1They that trust in the Lord shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever.
2As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the Lord is round about his people from henceforth even for ever.
3For the rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous; lest the righteous put forth their hands unto iniquity.
4Do good, O Lord, unto those that be good, and to them that are upright in their hearts.
5As 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.
📖 Chapter study
Summary
A song of trust that compares those who trust in the LORD to 'mount Zion, which cannot be removed,' and asks that God keep the rule of wicked leaders far from the inheritance of the righteous.
Explanation
This sixth 'Song of Degrees' uses Jerusalem's actual geography as a spiritual image: just as the city is physically surrounded and protected by mountains, God is 'round about his people' in a constant, protective way. The psalm also expresses concern over the possibility of corrupt leaders ('the rod/scepter of wickedness') dominating the land of the righteous for a prolonged time — a very real political risk in Israel's history. The application for today is to seek an inner stability that does not depend on the surrounding political or social circumstances, but on trust in God.