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英文原文
This short psalm may be summed up in those words of the prophet (Isa 3:10,11), "Say you to the righteous, It shall be well with him. Woe to the wicked, it shall be ill with him." Thus are life and death, the blessing and the curse, set before us often in the psalms, as well as in the law and the prophets. I. It is certainly well with the people of God; for, 1. They have the promises of a good God that they shall be fixed (Ps 125:1), and safe (Ps 125:2), and not always under the hatches, Ps 125:3. 2. They have the prayers of a good man, which shall be heard for them, Ps 125:4. II. It is certainly ill with the wicked, and particularly with the apostates, Ps 125:5. Some of the Jewish rabbies are of opinion that it has reference to the days of the Messiah; however, we that are members of the gospel-church may certainly, in singing this psalm, take comfort of these promises, and the more so if we stand in awe of the threatening.
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The Security of God's People
神百姓的安全
上行之诗。
¹ 倚靠耶和华的人，好像锡安山，永不动摇，存到永远。
² 众山怎样围绕耶路撒冷，耶和华也照样围绕他的百姓，从今时直到永远。
³ 恶人的杖，不常落在义人的分上，免得义人伸手作恶。
此处有赐给神百姓的三个宝贵应许——它们虽是为保障教会一般的福祉而设，个别的信徒也可应用到自己身上，正如其他同类应许一样。此处有——
一、神百姓的特征——这些应许属于他们。许多人自称是神的百姓，却在这事上无分无关。但那些要得这些应许之益、并可享其安慰的人：（1）是义人（诗125:3）——在神前为义、向神为义、并为他的缘故向一切人为义——既称义又成圣。（2）是倚靠耶和华的人——仰赖他的看顾，并献身于他的尊荣。凡与神打交道的，必须凭信而交；神只把安慰赐给那些信他的人，并以放弃别的倚靠、为神冒一切险来证明自己实在如此信。我们的期望越是紧紧限于神，我们从他所指望的便越可提高。
二、应许本身。
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他们的心必因信而坚固：那定意于神的，必被神坚定：他们好像锡安山。教会一般被称为锡安山（来12:22），它要在这一方面像锡安山——它建造在磐石上，其利益如此稳固，以致阴间的权柄不能胜过它。教会的稳固，是一切愿其益之人的满足。倚靠神的个人也必被坚立（诗112:7）；他们的信就是他们的稳固（赛7:9）。他们好像锡安山——既因是山，便坚固，因受护理扶持；更因是圣山，受应许扶持，而坚固加倍。（1）他们不能被空中掌权者的首领、被他的诡诈与力量动摇。他们不能从自己的正直里被摇动，也不能从对神的信靠里被摇动。（2）他们永远在恩典中存到永远——这恩典是他们永远在荣耀里长存的凭据。
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他们既把自己交托给神，便在他的保护下，安全脱离仇敌一切的凌辱，正如耶路撒冷在围绕它的众山中有天然的坚固保障（诗125:2）。那些山不仅为它挡风遮雨、削弱其力，更使仇敌难以进逼；神的护理对神百姓也是这样的防卫。当留意：（1）其周全：耶和华围绕他的百姓——四面环绕。神围绕他百姓所设的保护篱笆没有缺口，那四处游行要害他们的仇敌，找不到入口（伯1:10）。（2）其持久：从今时直到永远。山岭可能消磨归于无有，磐石可能从原处挪去（伯14:18），但神与他百姓所立的约不能断（赛54:10），他对他们的看顾也不止息。说他们永远坚立（诗125:1），此处又说神永远围绕他们，暗示神百姓稳固与安全的应许，将在他们永恒的状态中得以完全实现。在天上他们必永远坚立，必如神殿中的柱子，绝不再出去（启3:12），那里神自己——以他的荣耀与恩惠——也必永远围绕他们。
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他们的苦难不会持续超过他们力量所能担当的（诗125:3）。（1）此处假设恶人的杖可能临到、可能落在义人的分上。他们权势的杖可能压迫他们；他们怒气的杖可能搅扰折磨他们。它可能落在他们的人身、产业、自由、家人、名声上——凡归他们分的任何事上；唯独不能达到他们的灵魂。（2）此处应许：它虽可能落在他们的分上，却不常停在那里；它不会照仇敌所设计的、照神百姓所惧怕的那么长久持续；神必在公义中把工截短，短到一个地步——他要为你们开一条出路，叫你们能忍受得住。（3）此处作为这应许的理由：倘若苦难持续过久，连义人自己也会受试探伸手作恶——与恶人同流合污，与他们同说同行。这里有一个危险：他们因信仰久受逼迫，终致厌烦它、情愿放弃；因所应许的怜悯久等不来，便开始怀疑应许，并因疑神已弃掉他们而想抛弃神。参诗73:13-14。当知：神体恤他百姓的性情，必以他护理的看顾，把试炼照着他们的力量而调，正如他以他恩典的大能，把他们的力量照着试炼而调。压迫使智慧人癫狂——尤其若长久持续；所以为选民之故，那日子必减少，叫他们——无论他们在世上的分如何——不至于失去他们在蒙选之民中的分。
英文原文
The Security of God's People
A song of degrees.
