Psalms 125 commentary

All those minds shall be truly stayed, that are stayed on God. They shall be as Mount Zion, firm as it is; a mountain supported by providence, much more as a holy mountain supported by promise. They cannot be removed from confidence in God. They abide for ever in that grace which is the earnest of their everlasting continuance in glory. Committing themselves to God, they shall be safe from their enemies. Even mountains may moulder and come to nothing, and rocks be removed, but God's covenant with his people cannot be broken, nor his care of them cease. Their troubles shall last no longer than their strength will bear them up under them. The rod of the wicked may come, may fall upon the righteous, upon their persons, their estates, their liberties, their families names, on any thing that falls to their lot; only it cannot reach their souls. And though it may come upon their lot, it shall not rest thereon. The Lord will make all work together for their good. The wicked shall only prove a correcting rod, not a destroying sword; even this rod shall not remain upon them, lest they distrust the promise, thinking God has cast them off.

God's promises should quicken our prayers. The way of holiness is straight; there are no windings or shiftings in it. But the ways of sinners are crooked. They shift from one purpose to another, and turn hither and thither to deceive; but disappointment and misery shall befal them. Those who cleave to the ways of God, though they may have trouble in their way, their end shall be peace. The pleading of their Saviour for them, secures to them the upholding power and preserving grace of their God. Lord, number us with them, in time, and to eternity.

PSALM 125

As the faithful being mingled in this world with the ungodly seem to be exposed to all the ills of life in the same manner as other people, the Prophet, comparing them to Jerusalem, shows that they are defended by an invincible bulwark. And if God at any time suffer them to be plagued by the malice of the wicked, he exhorts them to be of good hope. He however at the same time distinguishes between true and false Israelites, that hypocrites may not apply to themselves what is here said concerning the safety of the righteous.

A Song of Degrees.

Psalm 125:1-2

1. They who confide in Jehovah “are” as mount Zion, “which” shall not be removed, “but” shall abide for ever. The supplementary words in this verse marked by inverted commas are taken from the French version. 2. As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so Jehovah round about his people, henceforth and for ever.

1. They who confide in Jehovah are as mount Zion. The present Psalm differs from the preceding in this — that while in the other it was said that the Church had been preserved by the power of God, without any human means, the Holy Spirit, in the one before us, teaches that in the time to come she shall always continue in perfect safety, because she is defended by the invincible power of God. When the Church is emblematically described by the situation of the city of Jerusalem, the design of the Prophet is to encourage each of the faithful to believe, that the safety promised in common to all the chosen people belongs to him. But in exhibiting to the eyes a visible image of the Church, he accommodates himself to the rudeness of those who, detained by the dulness of the flesh, still continue settled down in the earth. It ought then, in the first place, to be noticed, that to those who may not sufficiently apprehend by faith the secret protection of God, the mountains which environ Jerusalem are exhibited as a mirror, in which they may see, beyond all doubt, that the Church is as well defended from all perils, as if it were surrounded on all sides with like walls and bulwarks. Moreover, it is profitable to know what I have just now touched upon — that whenever God speaks to all his people in a body, he addresses himself also to each of them in particular. As not a few of the promises are extended generally to the whole body of the Church, so many contemplate them as at a distance, as far removed from them, and will not presume to appropriate them to themselves. The rule here prescribed must therefore be observed, which is, that each apply to himself whatever God promises to his Church in common. Nor does the Psalmist without cause make Jerusalem a representation of the Church, for the sanctuary of God and the ark of the covenant were there.

With respect to the explanation of the words, it is to be observed that the last two verbs of the first verse may be understood in two ways. They may both be governed by Jerusalem as the nominative. But some understand the first verb, לא ימוט al, lo yimmot, shall not be removed, only as spoken of Jerusalem and the latter verb, ישב, yesheb, shall abide, as referring to the faithful, so that according to this view there is a change of number, which is very common among the Hebrews — the singular number, ישב, yesheb, being used instead of the plural, ישבו, yeshbu. And certainly the sentence might not improperly be translated thus: They who trust in Jehovah, as mount Zion shall not be removed, shall dwell for ever, or continue steadfast, for the verb translated to abide is taken in this sense. We now perceive the meaning of the Prophet, which is, that although the world is subject to so many and so sudden changes as almost to put on a new face every moment, and although the faithful are mingled with and placed in the same external condition as others, yet their safety continues steadfast under the invincible protection of God. Not that they are permitted to dwell undisturbed and at ease; but because their safety being under the guardianship of God is assaulted in vain; at least they can never altogether fall, although they may stumble. But let us notice that the word הבמחים, habbtechim, which signifies, those who hope or wait for, conveys an implicit injunction to steadfastness of faith. Whoever, then, desires to be sustained by the hand of God, let him constantly lean upon it; and whoever would be defended by it, let him patiently repose himself under it. When God suffers us to be often carried hither and thither, or driven about like chaff by the wind, this comes to pass through our own inconstancy — because we prefer fluttering in the air to fixing our minds on the rock of his help. The similitude employed in the second verse is abundantly plain, teaching us, that as the continuous chain of mountains round about Jerusalem exhibits the appearance of walls, so God encompasses the faithful by his power, to ward off from them all harm. From the mountains or hills which surrounded Jerusalem, the Prophet Ezekiel (Ezekiel 11:3) represents it under the image of a “cauldron.” Similar forms of expression are frequently to be met with in the Scriptures’ God often promises to be a wall and a fore-wall to his people. But David, or whoever was the author of the psalm, proceeds still farther, showing under the figure of mountains the secret protection with which God defends his own people, to the end that the ignorant and feeble-minded who are still held down to the earth by their own dulness of understanding, aided by the sight of the mountains, may raise their minds upwards to the conception and contemplation of heavenly things.

Psalm 125:3-5

3. For the scepter שבט If this word be translated rod, then we understand the Psalmist to speak of the assaults of the wicked upon the righteous; but as the lot of the righteous evidently denotes their estates, possessions, etc., שבט consequently seems employed as the emblem of dominion, i.e. scepter. This notion of שבט comports better with that of גורל[the word for the lot of]; and so the sense of the whole expression is, that the wicked shall not exercise dominion permanently over the righteous; the scepter of the wicked shall not rest,” etc. — Phillips. of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the just, lest the just should put faith their hands to iniquity. 4. Do good, O Jehovah to the good, and to those who are upright in their hearts. 5. But those who turn aside into their crooked paths, “Ou, se fourvoyent en leurs chemins obliques, ou, font fourvoyer.” — Fr. marg. “Or, go astray in their crooked paths, or cause to go astray.” Jehovah will make them walk with the workers of iniquity. But there shall be peace upon Israel.

PSALM 125

Psa 125:1-5. God honors the confidence of His people, by protection and deliverance, and leaves hypocrites to the doom of the wicked.

1-2. Mount Zion--as an emblem of permanence, and locality of Jerusalem as one of security, represent the firm and protected condition of God's people (compare Psa 46:5), supported not only by Providence, but by covenant promise. Even the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed, but God's kindness shall not depart, nor His covenant of peace be removed (Is 54:10).

They that trust--are "His people," (Psa 125:2).

3. Though God may leave them for a time under the "rod," or power (Psa 2:9), and oppression of the wicked for a time, as a chastisement, He will not suffer them to be tempted so as to fall into sin (1Co 10:13). The wicked shall only prove a correcting rod to them, not a destroying sword; even this rod shall not remain ("rest") on them, lest they be tempted to despair and apostasy (Psa 73:13, 14). God may even try His people to the uttermost: when nothing is before our eyes but pure despair, then He delivers us and gives life in death, and makes us blessed in the curse (2Co 1:8, 9) [Luther].

the lot--the possession, literally, "Canaan," spiritually, the heavenly inheritance of holiness and bliss which is appointed to the righteous. Sin's dominion shall not permanently come between the believer and his inheritance.

4. (Compare Psa 7:10; 84:11).

5. Those who turn aside (under temptation) permanently show that they are hypocrites, and their lot or portion shall be with the wicked (Psa 28:3).

crooked ways--(Compare De 9:16; Mal 2:8, 9).

their--is emphatic; the "crooked ways" proceed from their own hearts. The true Israel is here distinguished from the false. Scripture everywhere opposes the Jewish delusion that mere outward descent would save (Ro 2:28, 29; 9:6, 7; Ga 6:16). The byways of sin from the way of life.

They that trust in the Lord - Every faithful Jew who confides in Jehovah shall stand, in those open and secret attacks of the enemies of God and truth, as unshaken as Mount Zion; and shall not be moved by the power of any adversary.

As the mountains are round about Jerusalem - Jerusalem, according to Sandys, was situated on a rocky mountain every way to be ascended, except a little on the north, with steep ascents and deep valleys, naturally fortified. It is surrounded with other mountains, at no great distance, as if placed in the midst of an amphitheatre; for on the east is Mount Olivet, separated from the city by the valley of Jehoshaphat, which also encompasses a part of the north; on the south, the mountain of Offiner interposed with the valley of Gehinnom; and on the west it was formerly fenced with the valley of Gihon, and the mountains adjoining. The situation was such as to be easily rendered impregnable.

The Lord is round about his people - He is above, beneath, around them; and while they keep within it, their fortress is impregnable, and they can suffer no evil.

For the rod of the worked shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous - Rod, here. may be taken for persecution, or for rule; and then it may be thus interpreted: "The wicked shall not be permitted to persecute always, nor to have a permanent rule." In our liturgic version this clause is thus rendered: "The rod of the ungodly cometh not into the lot of the righteous." "This," said one of our forefathers, "is neither truth nor scripture. First, it is not truth; for the rod of the wicked doth come into the inheritance of the righteous, and that often. Secondly, it is not scripture, for the text saith, 'The rod of the wicked shall not rest there.' It may come, and stay for a time; but it shall not be permitted to abide." This is only one, and not the worst, of the many sad blemishes which deform the Version in our national Prayer-book. In short, the Version of the Psalms in that book is wholly unworthy of regard; and should be thrown aside, and that in the authorized Version in the Bible substituted for it. The people of God are misled by it; and they are confounded with the great and glaring differences they find between it and what they findd in their Bibles, where they have a version of a much better character, delivered to them by the authority of Church and state. Why do not our present excellent and learned prelates lay this to heart, and take away this sore stumbling-block out of the way of the people? I have referred to this subject in the introduction to the Book of Psalms.

Lest the righteous put forth - Were the wicked to bear rule in the Lord's vineyard, religion would soon become extinct; for the great mass of the people would conform to their rulers. Fear not your enemies, while ye fear God. Neither Sanballat, nor Tobiah, nor Geshem, nor any of God's foes, shall be able to set up their rod, their power and authority, here. While you are faithful, the Lord will laugh them to scorn.

Do good, O Lord, unto those that be good - Let the upright ever find thee his sure defense! Increase the goodness which thou hast already bestowed upon them; and let all who are upright in heart find thee to be their stay and their support!

As for such as turn aside - Who are not faithful; who give way to sin; who backslide, and walk in a crooked way, widely different from the straight way of the upright, ישרים yesharim, the straight in heart; they shall be led forth to punishment with the common workers of iniquity. Thus thy Church will be purified, and thy peace rest upon thy true Israel. Let him that readeth understand.

The rod - Their power and authority. Not rest - Not continue long. The lot - Upon the habitations and persons of good men. Lest - Lest they should be driven to indirect courses to relieve themselves.

Lead them - Unto sinful courses. Israel - Upon the true Israel of God.

1 THey that trust in the LORD shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed , but abideth for ever.

Or, overthrown by any winds or storms, partly because of its own greatness and strength; and partly because of the Divine protection afforded to it.

2 As the mountains are round about Jerusalem , so the LORD is round about his people, from henceforth even for ever.

By which it was defended both from stormy winds and from the assaults of its enemies.

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 .

The power and authority of cruel Tyrants.

Not continue for ever nor too long.

Upon the habitations and persons of good men.

Lest through humane frailty and the great weight or long continuance of their troubles, they should be driven to impatience, or to despair, or to use indirect and sinful courses to relieve themselves.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 word]. wick [illegible: 1+ letters].

4 Do good, O LORD, unto those that be good , and to them that are upright in their hearts.

As thou hast promised to keep thy people from evil, v. 3. be pleased also to vouchsafe unto them those blessings which are good for them. Or thus, Having declared Gods tender care of his people, and his promise made to them, he now prayeth for the execution of the said promises.

5 As for such as turn aside unto their crooked ways , the LORD shall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity : but peace shall be upon Israel .

But those hypocrites, who either through fear of the rod mentioned v. 3. or [illegible: 1+ letters]or other considerations, shall turn aside from the ways of God, which for a time they professed and seemed to owne, unto sinful courses, whom he opposeth to the upright, v. 4.

To wit, unto punishment, as malefactors are commonly led to the place of execution.

With the most obstinate and profligate sinners, of whose plagues they shall certainly partake as they did of their sins.

Upon the true Israel of God.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 word]. 128. 6. [illegible: 1 word] 6. 16.

Israel’s Bulwark against Temptation to Apostasy

The favourite word Israel furnished the outward occasion for annexing this Psalm to the preceding. The situation is like that in Psa 123:1-4 and Psa 124:1-8. The people are under foreign dominion. In this lies the seductive inducement to apostasy. The pious and the apostate ones are already separated. Those who have remained faithful shall not, however, always remain enslaved. Round about Jerusalem are mountains, but more important still: Jahve, of rocks the firmest, Jahve encompasses His people.

