Mountain of God

 Psalm 125:1–5 (ESV):  

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

which cannot be moved, but abides forever. 

 2  As the mountains surround Jerusalem, 

so the Lord surrounds his people, 

from this time forth and forevermore. 

 3  For the sceptre of wickedness shall not rest 

on the land allotted to the righteous, 

  lest the righteous stretch out 

their hands to do wrong. 

 4  Do good, O Lord, to those who are good, 

and to those who are upright in their hearts! 

 5  But those who turn aside to their crooked ways 

the Lord will lead away with evildoers! 

Peace be upon Israel! 

Those who believe in God are like a mountain - formidable, unmovable, and constant. God’s people have constancy and permanence, reassurance and companionship, because together they cannot be moved and they are going to withstand, forever! When you gather with other believers, you are joining something abiding and immoveable, constant and eternal. If you need permanence and reassurance in your life, surely this gives you inspiration and hope. God's people, His church are like a mountain, secure and everlasting. Since the beginning, there have been God' people on the Earth, and no matter the problems, persecution and temptations that come, there is always a faithful remnant that remain as solid, faithful and constant as a mountain. Are you one such believer?

Not only are the people of God a magnificent mountain, but they also have the certainty and protection of God supporting and surrounding them too, as God is described in this psalm as a range of mountains (v1-2). God enhances His people’s solidarity as He provides security by His presence. He is bigger, greater and all encompassing, now and forever! God constantly and reliably surrounds His people for their security, safety and protection. This psalm provides an assurance of God’s continuous presence with His people. So, if you ever feel unsure or unsettled, recall to your mind that God’s people are ‘like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved', surrounded by the love and faithfulness of God 'forevermore'. 

Another guarantee in this psalm is that ‘the sceptre of wickedness shall not rest on the land allotted to the righteous’. There will be wickedness in existence, that is sure, but it does not have permission to become permanent in the places given to God’s people. Righteous people have an awareness of, and come across wickedness in their lives, yet they are not surrounded by it, for they are already surrounded - by the constant, protective, eternal Almighty God! Sometimes as God’s people, we forget that. It can be easy to see evil practices and wickedness, as it is different and unacceptable to the way of God, so it stands out like a stain on a garment. Yet, it is only a blot, and although noticeable does not effect the function of the garment. The stain can be removed, it is not permanent and does not need to effect the rest of the clothing. Sometimes we see wickedness as obviously as a stain, and focus on this, rather than looking at the stability and faithfulness of the godly believers. Those who are surrounded by the love, care and protection of the best stain remover there is! The reality, as described in this psalm, is that sin and wickedness are not permanent features in the 'land allotted to the righteous'. So do not get distracted by the influence of evil or the impact of sin. Do not get sidetracked yourself by doing what you know you shouldn't, but if you do, thank God that through Jesus every blot and stain can be removed from your life. It has no permanence for God has dealt with it all through Jesus' life, death and resurrection. Temptation is difficult to combat, but the New Testament promises us that when you ‘Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you’ (James 4:7). Evil cannot remain amongst God’s people, although this psalm recognises that some will be ‘lead away with evildoers’. don’t let that be you - remain on the mountain, resist the devil, and remain faithful to God. It is up to you whether you remain within the mountain of believers, surrounded by the security of God's love, constancy and forgiveness, or ‘turn aside’ to the influences of evil around you. Righteousness leads to becoming a mountain with fellow believers. Going astray leads to instability and unrest. Where do you choose to dwell? Are you settling your life onto the mountain of believers, surrounded by the love, power and constancy of God? 

Remember

Psalm 78:35–72 (ESV): 

35  They remembered that God was their rock, 

the Most High God their redeemer. 

 36  But they flattered him with their mouths; 

they lied to him with their tongues. 

 37  Their heart was not steadfast toward him; 

they were not faithful to his covenant. 

 38  Yet he, being compassionate, 

atoned for their iniquity 

and did not destroy them; 

  he restrained his anger often 

and did not stir up all his wrath. 

 39  He remembered that they were but flesh, 

a wind that passes and comes not again. 

 40  How often they rebelled against him in the wilderness 

and grieved him in the desert! 

 41  They tested God again and again 

and provoked the Holy One of Israel. 

 42  They did not remember his power 

or the day when he redeemed them from the foe, 

 43  when he performed his signs in Egypt 

and his marvels in the fields of Zoan. 

 44  He turned their rivers to blood, 

so that they could not drink of their streams. 

 45  He sent among them swarms of flies, which devoured them, 

and frogs, which destroyed them. 

 46  He gave their crops to the destroying locust 

and the fruit of their labor to the locust. 

 47  He destroyed their vines with hail 

and their sycamores with frost. 

 48  He gave over their cattle to the hail 

and their flocks to thunderbolts. 

 49  He let loose on them his burning anger, 

wrath, indignation, and distress, 

a company of destroying angels. 

 50  He made a path for his anger; 

he did not spare them from death, 

but gave their lives over to the plague. 

 51  He struck down every firstborn in Egypt, 

the firstfruits of their strength in the tents of Ham. 

