Friday February 2
The Blessings of Faith
Psalm 125:1-5 A Song of Ascents.
1 Those who trust in the LORD Are like Mount Zion, Which cannot be moved, but abides forever.
2 As the mountains surround Jerusalem, So the LORD surrounds His people From this time forth and forever.
3 For the scepter of wickedness shall not rest On the land allotted to the righteous, Lest the righteous reach out their hands to iniquity.
4 Do good, O LORD, to those who are good, And to those who are upright in their hearts.
5 As for such as turn aside to their crooked ways, The LORD shall lead them away With the workers of iniquity. Peace be upon Israel!
Psalm 125 is the sixth of the “Assent Songs” and the writer is anonymous, but most commentators seem to think that it was probably composed during the post-exilic period of Ezra and Nehemiah. Remember that they were the leaders who lead the captives back to their beloved “Promise Land” to rebuilt the temple and the walls of Jerusalem. Both Ezra and Nehemiah mention all sorts of people who made their work difficult for them. (Neh. 6:10-14; Ezra 9-10). Thank God for the faithful who believe God and obey His Word!
Three kinds of people are mentioned in this psalm: those who trust in the Lord (v. 1), who are also called righteous and good (vv. 3-4); those who compromise with the enemy (v. 3); and those who deliberately go on the wrong path (v. 5). We could probably call them the faithful, the backslidden, and the apostate. Of course we have all these groups around us today! This psalm reminds us of the benefits that faith and faithfulness bring to God's people and we should be more determined than ever to “live by faith and not by sight or by our feelings”.
When we live and walk by faith we are kept standing (vv. 1-2), and enjoy spiritual security and stability. The city of Jerusalem was firmly established and could not be shaken. For one thing, it was built on a solid foundation of rock that went deep into the ground. The city was surrounded by a number of hills. Even more, Jerusalem was home to the holy temple of Jehovah and the throne of David. God's glory and God's authority dwelt among His people. The writer did not say that God's people should be like Mount Zion but that they are like Mount Zion. As believers we are built upon the solid Rock, Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 3:11; 1 Peter 2:4-8), and He dwells within us and He surrounds us with His protection and mercy. As people of faith, we shall not be moved (16:8; 21:7; 62:6). Like Paul, we say, "None of these things move me" (Acts 20:24).
We have a marvelous standing, for we stand in God's grace (Rom. 5:2; Gal. 5:1), and we stand by faith (Rom. 11:20). We take our stand on the truths of the Word of God (2 Thess. 2:15) and stand in the will of God (Col. 4:12). It is God who enables us to stand (2 Cor. 1:21, 24), and because He does, we are able to accomplish the work He wants us to do (1 Cor. 15:58). When we begin to trust ourselves or other people, and we bypass the Lord, then we begin to waver, stumble, and fall.
When we live and walk by faith, we will live a life of obedience (v. 3). Israel was under Persian rule during the post-exilic years, and the Persian officers could do as they pleased. Some of the Jews became weary of this arrangement and capitulated to the Persians. "If you cannot whip them, join them." But the "scepter of wickedness" was wielded not only by Persians but also by greedy Israelites who disobeyed God's law and exploited their own people (Neh. 5). The prevalence of evil makes it easier for everybody to sin (Matt. 24:12), but the Lord will not permit this to go on forever. The people who trust God will obey His Word no matter what others may do, and they will not succumb to temptation (1 Cor. 10:13).
Our faith will keep us praying, hoping and doing good (vv. 4-5). James 1 teaches us that anything that is good comes from God and is given to us when we ask by faith. In Matthew 7:11 Jesus told His disciples, “If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!” To live by faith is to keep our eyes on the Lord (123:1; Heb. 12:1-2), rest on the promises of His Word, and do what is right and good no matter what others may say or do. Faith means living without scheming.
People of faith know that God will one day judge the disobedient, no matter how much they seem to get away with resisting God and abusing others. The life of faith is not easy, but the life of unbelief is much harder, in this life and in the life to come.
Yes, even in the midst of adversity we can still by faith do good and enjoy peace!
“Peace be upon you”!
God bless!