¹ They that trust in the LORD shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever.
² As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the LORD is round about his people from henceforth even for ever.
³ For the rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous; lest the righteous put forth their hands unto iniquity.
Here are three very precious promises made to the people of God, which, though they are designed to secure the welfare of the church in general, may be applied by particular believers to themselves, as other promises of this nature may. Here is,
I. The character of God's people, to whom these promises belong. Many call themselves God's people who have no part nor lot in this matter. But those shall have the benefit of them and may take the comfort of them, (1.) Who are righteous (Ps 125:3), righteous before God, righteous to God, and righteous to all men, for his sake justified and sanctified. (2.) Who trust in the Lord, who depend upon his care and devote themselves to his honour. All that deal with God must deal upon trust, and he will give comfort to those only that give credit to him, and make it to appear they do so by quitting other confidences, and venturing to the utmost for God. The closer our expectations are confined to God the higher our expectations may be raised from him.
II. The promises themselves.
1. That their hearts shall be established by faith: those minds shall be truly stayed that are stayed on God: They shall be as Mount Zion. The church in general is called Mount Zion (Heb 12:22), and it shall in this respect be like Mount Zion, it shall be built upon a rock, and its interests shall be so well secured that the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. The stability of the church is the satisfaction of all its well-wishers. Particular persons, who trust in God, shall be established (Ps 112:7); their faith shall be their fixation, Isa 7:9. They shall be as Mount Zion, which is firm as it is a mountain supported by providence, much more as a holy mountain supported by promise. (1.) They cannot be removed by the prince of the power of the air, nor by all his subtlety and strength. They cannot be removed from their integrity nor from their confidence in God. (2.) They abide for ever in that grace which is the earnest of their everlasting continuance in glory.
2. That, committing themselves to God, they shall be safe, under his protection, from all the insults of their enemies, as Jerusalem had a natural fastness and fortification in the mountains that were round about it, Ps 125:2. Those mountains not only sheltered it from winds and tempests, and broke the force of them, but made it also very difficult of access for an enemy; such a defence is God's providence to his people. Observe, (1.) The compass of it: The Lord is round about his people on every side. There is no gap in the hedge of protection which he makes round about his people, at which the enemy, who goes about them, seeking to do them a mischief, can find entrance, Job 1:10. (2.) The continuance of it—henceforth even for ever. Mountains may moulder and come to nought, and rocks be removed out of their place (Job 14:18), but God's covenant with his people cannot be broken (Isa 54:10) nor his care of them cease. Their being said to stand fast for ever (Ps 125:1), and here to have God round about them for ever, intimates that the promises of the stability and security of God's people will have their full accomplishment in their everlasting state. In heaven they shall stand fast for ever, shall be as pillars in the temple of our God and go no more out (Re 3:12), and there God himself, with his glory and favour, will be round about them for ever.
3. That their troubles shall last no longer than their strength will serve to bear them up under them, Ps 125:3. (1.) It is supposed that the rod of the wicked may come, may fall, upon the lot of the righteous. The rod of their power may oppress them; the rod of their anger may vex and torment them. It may fall upon their persons, their estates, their liberties, their families, their names, any thing that falls to their lot, only it cannot reach their souls. (2.) It is promised that, though it may come upon their lot, it shall not rest there; it shall not continue so long as the enemies design, and as the people of God fear, but God will cut the work short in righteousness, so short that even with the temptation he will make a way for them to escape. (3.) It is considered as a reason of this promise that if the trouble should continue over-long the righteous themselves would be in temptation to put forth their hands to iniquity, to join with wicked people in their wicked practices, to say as they say and do as they do. There is danger lest, being long persecuted for their religion, at length they grow weary of it and willing to give it up, lest, being kept long in expectation of promised mercies, they begin to distrust the promise, and to think of casting God off, upon suspicion of his having cast them off. See Ps 73:13,14. Note, God considers the frame of his people, and will proportion their trials to their strength by the care of his providence, as well as their strength to their trials by the power of his grace. Oppression makes a wise man mad, especially if it continue long; therefore for the elect's sake the days shall be shortened, that, whatever becomes of their lot in this world, they may not lose their lot among the chosen.