 52  Then he led out his people like sheep 

and guided them in the wilderness like a flock. 

 53  He led them in safety, so that they were not afraid, 

but the sea overwhelmed their enemies. 

 54  And he brought them to his holy land, 

to the mountain which his right hand had won. 

 55  He drove out nations before them; 

he apportioned them for a possession 

and settled the tribes of Israel in their tents. 

 56  Yet they tested and rebelled against the Most High God 

and did not keep his testimonies, 

 57  but turned away and acted treacherously like their fathers; 

they twisted like a deceitful bow. 

 58  For they provoked him to anger with their high places; 

they moved him to jealousy with their idols. 

 59  When God heard, he was full of wrath, 

and he utterly rejected Israel. 

 60  He forsook his dwelling at Shiloh, 

the tent where he dwelt among mankind, 

 61  and delivered his power to captivity, 

his glory to the hand of the foe. 

 62  He gave his people over to the sword 

and vented his wrath on his heritage. 

 63  Fire devoured their young men, 

and their young women had no marriage song. 

 64  Their priests fell by the sword, 

and their widows made no lamentation. 

 65  Then the Lord awoke as from sleep, 

like a strong man shouting because of wine. 

 66  And he put his adversaries to rout; 

he put them to everlasting shame. 

 67  He rejected the tent of Joseph; 

he did not choose the tribe of Ephraim, 

 68  but he chose the tribe of Judah, 

Mount Zion, which he loves. 

 69  He built his sanctuary like the high heavens, 

like the earth, which he has founded forever. 

 70  He chose David his servant 

and took him from the sheepfolds; 

 71  from following the nursing ewes he brought him 

to shepherd Jacob his people, 

Israel his inheritance. 

 72  With upright heart he shepherded them 

and guided them with his skilful hand. 

Humanity is fickle. God is not.

That is what these verses show - People’s ideas, behaviours, views and values change. Culture adapts and tells itself it is progressive, yet, ‘What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun’ (Ecclesiastes 1:9). The reality is, your ideas, lifestyle and choices are nothing that the world hasn’t already seen. People have been getting it right and getting it wrong for millennia. Humanity changes their values and beliefs based on what suits them at the time. This has been shown throughout history including in the Biblical historical accounts as summarised in this psalm. There have been times when God is appreciated and remembered then centuries where he has been forgotten and ignored. Each generation is the same, they have times when they follow their forefathers transgressions, and they have times when they consider God. 

Asaph is reminding the people that even God’s very own, selected and set apart people, make choices to live with Him or without Him (v35-37). Every generation has this same fundamental issue - choosing to live God’s way or their own. Even the people who would say they believe in God, through disobedience and ingratitude go astray. Why? Because, ‘They did not remember his power or the day when he redeemed them from the foe.’ You end up far from God when you forget. 

It is easy to do as life goes on and different events happen, the memories of victory, breakthrough, healing and miracles wane as everyday life continues. People forget how awesome God is and do not remind themselves of His redemption, great love and incredible works. Instead, just getting on with life and having other things to remember can make remembering God's greatness and marvellous works less of a priority. What do you remember God doing? What prayers have you had answered? How have you seen God move and breakthrough in this current time or in the past? Make the effort to remember. It will build your faith, expectations and prayer life as well as your joy in your current pattern of life. Plus if you do not remember, it is easy to forget and you can easily be led into astray. Into ways and practices that lead you away from God, into sin and disobedience. 

The Israelites in the situations described in this psalm did not just wake up one day and decide to go away from God. It was a gradual process, maybe from not reading The Word, not praying as much, not sharing testimonies, not gathering together to worship, basically allowing other things to take priority in life other than God. It is easy to gradually slide away from God and get distracted when you do not set your mind to remember His goodness. Not remembering means you forget how great God really is and you fail to see the love, power and salvation available to you. This is what happened with the Israelites. Time and again they failed to remember which resulted in them doing what they wanted, getting involved with the cultural practices of others, sinning. They walked away from God which meant they incurred the wrath of God (v40, 49-50, 58-59) and had to experience life without His protection  

This is what can happen when you fail to remember. When you forget the enormous and gracious things God has done, you lose focus and end up gradually moving away from honouring and loving God in the way you live your life. So, God lets you get on with it. God loves you so much He lets you choose how to live your life, He wants your love, faithfulness and obedience, but He lets you make the choice. God also loves you so much that He gives you access to many different people's experiences of living life both with and without Him so that you know what is best for you. He has made it clear that if you opt to live life dishonouring Him then this means you'll be without His love and protection. 

Alternatively you can live a life set on remembering who God is and His works. This psalm not only shows the result of forgetting God's greatness, but also shows God’s forgiving nature. Time and again He welcomes the people of Israel back when they turn to Him. God forgives sin and restores people and nations when they approach Him. His faithfulness is secure and reliable.This psalm shows how God reconciles the Israelites to Himself again and again. He can do that for you too. When you repent, seek His forgiveness and recognise that He is, The Most High'.  He will restore you, love you and protect you. 

So, set your mind to honour and obey Him and 'forget not all His benefits' (Psalm 103:2)