As you can see in the title of this Psalm, this was one of the Jew’s “Songs of Degrees.” In Jesus’ day and earlier, as the Jews would go from Galilee and elsewhere to Judea for their religious feasts, they would be in fellowship with one another. But then as they approached Jerusalem, their conversation would turn to worship. And as they ascended the surrounding mountains they would sing these “Songs of Degrees.” These few Psalms were probably written sometime during Israel’s restoration after Babylon. These are not Psalms of David or Asaph. Whether or not the God-inspired pen-man was actually moved by seeing Jerusalem for first time, certainly that was the way in which it was sung by his children centuries later.
John Howard Payne, almost 200 years ago, wrote: “Be it ever so humble, there’s no place like home.” “Mid pleasures and palaces though we may roam, Be it ever so humble, there’s no place like home; A charm from the sky seems to hallow us there, Which, seek through the world, is ne’er met with elsewhere. Home, home, sweet, sweet home! There’s no place like home, oh, there’s no place like home!” Nobody would say “Amen” to that any more quickly than an Old Testament Jew. And no matter where he lived, “home” meant Jerusalem.
That should be the way the Christian thinks of presence of the Lord. “Know ye not that your citizenship is in Heaven?” Don’t worry like the lost Republican, Heaven is your final home, no matter who becomes president. “Rejoice, because your names are written (there).” Federal data banks are not nearly as important. In our Heavenly Father’s house there is the place where this Christian has his mansion. There is the vault where my only inheritance is being kept. Like the Jews, there ought to be some songs of degrees among the saints. They might help us to keep our eyes uplifted and our affections set on things above.
Jerusalem, as you probably aware, was at the top, as well as the center, of the Hebrew world. From whatever direction that pilgrim was traveling, it was an ascent up to the holy city. If he was coming from east like those from Nazareth and Galilee, they would come up from the Jordan River which flowed at sea level or below. They would eventually come to the east side of the Mount of Olives and climb until they crested it. Then they would look across a ravine over onto the city and its magnificent Temple. To actually reach Jerusalem, they would then have to descend Olivet and then climb once again. Jerusalem was built upon the central peak of the letter “W” with the eastern arm of the “W” lifted higher than the western arm. The city, sitting upon a mountain, including Zion, was encircled and defended by other mountains.
This afternoon, I warn you that I am going to spiritualize or allegorize this scripture. This is something which some preachers seem to do with every message, but I try to avoid it because it is dangerous – any statement can be twisted into something which God never intended. But when everyone knows in advance that is what we’re doing, there can be blessings in it. There is no point in pretending that water is orange juice – it never will taste quite the same. You can pretend that a vanilla waffer is the body of Christ, but it isn’t. You can pretend that wine is the blood of Christ, but the blood of Christ can’t make a person drunk. Allegorizing Biblical passages can get us into trouble, but in this case we have Scriptural authority. This is what the Psalmist has done for us. Those whose trust is firmly placed in Jehovah, are LIKE Jerusalem surrounded by mountains. Their faith gives them inward stability and outward protection. Not only that, but in this case, it is a mountain protected by mountains. Zion cannot be moved, and the Lord is about His people from henceforth and forever. There are some thoughts here which are worth our trouble to take home with us.
The simple act of trusting in God brings INWARD STABILITY to the believer.
But again, what is it to “trust” in the Lord? I know that we touched on this subject this morning, but it is so critical that we should often discuss it. In Hebrew “trust” literally means to “hang upon” something, and that defines “faith.” New Testament “faith” like Old Testament “trust”‘ is a “hanging upon” or “clinging to God.” Have you ever tried to wade across the little torrent of a stream? It can be difficult, but if there is a tree branch to hold, it becomes easier. That branch doesn’t have to be strong, but seems to pass on magical stability. The Lord is like that branch, except there is no magic in Him, and in Him is undeniable strength. They that trust in Him shall be as Mount Zion – unmoveable, impregnable.