That this Psalm is one of the latest, appears from the circumstantial expression “the upright in their hearts,” instead of the old one, “the upright of heart,” from פעלי האון instead of the former פעלי און, and also from למען לא (beside this passage occurring only in Psa 119:11, Psa 119:80; Eze 19:9; Eze 26:20; Zec 12:7) instead of למען אשׁר לא or פּן.

Psa 125:1-2

The stedfastness which those who trust in Jahve prove in the midst of every kind of temptation and assault is likened to Mount Zion, because the God to whom they believingly cling is He who sits enthroned on Zion. The future ישׁב signifies: He sits and will sit, that is to say, He continues to sit, cf. Psa 9:8; Psa 122:5. Older expositors are of opinion that the heavenly Zion must be understood on account of the Chaldaean and the Roman catastrophes; but these, in fact, only came upon the buildings on the mountain, not upon the mountain itself, which in itself and according to its appointed destiny (vid., Mic 3:12; Mic 4:1) remained unshaken. in Psa 125:2 also it is none other than the earthly Jerusalem that is meant. The holy city has a natural circumvallation of mountains, and the holy nation that dwells and worships therein has a still infinitely higher defence in Jahve, who encompasses it round (vid., on Psa 34:8), as perhaps a wall of fire (Zec 2:5), or an impassably broad and mighty river (Isa 33:21); a statement which is also now confirmed, for, etc. Instead of inferring from the clause Psa 125:2 that which is to be expected with לכן, the poet confirms it with כי by that which is surely to be expected.

Psa 125:3

The pressure of the worldly power, which now lies heavily upon the holy land, will not last for ever; the duration of the calamity is exactly proportioned to the power of resistance of the righteous, whom God proves and purifies by calamity, but not without at the same time graciously preserving them. “The rod of wickedness” is the heathen sceptre, and “the righteous” are the Israelites who hold fast to the religion of their fathers. The holy land, whose sole entitled inheritors are these righteous, is called their “lot” (גורל, κλῆρος = κληρονομία). נוּח signifies to alight or settle down anywhere, and having alighted, to lean upon or rest (cf. Isa 11:2 with Joh 1:32, ἔμεινεν). The lxx renders οὐκ ἀφφήσει, i.e., לא ינּיח (cf. on the other hand יניח, He shall let down, cause to come down, in Isa 30:32). Not for a continuance shall the sceptre of heathen tyranny rest upon the holy land, God will not suffer that: in order that the righteous may not at length, by virtue of the power which pressure and use exercises over men, also participate in the prevailing ungodly doings. שׁלח with Beth: to seize upon anything wrongfully, or even only (as in Job 28:9) to lay one’s hand upon anything (frequently with על). As here in the case of עולתה, in Psa 80:3 too the form that is the same as the locative is combined with a preposition.

Psa 125:4-5

On the ground of the strong faith in Psa 125:1. and of the confident hope in Psa 125:3, the petition now arises that Jahve would speedily bestow the earnestly desired blessing of freedom upon the faithful ones, and on the other hand remove the cowardly lit. those afraid to confess God and those who have fellowship with apostasy, together with the declared wicked ones, out of the way. For such is the meaning of Psa 125:4. טובים (in Proverbs alternating with the “righteous,” Pro 2:20, the opposite being the “wicked,” רשׁעים, Pro 14:19) are here those who truly believe and rightly act in accordance with the good will of God,The Midrash here calls to mind a Talmudic riddle: There came a good one (Moses, Exo 2:2) and received a good thing (the Tôra, Pro 4:2) from the good One (God, Psa 145:9) for the good ones (Israel, Psa 125:4). or, as the parallel member of the verse explains (where לישׁרים did not require the article on account of the addition), those who in the bottom of their heart are uprightly disposed, as God desires to have it. The poet supplicates good for them, viz., preservation against denying God and deliverance out of slavery; for those, on the contrary, who bend (הטּה) their crooked paths, i.e., turn aside their paths in a crooked direction from the right way (עקלקלּותם, cf. Jdg 5:6, no less than in Amo 2:7; Pro 17:23, an accusative of the object, which is more natural than that it is the accusative of the direction, after Num 22:23 extrem., cf. Job 23:11; Isa 30:11) - for these he wishes that Jahve would clear them away (הוליך like Arab. ahlk , perire facere = perdere) together with the workers of evil, i.e., the open, manifest sinners, to whom these lukewarm and sly, false and equivocal ones are in no way inferior as a source of danger to the church. lxx correctly: τοὺς δὲ ἐκκλίνοντας εἰς τάς στραγγαλιὰς (Aquila διαπλοκάς, Symmachus σκολιότητας, Theodotion διεστραμμένα) ἀπάξει κύριος μετὰ κ. τ. λ.. Finally, the poet, stretching out his hand over Israel as if pronouncing the benediction of the priest, gathers up all his hopes, prayers, and wishes into the one prayer: “Peace be upon Israel.” He means “the Israel of God,” Gal 6:16. Upon this Israel he calls down peace from above. Peace is the end of tyranny, hostility, dismemberment, unrest, and terror; peace is freedom and harmony and unity and security and blessedness.

The Security of God's People.

1 They that trust in the Lord shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever. 2 As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the Lord is round about his people from henceforth even for ever. 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.

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,

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 righteous (v. 3), righteous before God, righteous to God, and righteous to all men, for his sake justified and sanctified. (2.) Who trust in the Lord, 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.

II. The promises themselves.

1. That their hearts shall be established by faith: those minds shall be truly stayed that are stayed on God: They shall be as Mount Zion. The church in general is called Mount Zion (Heb. xii. 22), and it shall in this respect be like Mount Zion, it shall be built upon a rock, and its interests shall be so well secured that the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. The stability of the church is the satisfaction of all its well-wishers. Particular persons, who trust in God, shall be established (Ps. cxii. 7); their faith shall be their fixation, Isa. vii. 9. They shall be as Mount Zion, which is firm as it is a mountain supported by providence, much more as a holy mountain supported by promise. (1.) They cannot be removed 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 abide for ever in that grace which is the earnest of their everlasting continuance in glory.

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 mountains that were round about it, v. 2. 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: The Lord is round about his people 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, Job i. 10. (2.) The continuance of it—henceforth even for ever. Mountains may moulder and come to nought, and rocks be removed out of their place (Job xiv. 18), but God's covenant with his people cannot be broken (Isa. liv. 10) nor his care of them cease. Their being said to stand fast for ever (v. 1), and here to have God round about them for ever, 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 stand fast for ever, shall be as pillars in the temple of our God and go no more out (Rev. iii. 12), and there God himself, with his glory and favour, will be round about them for ever.

3. That their troubles shall last no longer than their strength will serve to bear them up under them, v. 3. (1.) It is supposed that the rod of the wicked may come, may fall, upon the lot of the righteous. 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 with the temptation he will make a way for them to escape. (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 put forth their hands to iniquity, 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 Ps. lxxiii. 13, 14. 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. Oppression makes a wise man mad, especially if it continue long; therefore for the elect's sake the days shall be shortened, that, whatever becomes of their lot in this world, they may not lose their lot among the chosen.

The Security of God's People.

4 Do good, O Lord , unto those that be good, and to them that are upright in their hearts. 5 As for such as turn aside unto their crooked ways, the Lord shall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity: but peace shall be upon Israel.

Here is, 1. The prayer the psalmist puts up for the happiness of those that are sincere and constant (v. 4): Do good, O Lord! unto those that are good. This teaches us to pray for all good people, to make supplication for all saints; 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 upright in heart, that they be really as good as they seem to be. With the upright God will show himself upright. 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 have not desired the woeful day, thou knowest), but he predicts it: As for those, who having known the way of righteousness, for fear of the rod of the wicked, basely turn aside out of it to their wicked ways, 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 send them away, cast them out, and lead them forth with the workers of iniquity, that is, he will appoint them their portion with the worst of sinners. Note, (1.) Sinful ways are crooked ways; 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 lead them forth, as prisoners are led forth to execution. Go, you cursed, into everlasting fire; and these shall go away; all their former righteousness shall not be mentioned unto them. The last words, Peace upon Israel, 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: Peace shall be upon Israel; 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 the word of God grew, Acts xii. 23, 24. [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, Luke xiii. 28; Isa. lxv. 13. My servants shall rejoice, but you shall be ashamed.

PASL. CXXV.

A Song of degrees.

THey that trust in Iehovah, shall be as mount Sion which is not moved, but remaineth for ever. Ierusalem, th[illegible: 1 letter] mountaines are round about it, and Iehovah is round about his people, from this time and for ever. For the rod of wickednesse shall not rest upon the lot of the just; that the just put not forth their hands unto any injurious evill. Doe good, O Iehovah, unto the good, and to the righteous in their hearts. But they that turne a side to their crookednesses, Iehovah will lead them away with the workers of painfull iniquitie: Peace shall be upon Israel.

Annotations. THey that crust] The Chaldee explaineth it, The just which trust in the Word of the Lord. Vers. 2. and Iehovah] that is, and so Iehovah, which the Chaldee expoundeth, the divine presence (or majestie) of the Lord. Vers. 3. of wickednesse] that is, of the wicked, as pride, for proud men, Psal. 36. 12. and their rod meaneth their dominion, or power, as Psal. 2. 9. lot] that is, inheritance; as Ios. 18. 11. 1 Pet. 5. 3. Vers. 5. crookednesses] crooked wayes, or, vices. lead them away] or, make them goe away, that is, to die, as 1 Chron. 17. 11. compared with 2 Sam. 7. 12. So the Chaldee paraphraseth, will lead them to Hell, and their part shall be with the workers of iniquitie.

PSAL. CXXV.

VErſ. 1 They that truſt in the Lord ſhall bee as Mount. Zion] Great is the ſtability of a beleevers felicity. Winds and ſtorms move not a Mountain; an Earthquake may, but not eaſily, remove it. That myſticall Mount Sion the Church, immota manet, is unmoveable; ſo is every member thereof, for the main of his happineſs.

Verſ. 2 As the Mountains are round about Jeruſalem] That is, lay ſome, as the Angels; but wee take it literally; Jeruſalem was ſurrounded with many high Mountains, which were a great ſafeguard to it; yet did not alwayes defend it, as the Lord doth his, by being a wall of fire round about them, Zech. 2.5.

Verſ. 3 For the rod of the wicked ſhall not reſt] Fall upon the lot of the Righteous it may, notwithſtanding that former promiſe of Gods protection; but hee will take care they bee not tempted above that they are able, 1 Cor. 10. hee ſets the time, and appoints the meaſure, Pſal. 30.5. Rev. 2.10.

Leſt the Righteous, &c.] Overcome by impatiency, or drawn aſide by the Worlds either Allurements or Affrightments ſhould yeeld and comply, or ſeek to help themſelves out of trouble by ſiniſter practice. God (ſaith Chry[illegible: 1 letter]oſtom) doth like a Lutaniſt, who will not let the ſtrings of his Lute bee too ſlack, leſt it marre the muſick, nor ſuffer them to bee too hard ſtretcht or ſcrued up, leſt they break.

Verſ. 4 Do good, O Lord, unto thoſe that be good] But afflicted by thoſe men of thy hand, Pſal. 17.14. who are the rod in thine hand, Iſa. 10.5. Do good in thy good ple[illegible: 1 letter]ſure (for nothing can bee claimed by the very beſt) to ſuch, according to thy promiſe, verſ. 3. which here I put in ſute for them; Let the Lord bee with the good, 2 Chron. 19 11.

And to them that are upright in their hearts] For ſuch only are good indeed, and approved in Chriſt, as was Appelles, Rom. 16 and Nathaniel, Joh. 1. notwithſtanding their infirmities. Hypocriſy imbaſeth the pureſt metal, turneth gold into ruſty Iron; ſincerity doth the contrary by a divine kind of Alchymy.

Verſ. 5 As for ſuch as turn aſide by their crooked wayes] In lubricitates vel tortuoſitates, ſuch as pretend piety to their wordly and wicked deſignes and dealings; diſſemblers, warpers, verſuti & vafri, who would couzen God of Heaven if they could tell how.

The Lord ſhall lead them forth] Quantumvis reluctantes, as cattel led to the ſlaughter; or malefactors to execution. Transfug as arboribus ſuſpendunt, they hand up fugitives, ſaith Tacitus, concerning the Germans; there is martiall law for ſuch, Heb. 10.38, 39. as there is for skellums amongſt us.

With the workers of iniquity] They ſhall to Hell with the reſt of the wicked crue, notwithſtanding their profeſſions and pretences of piety, whereunto they are perfect ſtrangers; Hypocrites are the free-holders of Hell; and other evill perſons are, as it were, Tenants to them; ſhall have their part with them, Mat. 24.51.

But peace ſhall bee upon Iſrael] Peace ſhall bee upon them and mercy, Gal. 6.16. The remnant of Iſrael ſhall not do iniquity, nor ſpeak lyes, neither ſhall a deceitfull Tongue bee found in their mouth; for they ſhall feed and lye down, and none ſhall make them afraid, Zeph. 3.12.

