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Psalm 125:2
As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the LORD surrounds his people from this time forward and forever more.
1A Song of Ascents. Those who trust in the LORD are as Mount Zion, which can’t be moved, but remains forever.
2As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the LORD surrounds his people from this time forward and forever more.
3For the scepter of wickedness won’t remain over the allotment of the righteous, so that the righteous won’t use their hands to do evil.
4Do good, LORD, to those who are good, to those who are upright in their hearts.
Notice
Mountains surround Jerusalem on every side, and the psalm uses that solid landscape to speak of YHWH’s lasting presence around his people.
Questions to write on. Each one opens a new entry with this verse already attached.
What does the picture of mountains surrounding Jerusalem suggest to you about YHWH’s care?
Write on thisWhat uncertainty would you write beside the words “from this time forward and forever more”?
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Where else Scripture says this
12 passages readers most often link with this verse, and the thread each one shares with it.
This verse's connections, by chapterThe Bible's strongest chapter linksHover or tap a book to trace it
Zechariah 2:5For I,’ says the LORD, ‘will be to her a wall of fire around it, and I will be the glory in the middle of her.Both passages describe the LORD himself surrounding those he protects, using mountains in the psalm and a wall of fire in Zechariah.
Psalm 121:8The LORD will keep your going out and your coming in, from this time forward, and forever more.Both psalms describe the LORD’s care with the same words: “from this time forward and forever more.”
Isaiah 4:5The LORD will create over the whole habitation of Mount Zion and over her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night, for …Both use images of shelter around God’s gathered people: mountains surrounding Jerusalem and a canopy over Mount Zion.
John 10:28–29I give eternal life to them. They will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.The LORD’s enduring presence around his people and Jesus’ promise that no one will snatch his people away share lasting protection.
Psalm 34:7The LORD’s angel encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them.Both describe protection that surrounds people, with the LORD surrounding his people and his angel encamping around those who fear him.
Deuteronomy 33:27The eternal God is your dwelling place. Underneath are the everlasting arms. He thrust out the enemy from before you, and said, ‘Destroy!’Both picture God’s lasting protection through spatial images: the LORD surrounding his people and everlasting arms underneath them.
Lamentations 4:12The kings of the earth didn’t believe, neither did all the inhabitants of the world, that the adversary and the enemy would enter into the gates of Jerusalem.Jerusalem links these passages, though Lamentations recounts the enemy’s unexpected entry while the psalm describes the LORD surrounding his people.
Psalm 147:13For he has strengthened the bars of your gates. He has blessed your children within you.Both portray protection around a community, through surrounding mountains in Psalm 125 and strengthened gate bars in Psalm 147.
Isaiah 22:1The burden of the valley of vision. What ails you now, that you have all gone up to the housetops?The shared thread is limited to physical setting: mountains around Jerusalem in the psalm, a valley and housetops in Isaiah.
Jeremiah 21:13Behold, I am against you, O inhabitant of the valley, and of the rock of the plain,’ says the LORD. ‘You that say, “Who would come down against us?” or, “Who …Both mention terrain around inhabitants, but Jeremiah challenges confidence in a defensible location while the psalm locates protection in the LORD.
Joshua 10:6The men of Gibeon sent to Joshua at the camp at Gilgal, saying, “Don’t abandon your servants! Come up to us quickly and save us! Help us; for all the kings of …Both include hill country in scenes concerning safety, though Joshua describes threatening kings from the hills rather than mountains as protection.
Ezekiel 40:5Behold, there was a wall on the outside of the house all around, and in the man’s hand a measuring reed six cubits long, of a cubit and a hand width each. So …The shared image is an enclosing boundary: mountains around Jerusalem and a measured wall around the house in Ezekiel’s vision.
Where this verse fits
Fear for the future. anxiety or panic. praise and worship.
One step
Something small to carry out of this verse
Encouragement
The surrounding verses acknowledge wicked rule while affirming that YHWH surrounds his people. Trouble is present in this psalm, and God’s care has no end.
Now put it in your words.
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Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY). Scripture from the World English Bible (public domain). Arc diagram after Chris Harrison and Christoph Römhild (2007).