Chapter commentary
Psalms Chapter 125
서론
Psalm 125 Introduction
繁體中文
English original
This psalm is entitled merely "A Song of Degrees." Its author, and the occasion on which it was composed, are unknown. The contents of the psalm accord well with the supposition that it may have been written after the return from the Babylonian captivity, and may have been designed to strengthen and comfort those who were engaged in rebuilding the city, and restoring the ancient worship, either against the Samaritans and those who opposed them Nehemiah 6:12-13, or against the lukewarmness of a part of the people themselves. There is nothing, however, so exclusively applicable to that time as to make it necessary to suppose that it was composed on that occasion. There is, indeed, evidence in the psalm Psa 125:5, that there were some among the people who were disposed to turn away from the service of Yahweh, or who were perverse and rebellious; but such a state of things was not special to the time of the return from the captivity, nor was it special to the Jews, for it has occurred often; it exists still. The psalm is designed to encourage those who were disposed to trust in the Lord, by the assurance that they would be safe; that the blessing of God would be upon them; and that the church was firm and secure.
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Psalm 125:1
繁體中文
「倚靠耶和華的人」——即祂的子民；祂的朋友。倚靠神、以神為可信託的，向來是神子民的一個特徵。
「好像錫安山」——就是大衛加以固守、城起初建於其上的那座山，見 2 Samuel 5:6-9。錫安這名稱後來也成了整座城為人所知的名稱。
「永不動搖」——山是堅固與穩定的象徵；說它是不能被移動的，原是很自然的事。然而這裏所意指的還不止於此，因為這比較就錫安山而言另有特殊的根據。這根據或是在於錫安因位置險要而特別堅固，或是在於它受神的保護，因而穩妥。最可能的解釋是：它指錫安是一處天然穩固之地，又因人為的工事而愈加穩固。
English original
They that trust in the Lord - His people; his friends. It is, and has been always, a characteristic of the people of God that they trust or confide in him.
Shall be as mount Zion - The mountain which David fortified, and on which the city was at first built, 2 Samuel 5:6-9. The name Zion became also the name by which the entire city was known.
Which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever - A mountain is an emblem of firmness and stability; and it is natural to speak of it as that which could not be removed. There is something more than this, however, intended here, as there is some ground of comparison especially in regard to Mount Zion. This must have been either the idea that Zion was particularly strong by position, or that it was under the divine protection, and was therefore safe. Most probably it refers to Zion as a place secure by nature, and rendered more so by art.
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Psalm 125:2
繁體中文
「眾山怎樣圍繞耶路撒冷」——希伯來文作「耶路撒冷——眾山圍繞她」。耶路撒冷除北面外，四面被山岡或山嶺環繞；因此，雖然這城建在山岡上——錫安、摩利亞（Moriah）、Bezethah、Acra——它本身卻被比這些更高的山環繞，從某種意義上說，是處於山谷之中。試參 Matthew 2:1 的註釋。試比較 Psalm 48:1-14 的註釋。
「耶和華也照樣圍繞他的百姓」——正如耶路撒冷被周圍的山保護，神的子民也照樣蒙 Yahweh 保護。祂環繞教會；祂遠超教會之上；祂守護通往教會的各路徑；祂能保護教會脫離一切仇敵。在祂的保護之下，教會是安全的。耶路撒冷既被山嶺環繞，就這樣成了歷代教會的象徵；它的安穩是凡信靠耶和華之人安穩的象徵。
English original
As the mountains are round about Jerusalem - Hebrew, "Jerusalem - the mountains are round about her." Jerusalem, except on the north, is encompassed with hills or mountains, so that although the city was built on hills - Zion, Moriah, Bezethah, Acra - it was itself surrounded by hills higher than any of these, and was, in a certain sense, in a valley. See the notes at Matthew 2:1. Compare the notes at Psalm 48:1-14.
So the Lord is round about his people ... - As Jerusalem is thus protected by the hills around, so the people of God are protected by Yahweh. He surrounds the church; he is exalted far above the church; he guards the approaches to the church; he can defend it from all its foes. Under his protection it is safe. Jerusalem, as surrounded by hills and mountains, has thus become an emblem of the church at all times; its security was an emblem of the security of all who trust in the Lord.