They that trust in the LORD shall be as mount Zion. The emphasis lies upon the object of their trust, namely, Jehovah the Lord. What a privilege to be allowed to repose in God] How condescending is Jehovah to become the confidence of his people! To trust elsewhere is vanity; and the more implicit such misplaced trust becomes the more bitter will be the ensuing disappointment; but to trust in the living God is sanctified common sense which needs no excuse, its result shall be its best vindication. There is no conceivable reason why we should not trust in Jehovah, and there is every possible argument for so doing; but, apart from all argument, the end will prove the wisdom of the confidence. The result of faith is not occasional and accidental; its blessing comes, not to some who trust, but to all who trust in the Lord. Trusters in Jehovah shall be as fixed, firm, and stable as the mount where David dwelt, and where the ark abode. To move mount Zion was impossible: the mere supposition was absurd. Which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever. Zion was the image of eternal steadfastness, —this hill which, according to the Hebrew, "sits to eternity, "neither bowing down nor moving to and fro. Thus doth the trusting worshipper of Jehovah enjoy a restfulness which is the mirror of tranquillity; and this not without cause, for his hope is sure, and of his confidence he can never be ashamed. As the Lord sitteth King for ever, so do his people sit enthroned in perfect peace when their trust in him is firm. This is, and is to be our portion; we are, we have been, we shall be as steadfast as the hill of God. Zion cannot be removed, and does not remove; so the people of God can neither be moved passively nor actively, by force from without or fickleness from within. Faith in God is a settling and establishing virtue; he who by his strength setteth fast the mountains, by that same power stays the hearts of them that trust in him. This steadfastness will endure "for ever, "and we may be assured therefore that no believer shall perish either in life or in death, in time or in eternity. We trust in an eternal God, and our safety shall be eternal.

As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the LORD is round about his people from henceforth even for ever. The hill of Zion is the type of the believer's constancy, and the surrounding mountains are made emblems of the all surrounding presence of the Lord. The mountains around the holy city, though they do not make a circular wall, are, nevertheless, set like sentinels to guard her gates. God doth not enclose his people within ramparts and bulwarks, making their city to be a prison; but yet he so orders the arrangements of his providence that his saints are as safe as if they dwelt behind the strongest fortifications. What a double security the two verses set before us! First, we are established, and then entrenched; settled, and then sentinelled: made like a mount, and then protected as if by mountains. This is no matter of poetry, it is so in fact; and it is no matter of temporary privilege, but it shall be so for ever. Date when we please, "from henceforth" Jehovah encircles his people: look on as far as we please, the protection extends "even for ever." Note, it is not said that Jehovah's power or wisdom defends believers, but he himself is round about them: they have his personality for their protection, his Godhead for their guard. We are here taught that the Lord's people are those who trust him, for they are thus described in the first verses: the line of faith is the line of grace, those who trust in the Lord are chosen of the Lord. The two verses together prove the eternal safety of the saints: they must abide where God has placed them, and God must for ever protect them from all evil. It would be difficult to imagine greater safety than is here set forth.

For the rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous. The people of God are not to expect immunity from trial because the Lord surrounds them, for they may feel the power and persecution of the ungodly. Isaac, even in Abraham's family, was mocked by Ishmael. Assyria laid its sceptre even upon Zion itself. The graceless often bear rule and wield the rod; and when they do so they are pretty sure to make it fall heavily upon the Lord's believing people, so that the godly cry out by reason of their oppressors. Egypt's rod was exceeding heavy upon Israel, but the time came for it to be broken. God has set a limit to the woes of his chosen: the rod may light on their portion, but it shall not rest upon it. The righteous have a lot which none can take from them, for God has appointed them heirs of it by gracious entail: on that lot the rod of the wicked may fall, but over that lot it cannot have lasting sway. The saints abide for ever, but their troubles will not. Here is a good argument in prayer for all righteous ones who are in the hands of the wicked. Lest the righteous put forth their hands unto iniquity. The tendency of oppression is to drive the best of men into some hasty deed for self deliverance or vengeance. If the rack be too long used the patient sufferer may at last give way; and therefore the Lord puts a limit to the tyranny of the wicked. He ordained that an Israelite who deserved punishment should not be beaten without measure: forty stripes save one was the appointed limit. We may therefore expect that he will set a bound to the suffering of the innocent, and will not allow them to be pushed to the uttermost extreme. Especially in point of time he will limit the domination of the persecutor, for length adds strength to oppression, and makes it intolerable; hence the Lord himself said of a certain tribulation, "except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved; but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened." It seems that even righteous men are in peril of sinning in evil days, and that it is not the will of the Lord that they should yield to the stress of the times in order to escape from suffering. The power and influence of wicked men when they are uppermost are used to lead or drive the righteous astray; but the godly must not accept this as an excuse, and yield to the evil pressure; far rather must they resist with all their might till it shall please God to stay the violence of tim persecutor, and give his children rest. This the Lord here promises to do in due time.

Do good, O LORD, unto those that be good, and to them that are upright in their hearts. Men to be good at all must be good at heart. Those who trust in the Lord are good; for faith is the root of righteousness, and the evidence of uprightness. Faith in God is a good and upright thing, and its influence makes the rest of the man good and upright. To such God will do good: the prayer of the text is but another form of promise, for that which the Lord prompts us to ask he virtually promises to give. Jehovah will take off evil from his people, and in the place thereof will enrich them with all manner of good. When the rod of the wicked is gone his own rod and staff shall comfort us. Meanwhile it is for us to pray that it may be well with all the upright who are now among men. God bless them, and do them good in every possible form. We wish well to those who do well. We are so plagued by the crooked that we would pour benedictions upon the upright.

As for such as turn aside unto their crooked ways, the LORD shall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity. Two kinds of men are always to be found, the upright and the men of crooked ways. Alas, there are some who pass from one class to another, not by a happy conversion, turning from the twisting lanes of deceit into the highway of truth, but by an unhappy declension leaving the main road of honesty and holiness for the bypaths of wickedness. Such apostates have been seen in all ages, and David knew enough of them; he could never forget Saul, and Ahithophel, and others. How sad that men who once walked in the right way should turn aside from it! Observe the course of the false hearted: first, they look out for crooked ways; next, they choose them and make them "their crooked ways"; and then they turn aside into them. They never intend to go back unto perdition, but only to make a curve and drop into the right road again. The straight way becomes a little difficult, and so they make a circumbendibus, which all along aims at coming out right, though it may a little deviate from precision. These people are neither upright in heart, nor good, nor trusters in Jehovah, and therefore the Lord will deal otherwise with them than with his own people: when execution day comes these hypocrites and time servers shall be led out to the same gallows as the openly wicked. All sin will one day be expelled the universe, even as criminals condemned to die are led out of the city; then shall secret traitors find themselves ejected with open rebels. Divine truth will unveil their hidden pursuits, and lead them forth, and to the surprise of many they shall be set in the same rank with those who avowedly wrought iniquity. But peace shall be upon Israel. In fact the execution of the deceivers shall tend to give the true Israel peace. When God is smiting the unfaithful not a blow shall fall upon the faithful. The chosen of the Lord shall not only be like Salem, but they shall have salem, or peace. Like a prince, Israel has prevailed with God, and therefore he need not fear the face of man; his wrestlings are over, the blessing of peace has been pronounced upon him. He who has peace with God may enjoy peace concerning all things. Bind the first and last verses together: Israel trusts in the Lord Ps 125:1, and Israel has peace Ps 125:5.

Whole Psalm. In the degrees of Christian virtue, this psalm represents the sixth step —the confidence which the Christian places in the Lord. "It teacheth us, while we ascend and raise our minds unto the Lord our God in loving charity and piety, not to fix our gaze upon men who are prosperous in the world with a false happiness." (Augustine.) —H. T. Armfield, in "The Gradual Psalms," 1874.

Whole Psalm. This short psalm may be summed up in those words of the prophet (Isa 3:10-11), "Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him. Woe unto the wicked! it shall be ill 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 in the prophets. —Matthew Henry, 1662-1714.

They that trust in the LORD. Note how he commandeth no work here to be done, but only speaketh of trust, 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 condign satisfaction for sin and to merit eternal life. But here the Psalmist 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 declaring that the greatest service that we can do unto God is to trust him. For this is the nature of God —to create all things of nothing. Therefore he createth and bringeth forth in death, life; in darkness, light. Now to believe this is the essential 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 God's own mercy's sake in Christ alone, him can God neither hate nor forsake. —Martin Luther (1483-1546), in "A Commentary on the Psalms of Degrees."

They that trust in the Lord. 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 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. —Matthew Henry.

They that trust, etc. Trust, therefore, in the Lord, always, altogether, and for all things. —Robert Nisbet, in "The Songs of the Temple Pilgrims," 1863.

Shall be as mount Zion. Some persons are like the sand —ever shifting and treacherous. See Mt 7:26. Some are like the sea —restless and unsettled. See Isa 57:20 Jas 1:6. Some are like the wind —uncertain and inconstant. See Eph 4:14. Believers are like a mountain —strong, stable, and secure. To every soul that trusts him the Lord says, "Thou art Peter." —W. Hr. J. Page, of Chelsea, 1883.

As mount Zion, etc. Great is the stability of a believer's felicity. —John Trapp, 1601-1669.

Mount Zion, which cannot be removed, etc. Lieutenant Conder, reviewing Mr. Maudslay's important exploration, says, "It is especially valuable as showing that, however the masonry may have been destroyed and lost, we may yet hope to find indications of the ancient enceinte in the rock scarps which are imperishable." This is very true; for, while man can destroy what man has made, the everlasting hills smile at his rage. Yet who can hear of it without perceiving the force and sublimity of that glorious description of the immobility of believers.

"They that trust in Jehovah are as mount Zion,

Which shall not be moved, it abideth for ever." —James Neil, in "Palestine Explored", 1882.

Cannot be removed, etc. They can never be removed from the Lord, though they may be removed from his house and ordinances, as sometimes David was; and from his gracious presence, and sensible communion with him; and out of the world by death: yet never from his heart's love, nor out of the covenant of his grace, which is sure and everlasting; nor out of his family, into which they are taken; nor from the Lord Jesus Christ, nor out of his hands and arms, nor from off his heart; nor from off him, as the foundation on which they are laid; nor out of a state of grace, either regeneration or justification; but such abide in the love of God, in the covenant of his grace, in the hands of his Son, in the grace wherein they stand, and in the house of God for evermore. —John Gill, 1697-1771.

Abideth for ever. So surely as Mount Zion shall never be "removed", so surely shall the church of God be preserved. Is it not strange that wicked and idolatrous powers have not joined together, dug down this mount, and carried it into the sea, that they might nullify a promise in which the people of God exult! Till ye can carry Mount Zion into the Mediterranean Sea, the church of Christ shall grow and prevail. Hear this, yet murderous Mohammedans! —Adam Clarke, 1760-1832.

Abideth. Literally, sitteth;as spoken of a mountain, "lieth" or "is situated"; but here with the following forever, used in a still stronger sense. —J. J. Stewart Perowne, 1868.

Verses 1-2. That which is here promised the saints is a perpetual preservation of them in that condition wherein they are; both on the part of God, "he is round about them from henceforth even for ever"; and on their parts, they shall not be removed, —that is, from the condition of acceptation with God wherein they are supposed to be, —but they shall abide for ever, and continue therein immovable unto the end. This is a plain promise of their continuance in that condition wherein they are, with their safety from thence, and not a promise of some other good thing provided that they continue in that condition. Their being compared to mountains, and their stability, which consists in their being and continuing so, will admit no other sense. As mount Zion abides in its condition, so shall they; and as the mountains about Jerusalem continue, so doth the Lord continue his presence unto them. That expression which is used, Ps 125:2, is weighty and full to this purpose, The LORD is round about his people from henceforth even for ever. What can be spoken more fully, more pathetically? Can any expression of men so set forth the safety of the saints? The Lord is round about them, not to save them from this or that incursion, but from all; not from one or two evils, but from every one whereby they are or may be assaulted. He is with them, and round about them on every side that no evil shall come nigh them. It is a most full expression of universal preservation, or of God's keeping his saints in his love and favour, upon all accounts whatsoever; and that not for a season only, but it is "henceforth", from his giving this promise unto their souls in particular, and their receiving of it, throughout all generations, "even for ever." —John Owen, 1616-1683.

As the mountains are round about Jerusalem. This image is not realised, as most persons familiar with our European scenery would wish and expect it to be realised. Jerusalem is not literally shut in by mountains, except on the eastern side, where it may be said to be enclosed by the arms of Olivet, with its outlying ridges on the north east and south west. Anyone facing Jerusalem westward, northward, or southward, will always see the city itself on an elevation higher than the hills in its immediate neighbourhood, its towers and walls standing out against the sky, and not against any high background such as that which encloses the mountain towns and villages of our own Cumbriau or Westmoreland valleys. Nor, again, is the plain on which it stands enclosed by a continuous though distant circle of mountains, like that which gives its peculiar charm to Athens and Innsbruck. The mountains in the neighbourhood of Jerusalem are of unequal height, and only in two or three instances —Neby-Samwil, Er-Rain, and Tuleil el-Ful —rising to any considerable elevation. Even Olivet is only a hundred and eighty feet above the top of Mount Zion. Still they act as a shelter: they must be surmounted before the traveller can see, or the invader attack, the Holy City; and the distant line of Moab would always seem to rise as a wall against invaders from the remote east. It is these mountains, expressly including those beyond the Jordan, which are mentioned as "standing round about Jerusalem", in another and more terrible sense, when on the night of the assault of Jerusalem by the Roman armies, they "echoed back" the screams of the inhabitants of the captured city, and the victorious shouts of the soldiers of Titus.* Arthur Penrhyn Stanly (1815-1881), in "Sinai and Palestine." *(Josephus. Bell. Jud 6:5,1)

As the mountains are round about Jerusalem. Jerusalem is situated in the centre of a mountainous region, whose valleys have drawn around it in all directions a perfect network of deep ravines, the perpendicular walls of which constitute a very efficient system of defence. —William M. Thomson, in "The Land and the Book", 1881.