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The Security of God's People
神百姓的稳妥
⁴ 耶和华啊，求你善待那些为善的人和心里正直的人。 ⁵ 至于那偏行弯曲道路的人，耶和华必使他和作孽的人一同出去受刑。愿平安归于以色列。
此处有：1. 诗人为真诚而坚定之人得福所献的祷告（诗125:4）：「耶和华啊，求你善待那些为善的人。」这教导我们为一切善人祷告，为「众圣徒祈求」；我们可以凭信心为他们祷告，因为确知那些行善的人必蒙善待。那些按所当然而行的人，也必按其所愿而成——只要他们「心里正直」，即他们的实际与他们表面相符。「神向正直的人显出他的正直。」他不是说：耶和华啊，求你善待那些完全人——那些无罪无疵的人，而是善待那些真诚正直的人。神的应许当激发我们的祷告。为神已应许要善待的人祝愿，是令人得安慰的。2. 他对假冒为善者和背道者之灭亡的展望；他不是为此祷告（「你知道我没有盼望那可怖之日」），而是预言这事：「至于那些」——他们既已认识义路，却因怕恶人的杖，便卑鄙地从中「偏行弯曲道路」、用曲折之法躲避患难或从中脱身，或那些非但不改正、反而每况愈下、在恶行上更顽固更大胆的人——神必「把他们打发出去」、「赶出去」，并「使他们与作孽的人一同出去」，意即他要给他们指定与最坏的罪人同分的分。当知道，（1）犯罪的路是「弯曲道路」；罪就是曲解那正直的。（2）那些从正路偏向这些弯曲道路之人的结局，将与那些一直在其中行走的人相同，且更为严厉；因为若地狱中某处比别处更热，那就是假冒为善者和背道者的分。神要「使他们出去」，如同囚犯被押赴刑场。「你们这被咒诅的人，离开我，进入那永火里去」；「这些人要往永刑里去」；他们素来所行的义不再被记念。末后的话「平安归于以色列」可作为一个祷告：「愿神的审判在外施行、与作孽之人算账之时，他保守他的以色列在平安之中。」我们也可将其读作一个应许：「平安必归于以色列」；意即〔1〕当那些诡诈背弃神之道的人自取灭亡之时，那些忠心持守的人，虽在路上可能遭遇患难，至终必得平安。〔2〕那些行弯曲道路之人的灭亡，必促进教会的平安与稳妥。当希律被除灭，「神的道日见兴旺」，徒12:23-24。〔3〕神之以色列的平安与福乐，必成为那些在自己恶行中灭亡之人的烦恼，且大大加增他们的痛苦，路13:28，赛65:13。「我的仆人因心中喜乐，你们却因悲哀而蒙羞」。
英文原文
The Security of God's People
⁴ Do good, O LORD, unto those that be good, and to them that are upright in their hearts.
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.
Here is, 1. The prayer the psalmist puts up for the happiness of those that are sincere and constant (Ps 125:4): Do good, O Lord! unto those that are good. This teaches us to pray for all good people, to make supplication for all saints; and we may pray in faith for them, being assured that those who do well shall certainly be well dealt with. Those that are as they should be shall be as they would be, provided they be upright in heart, that they be really as good as they seem to be. With the upright God will show himself upright. He does not say, Do good, O Lord! to those that are perfect, that are sinless and spotless, but to those that are sincere and honest. God's promises should quicken our prayers. It is comfortable wishing well to those for whom God has engaged to do well. 2. The prospect he has of the ruin of hypocrites and deserters; he does not pray for it (I have not desired the woeful day, thou knowest), but he predicts it: As for those, who having known the way of righteousness, for fear of the rod of the wicked, basely turn aside out of it to their wicked ways, use indirect ways to prevent trouble or extricate themselves out of it, or those who, instead of reforming, grow worse and worse and are more obstinate and daring in their impieties, God shall send them away, cast them out, and lead them forth with the workers of iniquity, that is, he will appoint them their portion with the worst of sinners. Note, (1.) Sinful ways are crooked ways; sin is the perverting of that which is right. (2.) The doom of those who turn aside to those crooked ways out of the right way will be the same with theirs who have all along walked in them, nay, and more grievous, for if any place in hell be hotter than another that shall be the portion of hypocrites and apostates. God shall lead them forth, as prisoners are led forth to execution. Go, you cursed, into everlasting fire; and these shall go away; all their former righteousness shall not be mentioned unto them. The last words, Peace upon Israel, may be taken as a prayer: "God preserve his Israel in peace, when his judgments are abroad reckoning with evil-doers." We read them as a promise: Peace shall be upon Israel; that is, [1.] When those who have treacherously deserted the ways of God meet with their own destruction those who faithfully adhere to them, though they may have trouble in their way, shall have peace in the end. [2.] The destruction of those who walk in crooked ways will contribute to the peace and safety of the church. When Herod was cut off the word of God grew, Ac 12:23,24. [3.] The peace and happiness of God's Israel will be the vexation, and will add much to the torment, of those who perish in their wickedness, Lu 13:28, Isa 65:13. My servants shall rejoice, but you shall be ashamed.
本篇短诗可总结于先知那两句话(赛3:10,11):「你们要论义人说,他必享福乐……恶人有祸了,他必遭灾祸。」如此,生与死、福与祸,正如在律法和先知中一样,屡屡陈明在我们面前。本篇结构如下:一、神的百姓必然亨通:1. 他们有良善之神的应许,必坚定(诗125:1)、必安稳(诗125:2),并不永受压制(诗125:3);2. 他们有善人的祷告,必为他们蒙允纳(诗125:4);二、恶人必然遭祸,尤其是背道者(诗125:5)。有些拉比认为本篇指向弥赛亚之日;然而我们这些福音教会的肢体,在唱这首诗时,定可因这些应许得安慰,若我们敬畏那威吓,则更当如此。