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Psalm 125:3
繁體中文
「惡人的杖」——頁邊註依希伯來文作「邪惡」。「杖」一詞——即棍棒、權杖、施行刑罰的器具——在此指統治權、權勢，亦即惡人通常所處的境況，即昌盛或得勢之境。神並不會像常常對待惡人那樣對待義人：也就是說，神不會像賜給惡人那樣，將昌盛賜給自己的子民。義人必受苦難，並被置於某種境況之中，使他們不致伸手作惡；亦即不致沉溺於罪惡。他們必遭遇苦楚；必藉試煉蒙保守，行在美德與敬虔之道上；必不致像惡人那樣，任憑心中的敗壞行出來。
「必不常落在其上」——即永久安居；或作：成為義人恆常不變的境況。他們或可一時亨通，卻當預料必有變遷，並且神必如此對待他們，叫他們不致伸手作惡。
「義人的分」——義人被視為主的「分」或產業。這措辭源於以抽籤分地之例（參 Psalm 105:11；Psalm 74:2）；其要義乃是：屬於主的「分」，或他在世人中間的「產業」，就是義人。
「免得義人伸手作惡」——免得昌盛之效引誘他們遠離神——一如惡人。因此，他們所受的對待方式截然不同。他們遭受苦難；藉此受到合宜的管教，使他們的心與生命成為所當有的樣式。故此，本節的陳述與聖經前後一貫的教訓相符：昌盛對人屬靈的益處乃是危險的；故此人常受苦難，為要使他們被引導去尋求高於今生之事的益處。就此處的脈絡觀之，其意似為：神必護衛他的子民，正如耶路撒冷有岡陵大山環繞護衛一般；然而神子民真正的福祉與興盛，並非惡人所追求的——財富與尊榮——而是主的恩惠。不過，關於本節尚可提出另一種含義，在有些人看來或許比上述解釋更為可信。乃是這樣：「杖」——惡人的統治權——即敗壞的統治者、嚴苛暴虐之政權的權柄——必不永遠壓在神子民的身上，免得他們因受壓制而作出不義的行為；或免得他們因受攔阻、不得自由事奉神，便自甘沉淪於罪中。
English original
For the rod of the wicked - Margin, as in Hebrew, "wickedness." The word "rod" - the staff, the scepter, the instrument of inflicting punishment - here means dominion, power, that condition in which the wicked are commonly found, as one of prosperity or power. God will not deal with the righteous as the wicked are often dealt with: that is, God will not give his people prosperity as he does them. The righteous will be afflicted, and will be placed in circumstances to keep them from putting forth their hands to iniquity; that is, from indulging in iniquity. They will be afflicted; they will be kept in the ways of virtue and religion by trial; they will not be left to act out the depravity of the heart as the wicked are.
Shall not rest upon - Permanently abide; or, be the constant condition of the righteous. They may be prospered, but they must expect that there will be changes, and that God will so deal with them as to keep them from putting forth their hands to iniquity.
The lot of the righteous - The righteous, considered as the "lot" or portion of the Lord. The language is derived from dividing a land by lot (compare Psalm 105:11; Psalm 74:2); and the idea is, that the "lot" pertaining to the Lord, or his "portion" among people, is the righteous.
Lest the righteous put forth their hands unto iniquity - Lest the effect of prosperity should be to lead them away from God - like the wicked. Hence, they are dealt with in a different manner. They are afflicted; they are thus kept under proper discipline, and their hearts and lives are made what they should be. The statement in this verse, therefore, accords with the uniform statements in the Scriptures, that prosperity is dangerous to the spiritual interests of people, and that, therefore, people are often afflicted in order that they may be led to seek higher interests than those which pertain to this life. The connection here seems to be, that God will defend his people, even as Jerusalem was defended by hills and mountains; but that the real welfare and prosperity of his people was not what the wicked seek - wealth and honor - but the favor of the Lord. Another meaning may, however, be suggested in regard to this verse, which to some may appear more probable than the one above. It is this: that the "rod" - the dominion of the wicked - of bad rulers - of a harsh and oppressive government - will not always be upon the people of God, lest, being crushed, they should be led to acts of iniquity; or lest, being kept from the free service of God, they should abandon themselves to sin.