As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, etc. The mountains most emphatically stand "round about Jerusalem", and in doing so must have greatly safeguarded it in ancient times. We are specially told that when Titus besieged the city, he found it impossible to invest it completely until he had built a wall round the entire sides of these mountains, nearly five miles long, with thirteen places at intervals in which he stationed garrisons, which added another mile and a quarter to these vast earthworks. "The whole was completed", says the Jewish historian, "in three days; so that what would naturally have required some months was done in so short an interval as is incredible." (Josephus. Wars of the Jews. Book 5, ch. 7, section 2.) Assaults upon the city, even then, could only be delivered effectively upon its level corner to the north west, whence every hostile advance was necessarily directed in all its various sieges. To those familiar with these facts, beautifully bold, graphic, and forceful is the Psalmist's figure of the security of the Lord's people —

"The mountains are round about Jerusalem;

And Jehovah is round about his people,

Henceforth, even for evermore."

These words must have been in Hebrew ears as sublime as they were comforting, and, when sung on the heights of Zion, inspiring in the last degree. —James Neil.

The LORD is round about his people. It is not enough that we are compassed about with fiery walls, that is, with the sure custody, the continual watch and ward of the angels; but the Lord himself is our wall: so that every way we are defended by the Lord against all dangers. Above us is his heaven, on both sides he is as a wall, under us he is as a strong rock whereupon we stand so are we everywhere sure and safe. Now if Satan through these munitions casts his darts at us, it must needs be that the Lord himself shall be hurt before we take harm. Great is our incredulity if we hear all these things in vain. —Martin Luther.

From henceforth, even for ever. This amplification of the promise, taken from time or duration, should be carefully noted; for it shows that the promises made to the people of Israel pertain generally to the Church in every age, and are not to expire with that polity. Thus it expressly declares, that the Church will continuously endure in this life; which is most sweet consolation for pious minds, especially in great dangers and public calamities, when everything appears to threaten ruin and destruction. —D. H. Mollerus, 1639.

The rod of the wicked. It is, their rod, made for them; if God scourge his children a little with it, he doth but borrow it from the immediate and natural use for which it was ordained; their rod, their judgment. So it is called their cup: "This is the portion" and potion "of their cup." Ps 11:6. —Thomas Adams, in "An Exposition of the Second Epistle of Peter," 1633.

For the rod of the wicked, etc. According to Gussetius, this is to be understood of a measuring rod; laid not on persons, but on lands and estates; and best agrees with the lot, inheritance, and estate of the righteous; and may signify that though wicked men unjustly seize upon and retain the farms, possessions, and estates of good men, as if they were assigned to them by the measuring line; yet they shall not hold them long, or always. —John Gill.

For the rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous. No tyranny, although it appear firm and stable, is of long continuance: inasmuch as God does not relinquish the sceptre. This is manifest from the example of Pharaoh, of Saul, of Sennacherib, of Herod, and of others. Rightly, therefore, says Athanasius of Julian the Apostate, "That little cloud has quickly passed away." And how quickly beyond all human expectation the foundations of the ungodly are overthrown is fully declared in Ps 37:1-40. —Solomon Gesner, 1559-1605.

Shall not rest, that is to say, "lie heavy", so as to oppress, as in Isa 25:10, with a further sense of continuance of the oppression. —J. J. Stewart Perowne.

Shall not rest, etc. The wrath of man, like water turned upon a mill, shall come on them with no more force than shall be sufficient for accomplishing God's gracious purposes on their souls: the rest, however menacing its power may be, shall be made to pass off by an opened sluice. Nevertheless the trouble shall be sufficient to try every man and to prove the truth and measure of his integrity. —Charles Simeon (1759-1836), in "Horae Homileticae."

The lot of the righteous. There is a fourfold lot belonging to the faithful.

1. The lot of the saints is the sufferings of the saints. "All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution:" 2 Ti 3:12.

2. The lot of the saints is also that light and happiness they have in this world. The lot is "fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage:" Ps 26:6. When David sat at he sheepfold, which was his lot, he was thus prepared for the kingdom of Israel which was given him by lot from God.

3. But more specially faith, grace, and sanctification; which give them just right and title to the inheritance of glory. Heaven is theirs now; though not in possession, yet in succession. They have the earnest of it; let them grow up to stature and perfection, and take it.

4. Lastly, they have the lot of heaven. Hell is the lot of the wicked: "Behold at evening tide trouble; and before the morning he is not. This is the portion of them that spoil us, and the lot of them that rob us": Isa 27:14. Therefore it is said of Judas, that he went "to his own place": Ac 1:25. "Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest; this shall be the portion of their cup": Ps 11:6. But the lot of the righteous is faith, and the end of their faith the salvation of their souls. God gives them heaven, not for any foreseen worthiness in the receivers, for no worthiness of our own can make us our father's heirs; but for his own mercy and favour in Christ, preparing heaven for us, and us for heaven. So that upon his decree it is allotted to us; and unless heaven could lose God, we cannot lose heaven.

Here, then, consider how the lottery of Canaan may shadow out to us that blessed land of promise whereof the other was a type. —Thomas Adams.

Lest the righteous out fort their hands unto iniquity. Lest overcome by impatience, or drawn aside by the world's allurements or affrightments, they should yield and comply with the desires of the wicked, or seek to help themselves out of trouble by sinister practices. God (saith Chrysostom) acts like a lutanist, who will not let the strings of his lute be too slack, lest it mar the music, nor suffer them to be too hard stretched or screwed up, lest they break. —John Trapp, 1601-1669.

Lest the righteous put forth their hands, etc. The trial is to prove faith, not to endanger it by too sharp a pressure: lest, overcome by this, even the faithful put forth a hand (as in Ge 3:22), to forbidden pleasure; or (as in Ex 22:8), to contamination: through force of custom gradually persuading to sinful compliance, or through despair of good, as the Psalmist (see Ps 37:1-40 and Ps 73:1-28) describes some in his day who witnessed the prosperity of wicked men. —The Speaker's Commentary, 1871-1881.

Do good, O Lord, unto those that be good. The Midrash here calls to mind a Talmudic riddle: —There came a good one (Moses Ex 2:2) and received a good thing (the Thra, or Law, Pr 4:2) from the good One (God, Ps 145:9) for the good ones (Israel, Ps 125:4). —Franz Delitzsch, 1871.

Do good, O LORD, unto those that be good. A favourite thought with Nehemiah. See Ne 2:8,18 5:19 13:14,31: "Remember me, O my God, for good", the concluding words of his book. —Christopher Wordsworth, 1872.

Do good, O LORD, unto those that be good. They consult their own good best, who do most good. I may say these three things of those who do good (and what is serving God but doing of good? or what is doing good but serving God?). First, they shall receive true good. Secondly, they shall for ever hold the best good, the chief good; they shall not only spend their days and years in good; but when their days and years are spent, they shall have good, and a greater good than any they had, in spending the days and years of this life. They shall have good in death, they shall come to a fuller enjoyment of God, the chief good, when they have left and let fall the possession of all earthly goods. Thirdly, they that do good shall find all things working together for their good; if they have a loss they shall receive good by it; if they bear a cross, that cross shall bear good to them. —Joseph Caryl, 1602-1673.

Do good, O LORD, unto those that be good, etc. Perhaps it may not prove unprofitable to enquire, with some minuteness, who are the persons for whom prayer is presented, and who have an interest in the Divine promises. They are brought before us under different denominations. In Ps 125:1, they are described as trusting in the Lord: in Ps 125:2, they are described as the Lord's people: in Ps 125:3, they are called the righteous: in Ps 125:4, they are called good and upright in heart: and in Ps 125:5, they are called Israel. Let us collect these terms together, and endeavour to ascertain from them, what is their true condition and character, for whose security the Divine perfections are pledged. And while a rapid sketch is thus drawn, let each breathe the silent prayer, "Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my thoughts; and see if there be any wicked Way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." —N. M'Michael, in "The Pilgrim Psalms," 1860.

Do good, O LORD, unto those that be good. Believers are described as "good". The name is explained by the Spirit as implying the indwelling of the Holy Ghost and of faith. It is proof that no guile is harboured in their hearts. Prayer is made that God would visit them with goodness. This prayer incited by the Spirit amounts to a heavenly promise that they shall receive such honour. —Henry Law, in "Family Devotion," 1878.

Them that be good. Oh, brethren, the good in us is God in us. The inwardness makes the outwardness, the godliness the beauty. It is indisputable that it is Christ in us that makes all our Christianity. Oh, Christians who have no Christ in them —such Christians are poor, cheap imitations, and hollow shams —and Christ will, with infinite impatience, even infinite love, fling them away. —Charles Stanord, in a Sermon preached before the Baptist Union, 1876.

Upright in their hearts. All true excellence has its seat here. It is not the good action which makes the good man: it is the good man who does the good action. The merit of an action depends entirely upon the motives which have prompted its performance; and, tried by this simple test, how many deeds, which have wrung from the world its admiration and its glory, might well be described in old words, as nothing better than splendid sins. When the heart is wrong, all is wrong. When the heart is right, all is right. —N. M'Michael.

Upright. Literally, straight, straightforward, as opposed to all moral obliquity whatever. —Joseph Addison Alexander (1809-1860), in "The Psalms Translated and Explained."

Such as turn aside unto their crooked ways. This is the anxiety of the pastor in this pilgrim song. The shepherd would keep his sheep from straggling. His distress is that all in Israel are not true Israelites. Two sorts of people, described by the poet, have ever been in the church. The second class, instead of being at the trouble to "withstand in the evil day", will "put forth their hands unto iniquity". Rather than feel, they will follow the rod of the wicked. They will "turn aside unto their crooked ways", sooner than risk temporal and material interests. —Edward Jewitt Robinson, in "The Caravan and the Temple," 1878.

Such as turn aside unto their crooked ways. All the ways of sin are called "crooked ways", and they are our own ways. The Psalmist calls them "their crooked ways"; that is, the ways of their own devising; whereas the way of holiness is the Lord's way. To exceed or do more; to be deficient or do less, than God requires, both these are "crooked ways". The way of the Lord lies straight forward, right before us. "Whoso walketh uprightly shall be saved; but he that is perverse (or crooked) in his ways shall fall at once": Pr 28:18. The motion of a godly man is like that of the kine that carried the ark: "Who took the straight way to the way of Bethshemesh, and went along the highway, lowing as they went, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left": 1Sa 6:12. —Joseph Caryl.

Crooked ways. The ways of sinners are "crooked"; they shift from one pursuit to another, and turn hither and thither to deceive; they wind about a thousand ways to conceal their base intentions, to accomplish their iniquitous projects, or to escape the punishment of their crimes; yet disappointment, detection, confusion, and misery, are their inevitable portion. —Thomas Scott, 1747-1821.

The LORD shall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity. They walked according to the prince of the air, and they shall go where the prince of the air is. God will bring forth men from their hiding places. Though they walk among the drove of his children, in procession now, yet if they also walk in by lanes of sin, God will rank them at the latter day, yea, often in this world, with the workers of iniquity. They walk after workers of iniquity here before God, and God will make manifest that it is so before he hath done with them. The reason, my brethren, why they are to be reckoned among workers of iniquity, and as walkers among them, though they sever themselves from them in respect of external conversation, is, because they agree in the same internal principle of sin. They walk in their lusts: every unregenerate man doth so. Refine him how you will, it is certain he doth in heart pursue "crooked ways." —Thomas Goodwin, 1600-1679.

Sometimes God takes away a barren professor by permitting him to fall into open profaneness. There is one that hath taken up a profession of the worthy name of the Lord Jesus Christ, but this profession is only a cloak; he secretly practises wickedness; he is a glutton, or a drunkard, or covetous, or unclean. Well, saith God, I will loose the reins of this professor, I will give him up to his vile affections. I will loose the reins of his sins before him, he shall be entangled with his filthy lusts, he shall be overcome of ungodly company. Thus they that turn aside to their own crooked ways, the Lord shall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity. —John Bunyan, 1628-1688.

But peace shall be upon Israel. Do you ask, What is the peace upon Israel? I answer: —First, the peace of Israel, that is, of a believing and holy soul, is from above, and is higher than all the disturbances of the world; it rests upon him, and makes him calm and peaceful, and lifts him above the world: for upon him rests the Holy Spirit, who is the Comforter; who is essential love and uncreated peace. Secondly, the peace of a believing and holy soul is internal for it is sent down from heaven upon his head, flows into his heart, and dwells there, and stills all agitations of mind. Thirdly, the peace of a believing and holy soul, is also external. It is a fountain of Paradise watering all the face of the earth: Ge 2:6: you see it in the man's face and life. Fourthly, the peace of a believing and holy soul is divine: for chiefly, it maintains peace with God. Fifthly, the peace of a believing and holy soul is universal:to wit, with neighbours, with God, with himself: in the body, in the eyes, in the cars, in tasting, smelling, feeling, in all the members, and in all the appetites. This peace is not disturbed by devils, the world, and the flesh, setting forth their honours, riches, pleasures. Sixthly, the peace of a believing and holy soul is peace eternal and never interrupted; for it flows from an eternal and exhaustless fountain, even from God himself. —Condensed from Le Blanc, 1599-1669.