But what are human hearts like? Aren’t they like little Aspen leaf, quivering in the wind? When I went to university fifty years ago, I wasn’t sure knew single person on the whole campus. I don’t think I knew anyone in the city. It was a similar feeling when I took my father-in-law’s eldest daughter and headed toward Canada. It struck me again when I packed up my family up and moved into New Mexico. “Lord, where am I going? What am I doing? Lord, I feel so blind.” Some people don’t think twice about jumping out of an airplane. When we first came to Post Falls, we watched people dropping off the bridge into the river below the falls. I could never voluntarily do either of those things. I’d have to be convinced against my tremulous heart that it was reasonably safe and absolutely necessary. Really bold human beings learn stabilize their hearts. They have seen their buddies jump into the river, and they didn’t die. They have been told that the parachute will safely glide them to the ground. Their security and stability come through contact with something more secure and stable than they are themselves. And in that light, our greatest stability ought come by putting our hand in the Lord Jehovah’s hand. They that trust in the Lord shall be like an unmoveable mountain.
Part of my problem is that my mind and heart are WORSE than Aspen leaves. I am not just weak, I am weak because I am a SINNER. I have passions and emotions which embarrass me from time to time. I am often tempted to sin; I sometime get filled with anger; jealousy and pride sometime fill my heart. I have learned in all my years that all my effort at stability seems to be pointless. But I have also learned that there is a way to stay safe – surrounded by the mountains of the Lord. Living in fellowship with God though the Holy Spirit quiets the perturburations which plague my heart. When Jesus came walking toward the disciple’s little fishing boat, floundering away in the midst of the Lake, the weight of the moonbeams couldn’t calm the waves; they only revealed their movement. But the simple footsteps of the Saviour quieted them under His own feet. And His words quieted them under the disciples’ boat.
If we could just learn to live in constant touch with Christ we would live victoriously. “God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of sound mind.” So where does our fear and worry originate if not from God? Jeanette Strong once wrote: “When my son was small, washing his hair was always a problem. I would put shampoo on his head, then a little water and work it up into lather. He enjoyed that. But when I’d have to tip his back into the water, he would put his chin down, getting water in his face. I explained that if he’d just lift up his chin, look at me and let me hold his head there would be no problem. She said, that at first he would agree to let her be in control, but as soon as she started to rinse his hair, fear would overcome his trust, he’d look down and soap would get into his eyes.” Isn’t that exactly what we do? Christians know that the Lord loves them, and that He has planned the very best for them. We know that we should trust Him, even in our most difficult situations – that surgery; that decision. But watching the difficulties grow, gives us a fear which swallows up our faith. And instantly, we have shampoo in our eyes. Oh, how we need to leave our heads and hearts in God’s hands; that is where stability lays.
Perhaps you’ve heard about the man who was peering over the edge of a canyon. There he was one moment, looking at the view, and the next moment there he wasn’t. He lost his footing, and immediately he was clawing and scratching the canyon wall to save himself. Finally, just before falling into oblivion, he caught a small bush and hung on for dear life. Filled with terror, he called upwards, “Is there anyone up there?” After a few minutes of yelling & screaming, a powerful voice seemed to come out Heaven – “I can help you!” The tourist explained his situation: “I fell over cliff and am dangling in space.” The voice from above said, “I’ll save you. How good is your faith. Do trust me?” “Yes, yes, I trust you. Please help me.” After while the calm, powerful voice said, “In that case, just let go. You’ll be okay.” I’m sure you know the rest of the story. Sure you do. There was a pause, then the fallen man, yelled, “Is there anyone ELSE up there?” Where is our confidence in God? Sometimes it’s as far away as our inward peace and stability.
“Hanging upon” the Lord will encircle us with His defences.
“As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the LORD is round about his people from henceforth even for ever.” There is something very subtle and beautiful here. I described a few minutes ago, the geography of Jerusalem on the eastern side. The Mount of Olives is on east, and the so called “Hill of Evil Counsel” is on the south. But on the north and west the elevations are not nearly so decisive. I said, that Jerusalem was established on the central peak of the letter “W” with the eastern arm of the “W” lifted higher than the western arm. There are several lessons in that for us.
