THEY THAT TRUST IN THE LORD (Psalm 125)

We tend to categorize people, don’t we?

We may sort them by the color of their skin, their economic station in life, their educational background, or the region of the country they live in. There are so many different categories we can come up with.

But when God looks at people, He does it very simply. God looks beneath the skin and beyond our experience, much deeper than what men look at. He goes straight to the heart.

As a matter of fact, when God looks at men, He sees one of two things: someone who is trusting in Him or a person living in unbelief.

I remember years ago hearing someone say that there are only two kinds of people on the planet — believers and unbelievers. That is absolutely right, and in the end, there are only the saved and the lost. There will be some who have put their faith and trust in Christ as Savior, and the rest will be lost in their sin.

But if you look solely at believers, they also fall into two categories. There are those who live a life of faith and those who do not, living instead in disobedience. Remember, faith is not only for salvation; it is also how the Christian is supposed to live. The Bible says in four different places that “the just shall live by faith.”

This brings us to Psalm 125, a song of degrees. It begins in verse 1 with these six words: “They that trust in the Lord.”

Let me pause right now and say that I want to be in that number. I want God to look at me and say, “That guy is trusting in Me. He is walking by faith.”

Are you trusting in the Lord? Listen to what this psalm says about such people.

“They that trust in the Lord shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth forever. As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the Lord is round about his people from henceforth even forever. For the rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous; lest the righteous put forth their hands unto iniquity. Do good, O Lord, unto those that be good, and to them that are upright in their hearts. As for such as turn aside unto their crooked ways, the Lord shall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity: but peace shall be upon Israel.”

We are not part of the nation of Israel, but according to the New Testament, we have been brought into the family of God through His church. We are part of Christ’s bride and His body. We are part of that spiritual building He is constructing, a partaker of Him.

What is the one thing that God said should mark both Israel and the church? Their trust in Him. The mark of God’s people should always be the mark of faith.

I love how a personal possessive pronoun is used in verse 2, where “the Lord is round about his people.” Isn’t that great? I belong to Jesus, and Jesus belongs to me. I am in the family of God, one of His people.

Are you one of His people? If so, the thing in your life that should testify to that is the fact that you are living a life of faith.

Psalm 125, in five short verses, describes all of the blessed benefits God gives to those who trust in Him.

Permanence

Verse 1: “They that trust in the Lord shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth forever.”

The psalmist was referring, of course, to the holy mountain at Jerusalem, the place of worship that was so significant to the children of Israel. It was a place that was always the same. Things could be out of control everywhere, but Jerusalem was sacred and special.

God is saying in this verse, “I am going to make your life that stable and secure.” When you put your trust in Jesus Christ, you are given eternal life that the Bible says you will never lose. There is a permanence to a life of faith.

This world is passing away. Everything you see will someday burn up and be gone. According to I John 2:17, “And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever.”

Protection

Verse 2: “As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the Lord is round about his people from henceforth even forever.”

How can God’s people be so secure? Because that security rests on Him, not on us. There are days when I am up and down, but the Lord is never like that. His character is always the same.

Do you see the word picture in this verse? God is camping around His people. When you are surrounded by the Lord, that is a safe place to be. You might feel at times like you are surrounded by circumstances or enemies, but if you are living by faith, you are surrounded by Him.

Purity

Verses 3-4: “For the rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous; lest the righteous put forth their hands unto iniquity. Do good, O Lord, unto those that be good, and to them that are upright in their hearts.”

Faith works its way out in obedience. As the famous hymn goes:

Trust and obey

For there’s no other way

To be happy in Jesus

But to trust and obey

As James 2:18 says, “I will shew thee my faith by my works.”

This faith is more than just words. You are not only saying that you trust in God; you are also living it, obeying God. You are doing the good that God says for you to do and being upright in your heart.

If you are living a life of faith, it should show up every day in every area of your life.

Peace

Verse 5: “As for such as turn aside unto their crooked ways, the Lord shall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity: but peace shall be upon Israel.”

Do you see the contrast here between those who are trusting in the Lord and those who are rebelling against Him? We have peace now and through all of eternity.

We have peace of God and peace with God. Someday, we will live with the Prince of Peace forever. What a glorious thing to have God’s peace in a troubled world.

I would not want to live any other way. I cannot imagine what it would be like to live this life separated from God and then go into eternity separated from His as well. I am glad to report today that you do not have to live that way, and you certainly do not have to die that way.

When you have God, you have all that you need. May the Lord help you today to live and walk by faith. Be one of “they that trust in the Lord.”