Israel. The Israelites derived their joint names from the two chief parts of religion: Israelites, from Israel, whose prayer was his "strength" (Ho 12:3), and Jews, from Judah, whose name means "praise." —George Seaton Bowes, in "Illustrative Gatherings," 1869.

Whole Psalm.

1. The mark of the covenant: "They that trust."

2. The security of the covenant (Ps 125:1-2).

3. The rod of the covenant (Ps 125:3).

4. The tenor of the covenant (Ps 125:4).

5. The spirit of the covenant, —"peace."

See "Spurgeon's Sermons," No. 1,450: "The Immortality of the Believer."

Verses 1-2.

1. The believer's singularity: he trusts in Jehovah.

2. The believer's stability: "abideth for ever."

3. The believer's safety: "As the mountains," etc.

The all surrounding presence of Jehovah the glory, safety, and eternal blessedness of his people. Yet this to the wicked would be hell.

See "Spurgeon's Sermons," Nos. 161-2: "The Security of the Church."

The endurance of mercy: "From henceforth even for ever."

Saints hemmed in by infinite love.

1. The City and the Girdle, or the symbols separated. a) Jerusalem imaging God's people. Anciently chosen; singularly honoured; much beloved; the shrine of Deity. b) The Mountain Girdle setting forth Jehovah: Strength; All sidedness; Sentinel through day and night.

2. The City within the Girdle, or the symbols related. a) Delightful Entanglement. The view from the windows! (Jehovah "round about.") To be lost must break through God! Sound sleep and safe labour. b) Omnipotent Circumvallation, suggesting —God's determination; Satan's dismay. This mountain ring immutable. —W. B. Haynes, of Stafford.

Observe,

1. The Permission implied. The rod of the wicked may come upon the lot of the righteous. Why? a) That wickedness may be free to manifest itself. b) That the righteous may be made to hate sin. c) That the righteousness of God's retribution may be seen. d) That the consolations of the righteous may abound. 2Co 1:5.

2. The Permanency denied: "The rod...shall not rest", etc. Illustrate by history of Job, Joseph, David, Daniel, Christ, martyrs, etc.

3. The Probity tried and preserved: "Lest the righteous put forth", etc., by rebelling, sinful compromise, etc. a) God will have it tried, to prove its worth, beauty, etc. b) But no more than sufficiently tried. —John Field, of Sevenoaks.

Verses 3-4.

1. The good defined: "The upright in heart"; such as do not "turn aside", and are not "workers of iniquity."

2. The good distressed: by "the rod of the wicked."

3. The good delivered: "Do good"; fulfil thy promise (Ps 125:3). —W. H. J. Page.

1. What it is to be good.

2. What it is for God to do us good.

Temporary Professors.

1. The crucial test: "They turn aside."

2. The crooked policy: they make crooked ways their own.

3. The crushing doom: "led forth with workers of iniquity."

Hypocrites.

1. Their ways: "crooked." a) Like the way of a winding stream, seeking out the fair level, or the easy descent. b) Like the course of a tacking ship, which skilfully makes every wind to drive her forward. c) Ways constructed upon no principle but that of pure selfishness.

2. Their conduct under trial. They "turn aside." a) From their religious profession. b) From their former companions. c) To become the worst scorners of spiritual things, and the most violent calumniators of spiritually minded men.

3. Their doom: "The Lord shall," etc. a) In the judgment they shall be classed with the most flagrant of sinners; "with the workers of iniquity." b) They shall be exposed by an irresistible power: "The Lord shall lead them forth." c) They shall meet with terrible execution with the wicked in hell. —J. Field.

(last clause). To whom peace belongs. To "Israel"; the chosen, the once wrestler, the now prevailing prince. Consider Jacob's life after he obtained the name of Israel; note his trials, and his security under them as illustrating this text. Then take the text as a sure promise.

(last clause). Enquire,

1. Who are the Israel? a) Converted ones. b) Circumcised in heart. c) True worshippers.

2. What is the peace? a) Peace of conscience. b) Of friendship with God. c) Of a settled and satisfied heart. d) Of eternal glory, in reversion.

3. Why the certainty ("shall be")? a) Christ has made peace for them. b) The Holy Spirit brings peace to them. c) They walk in the way of peace. —J. Field.

WORK UPON THE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-FIFTH PSALM

For lists of Works upon the Psalms of Degrees, see note for Psalm 119.

The 125. Psalme. They that trust in the Lord, &c.

The Psalme going before is a thankesgiuing or a sacrifice of praise, The argument of the Psalme. because the godly see and by experience feele that the Lord is faithfull and helpeth them in the time of neede. This Psalme following conteineth also, in a maner, the same matter: For it perteyneth to the doctrine of faith, and exhorteth the faithful likewise to a sure trust and affiance in the helpe of the Lorde in all their necessities. Whereunto he stirreth them vp with great and excellent promises. It may also be easily vnderstand by that which we haue sayd before. For herein consisteth all this heauenly wisedom, that we doe vtterly remoue out of our sight what so euer flesh can comprehend, and beleue that which the word onely telleth vs, euen against all that which either we know, feele, or see: And therefore this wisedome is against all humane wisedom and reason. For by reason and all that reason can comprehend, we feele, see, and conceiue all things contrary to that which faith leadeth vs vnto.

He that lyeth sicke and at the poynt of death, can by reason conceiue nothing els but y• imagination of death. But a christian man leauing that imagination, knoweth that in death there is true life. But thou wilt say: he seeth and feeleth death in deede, but life he can not feele: I aunswere, that because he resteth vpon the word, and after it he iudgeth, and not after his owne feeling, therefore euen in death he seeth nothing but life, and in the middes of darkenes most cleare light. The power of the word. For like as God maketh all thinges of nothing; and of darkenes light: so he worketh by his word that in death there is nothing but life. They then which sticke to the word and promise of God and follow the same, doe finde it true which Dauid sayth: Psal. 33. He spake the worde and it was done, &c. But before we can come to this experience, we must abide some trouble, & therefore haue neede of such exhortation as this psalme here setteth forth.

Verse. 1. They that trust in the Lorde, shall be as Mount Sion which can not be remoued, but remaineth for euer.

The Prophet vseth here a similitude of Mount Sion, because Ierusalem wherin Sion stood, when the temple was builded had most ample & notable promises of God (as appeareth in very many places of the Prophetes) that it should stand sure & inuincible for euer against all troubles and calamities, for that the Lord had his abiding and dwelling there, according to that promise where he sayth: here is my rest: here will I dwel, &c. And therefore Dauid in an other Psalme glorieth on this wise: Psal 48. Loe, the Kinges were gathered and went togither, when they saw it, they marueled: They were astonied and suddenly driuen backe. As we may see it came to passe vnder Ezechias in that great destruction of the Assyrians and other Kings, as the stories witnesse, which shewe that Ierusalem remayned safe in all daungers, not by the strength and pollicie of the inhabitants, but by the miraculous worke of God dwelling in it, and thus mightely preseruing and beautifying his owne common wealth.

Nowe therfore, sayth he, like as Mount Sion and our holy citie Ierusalem is neuer moued, 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 euer. Note howe he commaundeth no worke 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 goe on pilgrimage, & to doe such other foolish workes of deuotion, which they deuised as an high seruice vnto God, and thereby thought to make condigne satisfaction for sinne and merite eternal life: but simply he leadeth vs ye plaine way vnto God, pronouncing this to be the chiefest anker of our saluation, onely to hope and trust in the Lorde, To hope and trust in the Lorde, is the greatest [illegible: 1 letter]eruice that we can doe to him. and that this is the greatest seruice that we can doe vnto God. For this is the nature of God (as I haue sayd) to create all thinges of nothing. Therefore he createth and bringeth forth in death life, in darkenes light. And this to beleue is the very nature and most speciall propertie of faith. When God then seeth such a one as agreeth with his owne nature, The nature of faith. that is, which beleueth to finde in daunger helpe, in pouertie riches, in sinne righteousnes, and that for Gods owne mercies sake in Christ alone, him can God neyther hate nor forsake: For he serueth and worshippeth God truely which putteth his whole trust in the mercie of God. With this seruice God is highly pleased, because he deliteth of no thing to make some thing. So he made the world of nothing: so he rayseth vp the poore and oppressed: so he iustifieth the sinner: so he rayseth the dead: and so he saueth the damned. Who so then consenteth to Gods nature, and obeyeth his will, there hoping for some thing where nothing is, he it is that pleaseth God and shall neuer be moued.

But thou must beware that thou imagine not to thy selfe a false hope, contrarie to the word of God and thy vocation. Whereof if thou be certayne and abide in the same, if troubles rise trust in the Lord, and if he helpe not in his good time, take me and Dauid also for lyars. Satan will trouble, vexe and discomfort thee, yea and peraduenture make thee to beleue that thou art vtterly forsaken: but if thou trust in the Lord thou shalt feele his helpe with ioyfull victory. So in the councell of Auspurge when the Princes were bent against vs with one consent, our cause seemed to be vtterly ouerthrowne. Notwithstanding yet we liue and enioy such peace and libertie as we would wish, maugre the rage and malice of the Pope and all the aduersaries of the worlde. With such conflictes we must be exercised lest we be discouraged when we see our cause begin to quale. But the greater the daunger is, the more stedfastly we must trust. So shall it come to passe that when we are ouercome, yet we shall ouercome, and the conquerer shall yeeld vnto vs triumph and victory.

This is it that the Psalme here setteth forth: They that trust in the Lorde shall be as Mount Sion, which can not be remoued, but remayneth for euer. And here we haue a singular promise, whereby we are assured that we shall stande and abyde for euer. If then we doe not continue it is our owne fault, because we abide not firme and stable in our fayth: For this promise must needes remaine sure and infallible. Yea as it is impossible that God should deny him selfe and not be God: so is it impossible that he should forsake those that put their trust in him. But we may not thinke the time longe, but patiently abide the Lords leasure. For Gods power taketh no place in vs vntill we be vtterly (to speake after the maner of the Scripture) exinanited that is, stript naked of all worldly hope and helpes that man hath in him selfe, and brought to nothing: like as when he saueth a ship from drowning, now ready to perish and past all remedy: As the two storyes of the Gospell, one of the shippe, the other of the daunger of Peter, doe testifie.

Verse. 2. As the mountaines are about Ierusalem: so is the Lord about his people from henceforth and for euer.

Where many hundred thousands of men are there, are scarsely 7. thousand which knowe God or beleue in God, and yet for their sakes the whole multitude is called Gods people.. Euen so was it in Ierusalem. Ierusalem called holy by the figure Synecdoche where a part is taken for the whole. Albeit the greater part was wicked and godles yet was Ierusalem called holy, not onely in respect of a small number of the godly: but also because God had his abiding there. So when there was not one iust person in Sodome but Loth with his two daughters, yet could not the angell destroy Sodome with fire so long as Loth was in it. Likewise where 4 or 5. or 10. godly persons are to be found, for their sakes the whole citie is called holy. For these are the elect corner stones, these are ye precious pearles which God so highly estemeth, and for whose sakes he spareth the wicked. Therefore saith Dauid: As Ierusalem is compassed about with mountaines, so doth the Lord compasse his people and mightely defend them on euery side. In like maner Zachary prophecieth of a citie whose wall is of fire. These similitudes doe set forth vnto vs the safetie of Gods people, that weake and litle por[illegible: 1 letter] flocke, against all daungers. Upon this promise if we also doe rest which at this day enioy the inestimable benefite of Gods holye word, we shall be defended against the rage of Satan & the whole worlde, not by fiery and brasen walls, but by the Lord him selfe. These thinges albeit we cannot comprehend, yet should we beleue them so certainly as if we did see them with our bodily eyes. If we should see our selues compassed about with brasen and fiery walls, we would be without all feare, and triumph against Satan. But it is a matter of faith, not to trust vnto that which the eyes see, but which the worde offereth and promiseth. This one thing therefore is lacking in vs, that we haue not the eyes of the spirite, but we iudge according to the eyes and sense of the fleshe. For else we should be no more afraide then they which beeing closed within the walls of an inuincible castle, feare not the force and power of their enemyes, be they neuer so terrible. We must not doubt therefore, but if we beleue, we are compassed about with fiery and brasen mountaines, that is to say, we abide for euer inuincible against the rage of Satan and all the powers of darkenes. Blessed therefore is he that beleueth.

These mountaines are the Angells, which compasse vs on euery side, that Satan with his angells and ministers can not hurt vs as he would. Whose malice and power is such that if they did not continually beholde vs, continually defend vs and watch ouer vs, he would destroy vs euery moment. This can all they testifie which knowe that Satan is a murtherer and a lyer, which can not abide to see the godly prosper, & therefore he seketh by all meanes to roote them out from the face of the earth. That we are not then vtterly consumed, it is the benefite of these mountaines, by whom we are so compassed and defended. Some times Satan hurleth his dartes at vs as it were through the window to destroy vs, and worketh vs in deede some sorrow, but he can not moue vs.

This similitude seemeth to be taken out of the story of Helizeus in the 2. boke of the Kinges, where the seruaunt of Helizeus saw the hilles about him full of fiery chariotes and horsemen compassing Helizeus round about, and mightely defending him. This succour which the seruant of Helizeus sawe, and the Prophet beleued when he saw nothing, is, saith the Prophet, round about all them which trust in the Lord: as also the 34. Psalme witnesseth: The Angell of the Lorde pitcheth round aboute them that feare him. But our eyes are shut vp and see not these miracles, whereof notwithstanding we haue dayly experience.

