THEY SHALL BE AS MOUNT ZION

Mountains symbolize stability and security. Mount Zion, “which cannot be removed”, is a picture, of stability; Jerusalem, enclosed by mountains, is thus secure. The psalmist uses these pictures to describe those who trust the Lord.

Mount Zion was an impregnable fortress until David took it from the Jebusites, 2 Sam. 5. 6-9. Concerning Zion, the Lord declared, “This is my rest forever”, Psa 132. 14. In the psalmist’s time, Zion and the land were under the power of Persia; he is confident that this could not be forever, for he says, “the rod (sceptre) of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot (land) of the righteous”, v. 3.

Jerusalem is surrounded by mountains and deep gorges. Consequently, is was difficult to capture. Its real defence, however, was the Lord, not the mountains. It was because Judah forsook Him instead of trusting Him, that the city was ultimately taken and the people led into captivity. The future security of Jerusalem is described in Zechariah 2. 4, 5.

The worldly put their trust in wealth, Psa. 49. 6; 52. 7; or in military might, 20. 7; but these give no real security, Luke 12. 16-20; Psa. 33. 16, 17; Prov. 21. 31. Even David, when in prosperity, said, “I shall never be moved”, Psa. 30. 6. He had a better outlook in Psalm 21. 7; cf. 112. 6; 121. 3.

The psalm is thought to have been written in the time of Nehemiah. He faced many problems in the work of restoration. There were intrigues and threats of intimidation from without. Within, he had to contend with complainers and some who were in league with the enemy, Neh. 4. 10; 6. 2; 13. 4. These are probably in mind in verse 3 of our psalm, “lest the righteous put forth their hands unto iniquity”, and in verse 5, “such as turn aside unto their crooked ways”. Nehemiah was not moved by these things. He was a man of prayer who trusted in the Lord. Look up the references to his prayers in his book.

“The world lieth in the evil one”, 1 John 5. 19 R.V., but not forever. In Psalm 2. 6, God will establish His King on Zion; meanwhile, we must expect opposition as we serve. Can we say, “none of these things move me”?, Acts 20. 24.

“We had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God”, 2 Cor. 1. 9.