The Lord Surrounds His People

We all face times in life that are more difficult than others. Certainly, life is not free from challenges that lead to frustration, hurt and insecurity. The feelings created by these challenges often lead to more sorrow and heartache. It can be a vicious cycle that begins to overtake our lives. The insecurity and uncertainty may lead to anger and more frustration with our situation. If we are not careful, those moments will take possession of our every thought. This often leads to more frustration and uncertainty. But something we would do well to remember are the words of Psalm 125:2, which reads,

“As the mountains surround Jerusalem,

so the Lord surrounds his people,

from this time forth and forevermore.”

What a beautiful picture of the protection God affords his people. Some would raise the question of the location and geography of Jerusalem. Doesn't the Bible speak of "going up to Jerusalem"? And indeed it does. As a matter of fact, Jerusalem is situated on a hill in the southern mountain range in Israel. John Walton noted, "...the temple was located at its crest (called Mount Zion). However, other hills exist in the surrounding area, some even higher than the temple mount. The psalmist uses this metaphorical image as a metaphor of Yahweh's protection."

This image of mountains surrounding Jerusalem serves as a vivid reminder of God's enduring commitment to his people. The mountains are fixed, sure, immovable. Such is the nature of God and his protection and provision. He is immovable, resolute, sure. This stands in contrast to the reality of who we are as human beings. We can easily be influenced by the push and pull life. Our trust often shifts depending on our circumstances. Perhaps this is just the way it is for us as humans. But is that the way it has to be? The psalmist opens this psalm with an important statement, one that points to the God who provides and protects.

"Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion,

which cannot be moved, but abides forever."

It is imperative that we realize just who this God is in whom we claim to believe. He cannot be moved. He abides forever. His protection is sure. And even though there are moments in life where we feel as though the weight of the world is crashing in on us, God's protection is there. He is surrounding us. Always. If we put our trust in him - and I mean really put our trust in him fully - this passage explains that we will be like Mount Zion, immovable, abiding forever. That means we will not be shaken by the frustration, hurt and insecurity brought on by our challenging moments in life.

God is always with us. It doesn’t matter what we are facing, he has promised that he will never leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). Let’s remember to whom we belong; and when we are faced with moments of doubt or worry let’s remember that the God we serve surrounds us always.