This promise then will neuer deceiue vs: onely let vs not deceiue our selues. If therefore we did beleue, no doubt, we shoulde sleepe, we should liue, we should dye, yea (that more is) we should suffer what so euer Satan and the world can doe against vs, without all feare. For thus should we thinke: If I suffer any thing, it is not without the will of God nor without good cause, well knowne, though not [illegible: 1 letter]nto me, yet vnto God. Therefore although Satan breake through the wall in one place, yet shall he neuer be able vtterly to ouerthrowe it altogither. Thus should we think in our troubles and afflictions, and comfort our selues with the good will of God. But we are afraid when any trouble commeth, and neuer feele that securitie which faith bringeth. Thus doe we worthely suffer the punishment of our incredulitie which we nurrishe within vs, although we be called away from it by so many notable places of the Scripture.

Besides all this, it is not enough that we are compassed about with fiery walles, that is, with the sure custody, the continuall watch and warde of the Angells, but the Lorde him selfe is our wall: so that euery way we are defended by the Lorde against all daungers. Aboue vs he is a heauen, on both sides he is as a wall, vnder vs he is as a strong rocke whereuppon we stand: so are we euery way sure and safe. Nowe, if Satan through these munitions cast his dartes at vs, it must needs be that the Lorde him selfe shall be hurt before we take harme. But great is our incredulitie, which heare all these thinges in vaine. Yet must they be taught and learned, lest the time come that we be destitute of all counsell and comfort in these matters. For certain it is that the hower shal come when we must haue experience of these thinges or else vtterly perish.

Where he addeth: From henceforth & for euer. By these words he sheweth that this vigilancie of the Lorde our God euer vs, is not temporall, but eternall, according to that which he said before in the first verse of this Psalme: They shall remaine for euer. Let vs learne therfore out of this Psalme, that our constancy and perseuerance consisteth in this, that we are defended by the power and prouidence of the Lord on euery side.

Verse. 3. For the rodde of the wicked shall not rest on the lotte of the righteous, lest the righteous put forth their hand vnto wickednes.

Here the Prophet plainly declareth that the people which rest vnder this defence and protection, are afflicted and subiecte to all miseryes and calamities as touching the fleshe: although they be compassed about with such high and mightie mountaynes as touching the spirite, as Satan can neuer surmount, yet touching the flesh and the olde man, they lye open on euery side to the dartes of Satan and of the worlde: For God by these meanes will afflict and exercise the flesh, that sinne & the foolishnes of the flesh may be mortified in them, and that spirituall wisedome and the inward man may encrease. This is the cause why we are, according to the flesh, as a broken hedge, and as a citie whose wals are cast downe, and so lyeth open to the enemy on euerie side. Wherefore there is no sort of men so vile and abiect which do not thinke that they may doe what they list against the true professors of the Gospell. Hereof come such intollerable iniuries, horrible blasphemies, cruel torments, and bloody slaughters of the Saincts of God. For the flesh hath no walls, no munitions to defend it, but the spirite. Therfore the flesh is in daunger to al stormes and tempests, broken & troden downe of the wicked, as Esay sayth chap. 51. VVhich haue sayd vnto thy soule: Bow downe that we may go ouer. Thou hast layed thy body as the ground, and as the streete to them that went ouer. These afflictions we must needes suffer and by patience ouercome them, & withall we must beware that by these outward afflictions the inward man be not weakened or ouercome resting in this assured hope and trust, that the Lord will neuer forsake vs, but that we are in the bosome of the father, and are closed within most sure and strong holds. So that now, although our goodes, our wiues, our children, yea and our liues also be taken from vs, yet we shall neuer be spoyled of our Christ, by whome we are so surely defended that in the middes of all our tentations he will make away for vs to escape, or else geue vs strength to beare them.

Thus we see what consolations the holy Ghost setteth forth vnto them which beleue the word. For vnto such as looke for a better life then this, all thinges are here full of calamities and miseries. Death followeth death, as Paule sayth, and we continually dye. One tentation followeth an other vntill at the length by the death of the flesh all miseries shall cease and haue an ende. This verse therefore maketh much for our comfort, admonishing vs that we must suffer many troubles: yet so, that at the length we shall be safe and sette at libertie from them all, though not in this life, yet in the life to come and in eternall life. And why should we not thus boldely promise vnto our selues, remayning vnder this diligent custody of the Angells, yea of the Lord him selfe, which is alwayes round about his people. But here (as before I sayd) we haue neede of fayth, that we may iudge herein, not according to our present troubles and tentations, but according to the word of promise. And what should we neede any promises if there were no tentations? which tentations whether they be within in the spirit or without in the fleshe, the time shall come when we through Christ shall haue full victory hereof, as this verse full of sweete consolation doth promise vnto vs.

Notwithstanding this promise seemeth incredible both to vs which suffer, and also to them which persecute and afflict vs. For if we behold the same with our outward eyes, what can be more false? yea the contrary seemeth to be most true. Behold our Sauiour Christ, was he not so forsaken, hanging vpon the crosse, that the rod or scepter of the wicked rested vpon him? Did it not rest likewise vpon the Prophets, the Apostles and other holy Martyrs? This matter then, if we consider it with our outward eyes, hath an other meaning then the wordes doe import. For they promise that the scepter of the wicked shall haue no power ouer the godly, and yet all stories and examples doe testifie the contrary. Therefore the holy Ghost calleth vs backe to the purpose & counsell of God reueiled in his word, and commaundeth vs to wey and consider, not what we suffer, and with our outward eyes behold, but what is decreed with the Lord in heauen. And he that can so sequestre him selfe from the beholding of his afflictions and tentations, and yeld him selfe wholy ouer to the will of God, & there rest, is a right diuine: yea he that is ignorant hereof, in true diuinitie knoweth nothing at al. For what knoweth he which is ignorant that God is such a God as will not suffer the godly to be oppressed of the wicked? For seeing he hath sayd: I am the Lorde thy God, he will neuer suffer that which is his owne to be wrested either by the world or by the gates of hell out of his hands. If he then abide and continue, they shall also continue for euer which are his. Thus to beleeue and thus to lay hold on thinges inuisible, is true diuinitie and true spirituall wisedom in deede, whereupon we may ground this proposition out of the inuisible counsell of God: God hateth the wicked & loueth the iust, ergo he will damne and destroy the wicked, and wil deliuer and saue the iust. And here we see that which is the chiefest thing in all the Psalmes and Prophets, to spring out of the first precept: I am the Lorde thy God.

Now haue we to learne how we may apply this verse rightly and to our comforte. For true diuinitie consisteth in vse and practise. We are vexed on euery side with cruell Bishops, wicked Princes, and others which hate the word of God and the doctrine which we professe. But these are very trifles, if ye compare them with those vexations which Satan, sinne and our owne infirmitie raise vppe in our consciences. We must learne therefore thus to iudge of all these thinges, that they are the rodde or scepter of the wicked: and to set the Lorde against them, reueiling his will here in his word, and pronouncing that he will not suffer the scepter of the wicked to rest vpon the godly. Seeing then the same Prince promiseth thus much vnto vs which hath all thinges in his hand, what can we require more? For the will of God is certaine, that though he suffer vs to be afflicted, yet will he not see vs troden vnder foote or perish. Thus must we apply these sweete consolations.

What the rodde signifieth in the scripture it is wel knowne. Children when they are yong are corrected with a rodde, & when they waxe bigger with a wand or a cudgell, and if they will not so amende, then followeth the yron rodde. Hereof it commeth that the rodde signifieth all power and rule whiche is for the amendement and correction of such as doe offende. So is it taken in the 110. Psalme. The Lord shall send forth the rodd of thy power out of Sion: That is to say, thy kingdome: For there he signifieth such a rodde wherby kingdoms and people are gouerned. On this wise the holy Ghost permitteth here to the wicked, dominion and tyranny ouer the godly, which they are compelled to suffer. Like as we are compelled not onely to see but also to suffer the tyranny of Antichrist and the power of his kingdom, persecuting destroying & murthering the Christians, and raging against them with all kind of tyranny. Yea we are compelled moreouer to suffer the tyranny of Satan vexing and terrifying my heart and the hearts of the brethren which beleue in Christ. This dominion or tyranny the holy Ghost calleth the rodde of the wicked, and comforteth vs: that as the Lord liueth their tyranny shal fall and shall not rest vpon the lotte of the godly.

The lotte of the iust is as much to say as the portion, that is, the number or congregation of the iust. Like as Christ calleth them the little flock, and Paule, the poore Saincts. Ouer these, sayth he, although the tyrannes doe rule, yet shalt not their power endure. Although the persecutors of the Church doe oppresse the faithfull, yet shall they not doe so alwayes, neither shall their counsells haue that successe which they desire. For they thinke to roote out this doctrine for euer: but that shall they neuer be able to doe. Therefore albeit ye suffer in the meane time, faith the holy Ghost, yet know ye, that my will is, that they which beleue in me shall neuer perish but shall be preserued to life euerlasting. Here then haue ye whereunte ye may trust in all your tentations.

But behold the reason which the holy Ghost here vseth to proue that the scepter of the wicked shall not rest vpon the iust. God is moued saith he, to helpe and defend the iust. For else it might so come to passe that God should haue no Church at all, and the iust should put forth their hands to wickednes. So we finde in Ieremy that before the people were deliuered into the handes of the Babylonians, they had a promise that after seuenty yeres they should returne againe to Ierusalem, because they should not be brought into doubt of Gods mercy and so vtterly despaire, and falling away from God, should turne to gentilitie: As it is in the Psalme, lest the godly should turne to folishnesse, that is to say, should blaspheme and become impatient. This is the cause why God ioyneth the promise of the word with the execution and performance of the deed: or else the godly should be driuen to desperation. We see how many are cast downe with aduersity by the losse of goods, wife, children and other things which are deare vnto them. Except therefore their mindes were raised vp againe and comforted, first with the worde and promise, and then with the performance and execution of the same, many would say there were no God. Therfore God must needs shew him selfe to be a God, not onely in word but also in deede.

Dauid had great promises of God, and yet by his owne sonne he was driuen out of his kingdome and so persecuted that he was compelled to flie away barehead and barefoote. This was a sore tentation. Wherefore the great and ample promises made vnto him could neuer haue raised him vp & comforted him againe, except God had in deede deliuered him out of this greate misery and affliction. Euen so if we had no more but the promises of God to support vs against the Papistes and aduersaries of the word, yea if God did not in deede fight for vs and defend vs against their tyranny, we should be swallowed vp with sorrowe and brought euen to desperation. God therefore worketh both wayes: he raiseth vp with the word and promise, and deliuereth out of troubles and afflictions by execution of the deede, that according to the saying of S. Paule, the tentation should not be aboue our strength, but should haue an ende, and we learne by our owne experience that the first commaundement: I am the Lord thy God, is most certayne and infallible. Therfore when he saith: Least the iust should put forth their hand to wickednes, it is as much as if he should say, least the iust shoulde turne away from God and fall to gentilitie. For God hath a double care ouer the faithfull: first that they be not ouercome, but may ouercome the tentation: and this he doth by the word and promise. The second is that the tentation be not perpetuall. Euen so must we be vndoutedly perswaded that besides the infallible promises which we haue of ye good will of God towards vs, and in the end of euerlasting life, we shall be also deliuered, and our aduersaries destroyed, albeit we can see no maner of way or possible meanes howe it may be done. This is it then that this verse here setteth forth, that God is so carefull for the safety of his people that he seemeth to feare least they shoulde put forth their hand to wickednes & fall away from him, whereby it might came to passe that he should haue no people & so there should be no God. For God is the God of the liuing, and therefore he must needes haue a people. Wherefore there must euer be some remayning which may praise and worship him. If there must needes be such a number remayning, God must of necessitie make an ende also of tentations.

But here we must beware that we doe not appoynt the time of this deliuerance. For before that come, God will haue vs tryed to the vttermost and brought to that extremitie, that all our hope and trust shall be vtterly spent & we at the poynt of desperation. Now, when we are brought into this case that we can see nothing but desperation, then, euen then God sendeth comfort, in death he sheweth life, and euen in damnation he bringeth saluation: briefly of nothing he maketh all thinges, and when all hope of remedie is past, then beginneth he to worke, and frameth all newe agayne in most perfect wise. Thus can not the God of this world doe. This is the singular worke of God therfore, that when thou thinkest thy selfe cleane cast away and vtterly forelorne, euen then thou shouldest be most sure and safe and most gloriously shine as the day starre in the firmament. These things are easily taught, but by experience we finde and feele how farre they passe all reason and power of man, & how hardly we can beleue that God maketh all thinges of nothing, that he is carefull for vs, whether we be afflicted in the flesh or in the spirit, and that he is more mindefull of our deliuerance then we our selues can be. These thinges therefore must be often & diligently taught that we may learne that heauenly wisedome which the first commandement setteth forth vnto vs, namely that our God is suche a one as of olde thinges is wont to make all new, Olde things are passed away: behold all thinges are become newe. of poore to make rich, of despised glorious. And this last we would all gladly haue, but that wil not be except contempt and pouertie doe goe before.

Here haue we then a singular promise and consolation. As if he should say: the rodde of the wicked greeueth you, but be of good comfort my people and patiently endure it, for I wil not suffer the tentation so farre to preuaile ouer you that your confidence and trust in me shall vtterly faile you. Stormes and tempestes shall arise and your daungers shall seeme so great as though the waues should presently swallowe you vp: But I will not suffer you to perish. I wil bridle their rage and make an ende of the rodde of the wicked. If Satan & your owne conscience doe accuse you as most wicked and vnrighteous, yet will I not leaue you destitute of my righteousnes. Thus doe tentations teach vs the true vse and meaning of the first commaundement, the which none without afflictions and tentations shall rightly knowe or vnderstand.