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Psalm 125:4
繁體中文
「耶和華啊，求你善待那些為善的」——即善待善人；善待敬虔人。願他們常在神的保護之下。這也許不僅是禱告，也表達了詩人的信念，相信在神的治理之下必如此——神的恩惠必臨到祂的百姓。
English original
Do good, O Lord, unto those that be good ... - To the good; to the pious. Let them be under the divine protection. Possibly this is not merely a prayer, but is expressive of the belief of the psalmist as to what would occur under the divine administration - that the favor of God would rest upon his people.
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Psalm 125:5
繁體中文
「至於那偏行彎曲道路的人」——指惡人，就是離棄正路直路、在禁戒之路上流蕩的人。這裏譯作「彎曲道路」的字，除 Judges 5:6 外不見於他處；在那裏譯作「小路」，意為人跡罕至的路徑或道路——狹窄曲折、遠離大路或人行慣道的小徑。因此，這字也指罪惡的路——作為偏離人當行的直路的岔路。
「耶和華必使他和作惡的人一同出去」——他們必被當作罪人對待，必受刑罰。這裏所暗示的是退後的人，就是離棄對神敬拜的人、不再行「善」的人、雖混在自稱的神子民之中、卻循小路與禁戒之路遠離他的人。意思是：他們對宗教的表白不能救他們；他們不會僅因公開自認是神的子民、或被算在其數之中，就蒙神的賜福；他們必像一切別的罪人那樣受對待：他們必與一切惡人同被帶出去，受與他們同樣的對待。比較 Ezekiel 33:12-13；Matthew 7:22-23；Matthew 25:11-12。
「願平安歸於以色列」——歸於真正的以色列，就是神真正的子民。比較 Galatians 6:16；Isaiah 54:13；Isaiah 55:12；Isaiah 57:2；Isaiah 66:12；John 14:27；John 16:33；Ephesians 2:17；Philippians 4:7。
English original
As for such as turn aside unto their crooked ways - The wicked. Those who leave the right or straight path, and wander in forbidden ways. The word here rendered "crooked ways" occurs nowhere else except in Judges 5:6, where it is rendered "by-ways," meaning unfrequented paths or roads; narrow and crooked paths, remote from the highways, or the ways commonly traversed. Hence, the word means also paths of sin - as deviations from the straight road which man should travel.
The Lord shall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity - They shall be dealt with as sinners. They shall be punished. The allusion is to backsliders; to those who forsake the worship of God; who cease to do "good;" who, though among the professed people of God, wander from him in by-paths and forbidden ways. The idea is, that their profession of religion will not save them; that they will not obtain the divine blessing merely because they are avowedly the people of God, or are numbered among them, but that they will be treated as all other sinners are: they will be led forth with all the wicked, and will be treated like them. Compare Ezekiel 33:12-13; Matthew 7:22-23; Matthew 25:11-12.
But peace shall be upon Israel - Upon the real Israel; upon the true people of God. Galatians 6:16; Isaiah 54:13; Isaiah 55:12; Isaiah 57:2; Isaiah 66:12; John 14:27; John 16:33; Ephesians 2:17; Philippians 4:7.
本詩僅標題為「上行之詩」。其作者與寫作場合均不詳。就內容而論，本詩與一個假設十分相合：它可能寫於自巴比倫被擄歸回之後，目的是要堅固並安慰那些從事重建城池、恢復古時敬拜的人——或是幫助他們抵擋撒瑪利亞人和那些敵擋他們的人（Nehemiah 6:12-13），或是抵擋百姓中一部分人自己的冷淡。然而，其中沒有什麼內容是專屬於那個時代的，以致必須假定它是在那場合寫的。誠然，詩中有證據（Psa 125:5）顯示百姓中有些人傾向於偏離事奉耶和華，或行事乖僻悖逆；但這樣的狀況並非被擄歸回之時所特有，也不是猶太人所特有，因為它屢屢發生，如今仍然存在。本詩的用意，是要鼓勵那些願意倚靠耶和華的人，向他們保證：他們必得安全；神的祝福必臨到他們；教會堅固而穩妥。