Temple Baptist Church - 1-19-2025
Psalm 125
Introduction:
A. Another of the Songs of Degrees to be sung by God’s people as they approached Jerusalem on the feast days when all males were required to appear. As they got closer to Jerusalem, they knew that Mt. Zion would still be there. Their trust and confidence fed their faith which led to their stability.
1. We go back to Kentucky often and, after all these years, not much is the same as when we lived there. Buildings and houses are gone, schools and ball fields are gone, the places that I worked and earned my living are no longer there.
2. It is always a disappointment to see the changes to the place where we grew up, were married, and had our children. Loved ones are now leaving through death or just moving to other places. We go back and something is now missing or has changed.
3. The word “trust” is found 134 times in the Bible. Trust – Faith, belief, confidence. A firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of someone or something. To confide in, so as to be secure and without fear. To seek refuge in something.
4. One of the more notable references for trust is found in Proverbs.
Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
5. It is in this verse that we find the totality of trust in the ways of God.
B. What confidence, what joy, what stability this afforded to the travelers as they knew that their journey would never be in vain.
Isaiah 51:11 Therefore the redeemed of the LORD shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away.
1. Mt. Zion would always be there because it could never be removed or moved. The Temple would be there where they would worship and bring their offerings.
2. Today, we still find Jews who are called Zionists such as Benjamin Netanyahu. Jerusalem and specifically Mt. Zion is their stability and joy.
C. Mt. Zion is one of the most important places on earth!
1. Important to the Jews. Mentioned 153 times in the Bible with every mention in the Old Testament. Also called the “City of David”, “my holy hill”, “the city of the great king”.
2. Not to the Jews only but to all of us who are saved! Verse 1 speaks not only of God’s people, Israel, it is prophetic of God’s Church and its people.
D. In Psalm 125, we find an analogy. “They that trust in the LORD shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever.”
1. Mt. Zion: A place of Choosing. To trust or not to trust is an individual choice.
2. Mt. Zion: A place of Stability. We may not be able to track God but we can trust God.
3. Mt. Zion: A place of great Joy.
4. Mt. Zion: A place of Permanence.
E. We shall be as Mt. Zion! There are plenty of mountains surrounding Mt. Zion but the greatness of Mt. Zion is that it is the place the God has always chosen.
1. The Place where the Garden of Eden was. I believe that I can show you biblically that Israel was Eden and Jerusalem was the Garden. Where God began everything, He will eternally end things in the same place.
2. The Place where Melchizedek was the King of Salem and Abraham paid his tithes.
3. The Place called Moriah where Abraham was told to offer Isaac as a burnt offering.
4. The Place where King David placed the Tabernacle.
5. The Place where Solomon built the Temple.
6. The Place where our LORD was crucified, buried, and rose again.
7. The Place where Christ will return and ascend to the throne of his father, David, during the Millennium.
8. The place where the New Jerusalem will ascend and remain for eternity.
F. Now, let us look at the Psalm in its entirety.
1. Verse 1. We Find A Position. “They that trust in the LORD”
a. A Faith. Our anchor in Christ Jesus is Faith Based.
Hebrews 11:1-3 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (2) For by it the elders obtained a good report. (3) Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.
Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
b. A Trust. “Cannot be removed … abideth for ever.” A position (unremovable) and the promise “abideth for ever.”
Jeremiah 17:7-8 Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is. (8) For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.
3. Verse 2. A Promise. “the LORD is round about His people”
a. “As” The Analogy. You have to go through and over the mountains in every direction to get to Mt. Zion. “As the mountains are round about Jerusalem” Mt. Zion is a surrounded place because of these great mountains.
b. “So” In Psalm 23, we saw that the LORD is with and for His people from the moment of Salvation until eternity. In life, in death, and in the house of the LORD for ever.
Hebrews 13:5-6 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. (6) So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.
4. Verse 3. A Protection. “For the rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous; lest the righteous put forth their hands unto iniquity.”
Romans 6:20-23 For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. (21) What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. (22) But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. (23) For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
a. “shall not rest” This does not mean that there will not be times when the world and Satan do not assail the child of God. The word “rest” means to remain positionally. God will ultimately deliver His people from the persecution of the wicked. He always prevails.
b. “lest the righteous” If wickedness profits and perseveres, then the godly would possibly choose to follow its ways! In wickedness, God allows us to see the end results of death and destruction. The wicked may prosper for a while but the wages of sin are still defilement, disappointment, destruction, death, and hell!
c. God, in His wisdom and works, protects the child of God both temporally and eternally! Praise the LORD!
5. Verses 4-5. A Peace.
a. A Pleasant life. A life of goodness. “Do Good, O LORD!” God will be good to unto those who do good and are upright in heart. There is an old saying that we would call a Proverb: “What goes around comes around.” It is ALWAYS right to do good and ALWAYS wrong to do wickedly. God will reward both! I want to testify that God has been good to us! When asked how I am doing, I normally respond, “Better than I deserved. God has been better to me than I have been to Him.”
b. A Peaceful life. “Peace shall be upon Israel!” Peace cannot be bought but peace can be attained. Peace with God in salvation and peace of God in righteousness.
Colossians 3:15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.
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