Moreouer we are here admonished of the great daunger that followeth these afflictions & tentations, which they that through impatiencie forsake the word and faith, doe fall into. Therefore the Lorde here sheweth him selfe so carefull for his people, leste they should fall into this danger. For their state which haue once forsaken the word, is much more perilous then it was before: and into such (as our Sauiour Christ pronounceth in the Gospel) doe enter seuen spirites much more wicked then the first. We must therefore patiently suffer and perseuere in all tentations, and rather abide all extremities then once shrinke from the word of life, lest we be possessed with seuen spirites more wicked then the first. And moreouer we must assuredly trust (as we are taught in this verse) that so long as we haue a desire and a purpose so to doe, the Lord will neuer forsake vs or suffer vs to fall into this impietie. For here haue we a manifest promise and a liuely description of the Lordes singular care and prouidence ouer vs, namely that he is mindful of the end of our tentations and afflictions▪ so that we onely continue constant and patient vnto the ende▪ And if the heathen Poet sayd: Virgil. Endure and reserue yourselues for more happy thinges, how much more should Christians diligently stirre vppe them selues with mutuall exhortations to patience and perseuerance, whether they outwardly suffer in things perteyning to the body and to this present life, or inwardly in conscience. For we haue a God which euen in death, in hell, and in the middes of all our sinnes can saue and deliuer vs.

Verse. 4. Do wel O Lord vnto them that be good & true of hart.

The Prophet sayth not here: doe well Lord to the perfect and such as offend in nothing: but to the good & true of hart. The good and true of heart are they which are of a single, sincere and vpright hart. For these are they which are most accepted of God, although they also through infirmitie doe sometimes offend. Now, where he prayeth that God will doe wel to the good and godly, he meaneth also and secretly complayneth that the godly are in miserie and affliction, and that the vngodly do abound with all worldly felicitie: As we see at this day the enemies of the Gospel to enioy great riches and dignities whereby they vexe & oppresse the godly. This is a great offence and stumbling blocke to the godly, and therefore the Church hath neede of this prayer: that God would doe well vnto the godly, which trust in him & seeke his glory with their whole hart, that they by stumbling at this offence do [illegible: 1 word] fal away to impietie. This prayer conteineth in it a prophecie with a promise, that like as he prayeth for the blessing, welfare & prosperitie of the iust, so at the length it shall also come to passe.

Verse. 5. But those that turne aside by their crooked waies, the Lord shall leade with the workers of iniquitie: but peace shall be vpon Israell.

He sayth not simply: Such as turne aside, but such as turne aside by their owne wickednes. For to giue place to tentations by infirmitie of the flesh or weakenes of mind, or else of faith, and so to decline from the right way (which commeth to passe sometimes euen in the Sainctes, as the example of Peter teacheth) is one thing, and to fall away through wickednes and peruersenes of heart, is another: which can not be in the children of God, but properly belongeth to the wicked and godles. This sort of men hath euer corrupted the Church from the Apostles time, and with a shewe of holines hath deceiued the simple, which because God punisheth them not, but spareth them and suffreth them to prosper in this world, become so proud that they will be counted amongest the holiest, and of the world, are so commonly taken. We see that not onely the godly are mixed with the wicked in this world, but in the Lords floore also the wheate lyeth hidden vnder the chaffe. We must pray therefore that God would bring these hypocrites to light, & giue vnto them their iust punishment with the workers of iniquitie. Then shall peace ensue to the Church of God. For whiles the Lord poureth forth his iust vengeance vppon the wicked which vexe and persecute his true members, he gathereth togither the good and vpright of heare, and openly declareth his fatherly good will and tender loue towards them.

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.

Verſe 2. As the Mountains are about Jeruſalem, ſo is the Lord about his People, from henceforth and for ever. Where many hundred thouſands of men are, there are ſcarcely ſeven thouſand which know God, or believe in God, and yet for their ſakes the whole Multitude is called God▪s people, Even ſo was it in Jeruſalem. Jeruſalem called holy by the figure Synecdoche where a part is taken for the whole. Albeit the greater part was Wicked and Godleſs, yet was Jeruſalem called Holy, not only in Reſpect of a ſmall Nnmber of the Godly; but alſo becauſe God had his abiding there. So when there was not one juſt perſon in Sodom but Lot with his two Daughters, yet could not the Angel deſtroy Sodom with fire ſo long as Lot was in it. Likewiſe where four or five or ten godly Perſons are to be found, for their ſakes the whole City is called Holy. For theſe are the Elect corner ſtones, theſe are the precious Pearls which God ſo highly eſteemeth, and for whoſe ſakes he ſpareth the Wicked. Therefore ſaith David, As Jeruſalem is compaſſed about with Mountains, ſo doth the Lord compaſs his People and mightily defend them on every ſide. In like manner Zachary Prophecyeth of a City whoſe Wall is of fire. Theſe Similitudes do ſet forth unto us the Safety of Gods People, that weak and little poor Flock, againſt all Dangers. Upon this promiſe if we alſo do reſt, which at this day enjoy the ineſtimable Benfit of Gods Holy Word, we ſhall be defended againſt the Rage of Satan and the whole World, not by fiery and brazen Walls, but by the Lord himſelf. Theſe things albeit we cannot comprehend, yet ſhould we believe them ſo certainly as if we did ſee them with our bodily Eyes. If we ſhould ſee our ſelves compaſſed about with brazen and fiery Walls, we would be without all fear, and Triumph againſt Satan. But it is a matter of Faith, not to truſt unto that which the Eyes ſee, but which the Word offereth and promiſeth. This one thing therefore is lacking in us, that we have not eyes of the Spirit, but we judge according to the eyes and ſenſe of the Fleſh. For elſe we ſhould be no more afraid then they which being cloſed within the Walls of an invincible Caſtle, fear not the force and power of their Enemies, be they never ſo terrible. We muſt not doubt therefore, but if we believe, we are compaſſed about with fiery and brazen Mountains, that is to ſay, we abide for ever invincible againſt the Rage of Satan and all the Powers of Darkneſs. Bleſſed therefore is he that believeth. Theſe Mountains are the Angels, which compaſs us on every ſide, that Satan with his Angels and Miniſters cannot hurt us as he would; Whoſe Malice and Power is ſuch, that if they did not continually behold us, continually defend us and watch over us, he would deſtroy us every moment. This can all they teſtifie which know that Satan is a Murtherer and a Lyar, which cannot abide to ſee the godly proſper, and therefore he ſeeketh by all means to root them out from the face of the Earth. That we are not then utterly conſumed, it is the benefit of theſe Mountains, by whom we are ſo compaſſed and defended. Sometimes Satan hurleth his Darts at us as it were through the window, to deſtroy us, and worketh us indeed ſome ſorrow, but he cannot move us. This ſimilitude ſeemeth to be taken out of the Story of Helizeus in the ſecond book of the Kings, where the ſervant of Helizeus ſaw the Hills about him full of fiery Chariots, and Horſemen compaſſing Helizeus round about, and mightily defending him. This ſuccour which the Servant of Helizeus ſaw, and the Prophet believed, when he ſaw nothing, is ſaith the Prophet, round about all them which truſt in the Lord: as alſo the 34. Pſalm witneſſeth; The Angel of the Lord pitcheth round about them that fear him. But our eyes are ſhut up and ſee not theſe miracles, whereof not with ſtanding we have daily experience. This promiſe then will never deceive us; only let us not deceive our ſelves. If therefore we did believe, no doubt, we ſhould ſleep, we ſhould live, we ſhould die, yea (that more is) we ſhould ſuffer what ſoever Satan and the world can do againſt us, without all fear. For thus ſhould we think, if I ſuffer any thing, it is not without the Will of God, nor without good cauſe, well known, tho' not unto me, yet unto God. Therefore although Satan break through the wall in one place, yet ſhall he never be able utterly to overthrow it altogether. Thus ſhould we think in our troubles and afflictions, and comfort our ſelves with the good Will of God. But we are afraid when any trouble cometh, and never feel that ſecurity which Faith bringeth. Thus do we worthily ſuffer the puniſhment of our infidelity which we nouriſh within us, although we be called away from it by ſo many notable places of Scripture. Beſides all this, it is not enough that we are compaſſed about with fiery Walls, that is, with the ſure Cuſtody, the continual Watch and Ward of the Angels, but the Lord himſelf is our Wall: ſo that every way we are defended by the Lord againſt all Dangers. Above us he is a Heaven, on both ſides he is as a Wall, under us he is as a ſtrong Rock whereupon we ſtand: ſo are we every way ſure and ſafe. Now, if Satan through theſe munitions caſt his darts at us, it muſt needs be that the Lord himſelf ſhall be hurt before we take harm. But great is our incredulity, which hear all theſe things in vain. Yet muſt they be taught and learned, leaſt the time come that we be deſtitute of all Counſel and Comfort in theſe matters. For certain it is that the hour ſhall come when we muſt have experience of theſe things, or elſe utterly periſh. Where he addeth, From henceforth and for ever. By theſe words he ſheweth that this vigilancy of the Lord our God over us, is not temporal, but eternal, according to that which he ſaid before in the firſt verſe of this Pſalm. They ſhall remain for ever. Let us learn therefore out of this Pſalm, that our Conſtancy and perſeverance conſiſteth in this, that we are defended by the Power and Providence of the Lord on every ſide.

