The Meaning of Psalms 125:1 Explained

Psalms 125:1

KJV: {A Song of degrees.} They that trust in the LORD shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever.

YLT: A Song of the Ascents. Those trusting in Jehovah are as Mount Zion, It is not moved -- to the age it abideth.

Darby: {A Song of degrees.} They that confide in Jehovah are as mount Zion, which cannot be moved; it abideth for ever.

ASV: They that trust in Jehovah Are as mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but abideth for ever.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

{{A Song  of degrees.  }} They that trust  in the LORD  [shall be] as mount  Zion,  [which] cannot be removed,  [but] abideth  for ever. 

What does Psalms 125:1 Mean?

Study Notes

A Song of degrees
.
Literally, "of ascents." Perhaps chanted by the people as they went up to Jerusalem to the feasts. See, e.g. Psalms 112:1 ; Psalms 112:2 .

Context Summary

Psalm 125:1-5 - The Christian's Fortress
Here are three instances of escaped peril. In Psalms 124:3 is an allusion to Korah and his company; see Numbers 16:32-33. Why are we spared when others have been overwhelmed by swift disasters? In Psalms 124:4 and Psalms 124:5, as the morning breaks, we see the proud waters that have burst their banks and are inundating the low-lying lands. Why did our house escape? In Psalms 124:6 and Psalms 124:7 we have the metaphor of the ensnared bird and as the fluttering fledgling, when freed, leaps into the sunny air, so do we rejoice when God frees us. But why should we escape when so many never break loose?
Psalms 125:1-5
Jerusalem lies on a broad and high mountain range, shut in by two deep valleys. But the surrounding hills are higher, and made her almost impregnable to the methods of ancient warfare. They who trust in God live within ramparts of His loving care for evermore. The scepter of evil may sometimes cast its gaunt shadow over their lives, but it is always arrested in time. Crooked ways are by-paths. The commandments of God are a public thoroughfare. Keep on the highway and no hurt shall assail you. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalm 125

1  The safety of such as trust in God
4  A prayer for the godly, and against the wicked

What do the individual words in Psalms 125:1 mean?

A Song of Ascents Those who trust in Yahweh [Are] like Mount Zion cannot [Which] be moved forever [but] abides
שִׁ֗יר הַֽמַּ֫עֲל֥וֹת הַבֹּטְחִ֥ים בַּיהוָ֑ה כְּֽהַר־ צִיּ֥וֹן לֹא־ יִ֝מּ֗וֹט לְעוֹלָ֥ם יֵשֵֽׁב

שִׁ֗יר  A  Song 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: שִׁיר 
Sense: song.
הַֽמַּ֫עֲל֥וֹת  of  Ascents 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine plural
Root: מַעֲלָה 
Sense: what comes up, thoughts.
הַבֹּטְחִ֥ים  Those  who  trust 
Parse: Article, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: בָּטוּחַ 
Sense: to trust.
בַּיהוָ֑ה  in  Yahweh 
Parse: Preposition-b, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
כְּֽהַר־  [Are]  like  Mount 
Parse: Preposition-k, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: הַר  
Sense: hill, mountain, hill country, mount.
צִיּ֥וֹן  Zion 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: צִיּׄון  
Sense: another name for Jerusalem especially in the prophetic books.
לֹא־  cannot 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
יִ֝מּ֗וֹט  [Which]  be  moved 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: מֹוט  
Sense: to totter, shake, slip.
לְעוֹלָ֥ם  forever 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֹולָם  
Sense: long duration, antiquity, futurity, for ever, ever, everlasting, evermore, perpetual, old, ancient, world.
יֵשֵֽׁב  [but]  abides 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָשַׁב 
Sense: to dwell, remain, sit, abide.