The Psalmist said that there mountains are “round about” Jerusalem, but that is not obviously true. It is true – but not OBVIOUSLY true. From Jerusalem you can look for miles towards the west. People sometimes tend to think that there are chinks in the Lord’s armor. Just as there are no perfect investments & imperfections in every car; there are defects in God. People sometimes wonder if there aren’t some holes in the Lord’s hedge row. The mountains of God aren’t as high as they need to be. But appearances are deceiving in this case. The Lord has invisible mountains; they are there when necessary.
Elisha and his servant were in indefensible Dothan with the Syrian army ready to attack. The servant went insane – maniacle with fear. Elisha simply reassured him: “Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.” Then after prayer the servant saw the huge invisible army of angels sent to protect the Lord’s great prophet. I have heard this story applied to several people, but I’m prone to think this one is true. Frederick Nolan was a believer in North Africa during the days when Saracens swept into the region. One day the Muslims were pursuing him and appeared sure to kill him. Exhausted, he crawled into a small sea-side cave, expecting found and murdered for his Christian faith. But within minutes of entering the cave, a spider began weaving a beautiful web over the doorway. When finally his pursuers arrived, they saw the web and thought that it had been there some time. Nolan was spared. Later Frederick Nolan was quoted to have said: “Where God is, a spider’s web is like a wall. Where God is not, a wall is like a spider’s web.” “As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the Lord is round about his people.”
A second lesson reminds us that no earthly parable can properly illustrate the eternal God. No matter how good the example, the Lord is better. No earthly protection is 100% effective – making the Lord more vitally critical to our lives. Even crude SCUD missiles can fly over mountains onto Jerusalem. But nothing can surpass the Almighty Lord of Hosts. Along comes an enemy trying to devour the city called “God’s saint.” In order for that enemy to touch you, he must climb over the back, the head and the heart of the Saviour. In other words, whatever does get over the encircling mountains cannot really be evil. Whatever it is we’re talking about, sickness, grief, financial loss – whatever. If the Lord permits them, then they are all His angels, if we can permit them to be so.
But, what if we choose to live in Babylon rather than Jerusalem? What if we, like Lot, choose to live in the valley of the Jordan rather than in the heights of God’s mountains? In that case we have no guarantee of the Lord’s protection. Then we’ve cut out of our Bibles Psalm 125 – it no longer applies to us.
Something else here is that “hanging upon Lord” makes us more like the Master Himself.
Verse one says: “They that trust in the Lord shall be as mount Zion.” You are aware that Zion is a mountain, elsewhere called “Moriah.” It was the Temple Mount. Trusting the Lord makes the believer a mountain surrounded by other mountains. And Zion is virtually synonymous with the Lord Himself. Faith opens the heart of the believer to the blessing and presence of Jehovah.
Peter said, we are made partakers of the divine nature – II Peter 1:2-4. This is not some mystical, metaphysical deification of the believer. Just as Christ cannot do anything of Himself, except in union with the Father, there is a sense in which we are almost as bound to Christ as He is to God the Father. We are partakers of His nature and thus His blessing. Not that we become gods or divine in any way, but we become linked to divinity through Christ. “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?”
Just over from our text in Psalm 135:18 we find a warning for idolaters. “They that make (idols) are like unto them; so is everyone that trusteth in them.” That is not true of just the idolater, it is true also of any kind of believer – true or false. And that is just the reason why our nation is in the mess that it is today. We are trusting, hanging upon, and becoming just like our unbecoming idols.
What this world needs, are recreated images of the Lord, like some high mountain lake, reflecting the glorious of the clouds during the day and the stars at night. I remember some lakes I’ve seen, so surrounded and protected by mountains that not even the wind could ripple them. And in them there is the reflection of mountains surrounding that lake. Because of the protection of the mountains, the lake reflected those mountains. As long as we permit ourselves to be worried, perturbed, and agitated by the winds of the world, we will not properly reflect the Saviour. And if we are properly protected by the mountains of the Saviour, we will be able live undisturbed by the world.