Verſe 3. For the rod of the Wicked ſhall not reſt on the lot of the Righteous, leaſt the Righteous put forth their hand unto Wickedneſs. Here the Prophet plainly declareth, that the People which reſt under this Defence and Protection, are afflicted and ſubject to all Miſeries and Calamities as touching the fleſh; altho' they be compaſſed about with ſuch high and mighty Mountains as touching the Spirit, as Satan can never ſurmount, yet touching the Fleſh and the Old man, they lye open on every ſide to the Darts of Satan and the World; For God by theſe means will afflict and exerciſe the Fleſh, that Sin and the fooliſhneſs of the Fleſh may be mortified in them, and that ſpiritual Wiſdom and the inward man may increaſe. This is the cauſe why we are according to the Fleſh, as a broken Hedge, and as a City whoſe Walls are caſt down, and ſo lyeth open to the Enemies on every ſide. Wherefore there is no ſort of men ſo vile and abject which do not think that they may do what they liſt againſt the true Profeſſors of the Goſpel. Hereof come ſuch intollerable injuries, horrible blaſphemies, cruel torments and bloody ſlaughters of the Saints of God. For the Fleſh hath no Walls, no Munitions to defend it, but the Spirit. Therefore the fleſh is in danger to all Storms and Tempeſts, broken and troden down of the wicked, as Iſaiah ſaith, Chap. 51. Which have ſaid unto thy Soul, Bow down that we may go over. Thou haſt layed thy Body as the ground, and as the ſtreet to them that went over. Theſe afflictions we muſt needs ſuffer and by patience overcome them, and withal we muſt beware that by theſe outward afflictions the inward man be not weakened or overcome; reſting in this aſſured hope and truſt, that the Lord will never forſake us, but that we are in the boſom of the Father, and are cloſed within moſt ſure and ſtrong holds. So that now, altho' our Goods, our Wives, our Children, yea and our Lives alſo be taken from us, yet we ſhall never be ſpoiled of our Chriſt, by whom we are ſo ſurely defended, that in the midſt of all our Tentations he will make a way for us to eſcape, or elſe give us ſtrength to bear them. Thus we ſee what Conſolations the Holy Ghoſt ſetteth forth unto them which believe the Word. For unto ſuch as look for a better Life then this, all things are here full of Calamities and Miſeries. Death followeth Death, as Paul ſaith, and we continually die. One Tentation followeth another, until at the length by the Death of the Fleſh all miſeries ſhall ceaſe and have an end. This verſe therefore maketh much for our Comfort, admoniſhing us that we muſt ſuffer many troubles; yet ſo, that at the length we ſhall be ſafe and ſet at Liberty from them all, though not in this Life, yet in the Life to come, and in Eternal Life. And why ſhould we not thus boldly promiſe unto our ſelves, remaining under this diligent Cuſtody of the Angels, yea of the Lord himſelf, which is always round about his People? But here (as before I ſaid) we have need of Faith, that we may judge herein, not according to our preſent troubles and tentations, but according to the Word of Promiſe. And what ſhould we need any promiſes if there were no tentations? which tentations whether they be within in the Spirit, or without in the fleſh, the time ſhall come when we through Chriſt ſhall have full victory hereof, as this verſe full of ſweet Conſolation doth promiſe unto us. Notwithſtanding this promiſe ſeemeth incredible both to us which ſuffer, and alſo to them which perſecute and afflict us. For if we behold the ſame with our outward eyes, what can be more falſe? yea the contrary ſeemeth to be moſt true. Behold our Saviour Chriſt, was he not ſo forſaken, hanging upon the Croſs, that the Rod or Scepter of the wicked reſted upon him? Did it not reſt likewiſe upon the Prophets, the Apoſtles, and other holy Martyrs? This matter then, if we conſider it with our outward eyes, hath another meaning then the Words do import. For they promiſe that the Scepter of the wicked ſhall have no power over the godly, and yet all ſtories and examples do teftify the contrary. Therefore the Holy Ghoſt calleth us back to the purpoſe and Couſel of God revealed in his Word, and commandeth us to weigh and conſider, not what we ſuffer and with our outward eyes behold, but what is decreed with the Lord in Heaven. And he that can ſo ſequeſter himſelf from the beholding of his afflictions and tentations, and yield himſelf wholly over to the Will of God, and there reſt, is a right Divine; yea he that is ignorant hereof, in true Divinity knoweth nothing at all. For what knoweth he which is ignorant that God is ſuch a God as will not ſuffer the godly to be oppreſſed of the wicked? For ſeeing he hath ſaid, I am the Lord thy God, he will never ſuffer that which is his own, to be wreſted either by the World or by the gates of Hell out of his hands. If he then abide and continue, they ſhall alſo continue for ever which are his. Thus to believe, and thus to lay hold on things invifible, is true Divinity and true ſpiritual Wiſdom indeed, whereupon we may ground this Propoſition out of the inviſible Counſel of God; God hateth the wicked, and loveth the juſt, ergo he will damn and deſtroy the wicked, and will deliver and ſave the juſt. And here we ſee that which is the chiefeſt thing in all the Pſalms and Prophets, to ſpring of the firſt Precept: I am the Lord thy God. Now have we to learn how we may apply this verſe rightly and to our Comfort. For true Divinity conſiſteth in uſe and practice. We are vexed on every ſide with cruel Biſhops, wicked Princes, and others which hate the Word of God and the doctrine which we profeſs. But theſe are very trifles, if ye compare them with thoſe vexations which Satan, Sin, and our own infirmity raiſe up in our Conſciences. We muſt learn therefore thus to judge of all theſe things, that they are the Rod and Scepter of the wicked, and to ſet the Lord againſt them, revealing his Will here in his Word, and pronouncing that he will not ſuffer the Scepter of the wicked to reſt upon the godly. Seeing then the ſame Prince promiſeth thus much unto us which hath all things in his hand, what can we require more? For the will of God is certain, that though he ſuffer us to be afflicted, yet will he not ſee us troden under foot or periſh. Thus muſt we apply theſe ſweet Conſolations. What the rod ſigniſieth in the Scripture it is well known. Children when they are young, are corrected with a rod; and when they wax bigger, with a Wand or Cudgel; and if they will not ſo amend, then followeth the Iron rod. Hereof it cometh that the rod ſignifieth all Power and Rule, which is for the Amendment and Correction of ſuch as do offend. So it is taken in the 110 Pſalm. The Lord ſhall ſend forth the rod of thy Power out of Sion: That is to ſay, thy Kingdom; For there he ſignifieth ſuch a rod whereby Kingdoms and People are governed. On this wiſe the holy Ghoſt permitteth here to the wicked, Dominion and Tyranny over the godly, which they are compelled to ſuffer. Like as we are compelled not only to ſee but alſo to ſuffer the Tyranny of Antichriſt and the Power of his Kingdom, perſecuting, deſtroying and murthering the Chriſtians, and raging againſt them with all kind of Tyranny. Yea we are Compelled moreover to ſuffer the Tyranny of Satan vexing and terrifying my Heart and the Hearts of the Brethren which believe in Chriſt. This Dominion or Tyranny the Holy Ghoſt calleth the rod of the wicked; and comforteth us, that as the Lord liveth, their Tyranny ſhall fall, and ſhall not reſt upon the Lot of the godly. The lot of the juſt is as much to ſay as the Portion, that is, the Number or Congregation of the juſt. Like as Chriſt calleth them the Little Flock, and Paul, The poor Saints. Over theſe, ſaith he, although the Tyrants do rule, yet ſhall not their power endure. Although the Perſecutors of the Church do oppreſs the faithful, yet ſhall they not do ſo always, neither ſhall their Counſels have the ſucceſs which they deſire. For they think to root out this Doctrine for ever; but that ſhall they never be able to do: Therefore albeit ye ſuffer in the mean time, ſaith the Holy Ghoſt, yet know ye, that my will is, That they which believe in me ſhall never periſh, but ſhall be preſerved to Life Everlasting. Here then have ye whereunto ye may truſt in all your Tentations. But behold the reaſon which the Holy Ghoſt here uſeth to prove that the Scepter of the wicked ſhall not reſt upon the juſt. God is moved ſaith he, to help and defend the juſt. For elſe it might ſo come to paſs that God ſhould have no Church at all, and the juſt ſhould put forth their hands to Wickedneſs. So we find in Jeremiah, that before the People were delivered into the hands of the Babylonians, they had promiſe that after ſeventy years they ſhould return again to Jeruſalem, becauſe they ſhould not be brought into doubt of Gods Mercy, and ſo utterly deſpair, and falling away from God ſhould turn to Gentiliſm; as it is in the Pſalm, leaſt the godly ſhould turn to fooliſhneſs, that is to ſay, ſhould blaſpheme and become impatient, This is the cauſe why God joyneth the promiſe of the Word with the Execution and Performance of the Deed; or elſe the godly ſhould be driven to Deſperation. We ſee how many are caſt down with Adverſity by the loſs of Goods, Wife, Children, and other things which are dear unto them. Except therefore their minds were raiſed up again and comforted, firſt, with the Word and Promiſe, and then, with the Performance and Execution of the ſame, many would ſay there were no God. Therefore God muſt needs ſhew himſelf to be a God, not only in Word but alſo in Deed. David had great promiſes of God, and yet by his own Son he was driven out of his Kingdom, and ſo perſecuted that he was compelled to fly away barehead and barefoot. This was a ſore Tentation. Wherefore the great and ample Promiſes made unto him could never have raiſed him up and comforted him again, except God had indeed delivered him out of this great miſery and affliction. Even ſo if we had no more but the promiſes of God to ſupport us againſt the Papiſts and Adverſaries of the Word, yea if God did not indeed fight for us and defend us againſt their Tyranny, we ſhould be ſwallowed up with ſorrow, and brought even to Deſperation. God therefore worketh both ways; he raiſeth up with the Word and Promiſe, and delivereth out of troubles and afflictions by Execution of the deed, that according to the ſaying of St. Paul, the tentation ſhould not be above our ſtrength, but ſhould have an end, and we learn by our own Experience that the firſt Commandment, I am the Lord thy God, is moſt certain and infallible Therefore when he ſaith, Leaſt the juſt ſhould put forth their hand to Wickedneſs, it is as much as if he ſhould ſay, Leaſt the juſt ſhould turn away from God and fall to Gentiliſm. For God hath a double care over the Faithful; firſt, that they be not overcome, but may overcome the tentation; and this he doth by the Word and Promiſe. The ſecond is that the tentation be not perpetual. Even ſo muſt we be undoubtedly perſwaded, that beſides the infallible promiſes which we have of the good Will of God towards us, and in the end of Everlaſting Life, we ſhall be alſo delivered, and our Adverſaries deſtroyed, albeit we can ſee no manner of way or poſſible means how it may be done. This is it then that this verſe here ſetteth forth, that God is ſo careful for the ſafety of his People, that he ſeemeth to fear leaſt they ſhould put forth their hand to Wickedneſs, and fall away from him, whereby it might come to paſs that he ſhould have no People, and ſo there ſhould be no God. For God is the God of the living, and therefore he muſt needs have a People. Wherefore there muſt ever be ſome remaining which may praiſe and worſhip Him. If there muſt needs be ſuch a Number remaining, God muſt of neceſſity make an end alſo of tentations. But here we muſt beware that we do not appoint the time of this deliverance. For before that come, God will have us tryed to the uttermoſt, and brought to that Extremity, that all our hope and truſt ſhall be utterly ſpent, and we at the point of Deſperation. Now, when we are brought into this caſe that we can ſee nothing but Deſperation, then, even then God ſendeth Comfort, in Death, he ſheweth Life; and even in Damnation, he bringeth Salvation: briefly, of nothing he maketh all things, and when all hope of Remedy is paſt, then beginneth he to work, and frameth all new again in moſt perfect wiſe. Thus cannot the God of this World do. This is the fingular work of God therefore, that when thou thinkeſt thy ſelf clean caſt away and utterly forlorn, even then thou ſhouldſt be moſt ſure and ſafe, and moſt gloriouſly ſhine as the day Star in the Firmament. Theſe things are eaſily taught, but by Experience we find and feel how far they paſs all Reaſon and Power of man, and how hardly we can believe that God maketh all things of nothing, that he is careful tor us, whether we be afflicted in the Fleſh or in the Spirit, and that he is more mindful of our deliverance then we our ſelves can be. Theſe things therefore muſt be often and diligently taught, that we may learn that Heavenly Wiſdom which the firſt Commandment ſetteth forth unto us,Old things are paſſed away; behold all things are become new. namely, that our God is ſuch an one as of old things is wont to make new; of poor, to make rich; of deſpiſed, glorious. And this laſt we would all gladly have, but that will not be, except Contempt and Poverty go before. Here have we then a ſiugular Promiſe and Conſolation. As if he ſhould ſay, The Rod of the wicked grieveth you, but be of good Comfort my People, and patiently endure it, for I will not ſuffer the tentation ſo far to prevail over you that your Confidence and truſt in me ſhall utterly fail you. Storms and Tempeſts ſhall ariſe, and your Dangers ſhall ſeem ſo great as tho the Waves ſhould preſently ſwallow you up: but I will not ſuffer you to periſh. I will bridle their Rage and make an end of the rod of the Wicked and Unrighteous, yet will I not leave you deſtitute of my Righteouſneſs. Thus do Tentations teach us the true uſe and meaning of the firſt Commandment, the which none without afflictions and tentations ſhall rightly know or underſtand. Moreover we are here admoniſhed of the great danger that followeth theſe afflictions and tentations, which they that through impatiency forſake the Word and Faith, do fall into. Therefore the Lord here ſheweth himſelf ſo careful for his People, leaſt they ſhould fall into this danger. For their ſtate which have once forſaken the Word, is much more perillous then it was before; and into ſuch (as our Saviour Chriſt pronounceth in the Goſpel) do enter ſeven Spirits much more wicked then the firſt. We muſt therefore patiently ſuffer and perſevere in all tentations, and rather abide all Extremities then once ſhrink from the Word of Life, leaſt we be poſſeſſed with ſeven Spirits more wicked then the firſt. And moreover we muſt aſſuredly truſt (as we are taught it this verſe) that ſo long as we have a deſire and purpoſe ſo to do, the Lord will never for ſake us or ſuffer us to fall into this impiety. For here have we a manifeſt promiſe and a lively deſcription of the Lords ſingular care and providence over us, namely that he is mindful of the end of our tentations and afflictions, ſo that we only continue conſtant and patient unto the end. And if the Heathen Poet ſaid, Endure and reſerve your ſelves for more happy things, how much more ſhould Chriſtians diligently ſtir up themſelves with mutual Exhortations to Patience and Perſeverance, whether they outwardly ſuffer in things pertaining to the Body and to this preſent life, or inwardly in Conſcience. For we have a God which even in Death, in Hell, and in the midſt of all our Sins, can ſave and deliver us.

Verſe 4. Do well O Lord unto them that be good and true of heart. The Prophet ſaith not here: Do well Lord to the perfect, and ſuch as offend in nothing: but, to the good and true of Heart. The good and true of Heart, are they which are of a ſingle, ſincere and upright Heart. For theſe are they which are moſt accepted of God, altho they alſo through infirmity do ſometimes offend. Now where he prayeth that God will do well to the good and godly, he meaneth alſo and ſecretly complaineth that the godly are in miſery and affliction, and that the ungodly do abound with all worldly felicity: As we ſee at this day the Enemies of the Goſpel to enjoy great Riches and Dignities, whereby they vex and oppreſs the godly. This is a great offence and ſtumbling-block to the godly, and therefore the Church hath need of this Prayer, That God would do well unto the godly, which truſt in him, and ſeek his Glory with their whole Heart, that they by ſtumbling at this offence do not fall away to impiety. This Prayer containeth in it a Prophecy with a promiſe, that like as he prayeth for the Bleſſing, Welfare and Proſperity of the juſt, ſo at the length it ſhall alſo come to paſs.

Verſe 5. But thoſe that turn aſide by their crooked ways, the Lord ſhall lead with the workers of Iniquity: but peace ſhall be upon Iſrael. He ſaith not ſimply, ſuch as turn aſide, but ſuch as turn aſide by their own Wickedneſs. For to give place to tentations by infirmity of the Fleſh, or weakneſs of Mind, or elſe of Faith, and ſo to decline from the right way, (which cometh to paſs ſometimes even in the Saints, as the Example of Peter teacheth) is one thing, and to fall away through wickedneſs and perverſneſs of Heart, is another: which cannot be in the children of God, but properly belongeth to the wicked and godleſs. This ſort of men hath ever corrupted the Church from the Apoſtles time, and with a ſhew of holineſs hath deceived the ſimple, which becauſe God puniſheth them not, but ſpareth them and ſuffereth them to proſper in this World, become ſo proud that they will be counted amongſt the holieſt, and of the World are ſo commonly taken. We ſee that not only the godly are mixed with the wicked in this World, but in the Lords floore alſo the Wheat lyeth hidden under the Chaſſe. We muſt pray therefore that God would bring theſe Hypocrites to light, and give unto them their juſt Puniſhment with the workers of Iniquity. Then ſhall peace enſue to the Church of God. For whilſt the Lord poureth forth his vengeance upon the wicked which vex and perſecute his true members, he gathered together the good and upright of Heart, and openly declareth his fatherly good will and tender love towards them.