John Trapp on Psalms 125

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.