Nature of God (as I have ſaid) to create all things of nothing. Therefore he createth and bringeth forth in Death Life; in Darkneſs,The Nature of Faith. Light: And this to believe, is the very Nature and moſt ſpecial Property of Faith. When God then ſeeth ſuch a one as agreeth with his own Nature, that is, which believeth to find in Danger, Help; in Poverty, Riches; in Sin, Righteouſneſs; and that for Gods own Mercies ſake in Chriſt alone; him can God neither hate nor forſake. For he ſerveth and worſhipeth God truly which putteth his whole truſt in the Mercy of God. With this Service God is highly pleaſed, becauſe he delighteth of nothing to make ſomething. So he made the World of nothing: ſo he raiſeth up the Poor and Oppreſſed; ſo he juſtifieth the Sinner; ſo he raiſeth the Dead; and ſo he ſaveth the Damned. Who ſo then conſenteth to Gods Nature, and obeyeth his Will, there hoping ſor ſomething where nothing is, he it is that pleaſeth God, and ſhall never be moved. But thou muſt beware that thou imagine not to thy ſelf a falſe Hope, contrary to the Word of God and thy Vocation. Whereof if thou be certain, and abide in the ſame, if troubles riſe, truſt in the Lord; and if he help not in his good time, take me and David alſo for Lyars. Satan will trouble, vex and diſcomfort thee, yea and peradventure make thee to believe that thou art utterly forſaken; but if thou truſt in the Lord, thou ſhalt feel his help with joyful Victory. So in the Council of Auſpurge when the Princes were bent againſt us with one conſent, our cauſe ſeemed to be utterly overthrown. Notwithſtanding yet we live and enjoy ſuch Peace and Liberty as we would wiſh, maugre the Rage and Malice of the Pope and all the Adverſaries of the World. With ſuch Conflicts we muſt be exerciſed leaſt we be diſcouraged when we ſee our cauſe begin to quaile. But the greater the danger is, the more ſtedfaſtly we muſt truſt. So ſhall it come to paſs that when we are overcome, yet we ſhall overcome, and the Conqueror ſhall yield unto us Triumph and Victory. This is it that the Pſalm here ſetteth forth: They that truſt in the Lord ſhall be as Mount Sion, which cannot be removed, but remaineth for ever. And here we have a ſingular promiſe, whereby we are aſſured that we ſhall ſtand and abide for ever If then we do not continue, it is our own fault, becauſe we abide not firm and ſtable in our Faith: For this promiſe muſt needs remain ſure and infallible. Yea as it is impoſſible that God ſhould deny himſelf, and not be God: ſo is it impoſſible that he ſhould forſake thoſe that put their truſt in him. But we may not think the time long, but patiently abide the Lords Leiſure. For Gods power taketh no place in us until we be utterly (to ſpeak after the manner of the Scripture) exininated, that is, ſtript naked of all Worldly Hope and Helps that man hath in himſelf, and brought to nothing: like as when he ſaveth a ſhip from drowning, now ready to periſh, and paſt all Remedy; As the two Stories of the Goſpel, one of the Ship, the other of the danger of Peter, do teſtifie.