| Psalm 125 | |
|---|---|
| "They that trust in the LORD shall be as mount Zion" | |
| Song of Ascents | |
Illustration for Psalm 125 from Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry
| |
| Other name |
|
| Language | Hebrew (original) |
| Psalm 125 | |
|---|---|
| Book | Book of Psalms |
| Hebrew Bible part | Ketuvim |
| Order in the Hebrew part | 1 |
| Category | Sifrei Emet |
| Christian Bible part | Old Testament |
| Order in the Christian part | 19 |
Psalm 125 is the 125th psalm of the Book of Psalms, beginning in English in the King James Version: "They that trust in the LORD shall be as mount Zion". In Latin, it is known by as, "Qui confidunt in Domino".[1] The Book of Psalms is part of the third section of the Hebrew Bible, and a book of the Christian Old Testament. Psalm 125 is one of fifteen psalms that begin with the words "A song of ascents" (Shir Hama'a lot).
In the slightly different numbering system used in the Greek Septuagint and the Latin Vulgate, this psalm is Psalm 124.
The psalm forms a regular part of Jewish, Catholic, Lutheran, Anglican and other Protestant liturgies.
The following table shows the Hebrew text[2][3] of the Psalm with vowels alongside an English translation based upon the JPS 1917 translation (now in the public domain).
| Verse | Hebrew | English translation (JPS 1917) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | שִׁ֗יר הַֽמַּ֫עֲל֥וֹת הַבֹּטְחִ֥ים בַּיהֹוָ֑ה כְּֽהַר־צִיּ֥וֹן לֹא־יִ֝מּ֗וֹט לְעוֹלָ֥ם יֵשֵֽׁב׃ | A Song of Ascents. They that trust in the LORD Are as mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but abideth for ever. |
| 2 | יְֽרוּשָׁלַ֗͏ִם הָרִים֮ סָבִ֢יב לָ֥֫הּ וַ֭יהֹוָה סָבִ֣יב לְעַמּ֑וֹ מֵ֝עַתָּ֗ה וְעַד־עוֹלָֽם׃ | As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, So the LORD is round about His people, From this time forth and for ever. |
| 3 | כִּ֤י לֹ֪א יָנ֡וּחַ שֵׁ֤בֶט הָרֶ֗שַׁע עַל֮ גּוֹרַ֢ל הַֽצַּדִּ֫יקִ֥ים לְמַ֡עַן לֹא־יִשְׁלְח֖וּ הַצַּדִּיקִ֨ים בְּעַוְלָ֬תָה יְדֵיהֶֽם׃ | For the rod of wickedness shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous; That the righteous put not forth their hands unto iniquity. |
| 4 | הֵיטִ֣יבָה יְ֭הֹוָה לַטּוֹבִ֑ים וְ֝לִישָׁרִ֗ים בְּלִבּוֹתָֽם׃ | Do good, O LORD, unto the good, And to them that are upright in their hearts. |
| 5 | וְהַמַּטִּ֤ים עֲֽקַלְקַלּוֹתָ֗ם יוֹלִיכֵ֣ם יְ֭הֹוָה אֶת־פֹּעֲלֵ֣י הָאָ֑וֶן שָׁ֝ל֗וֹם עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ | But as for such as turn aside unto their crooked ways, The LORD will lead them away with the workers of iniquity. Peace be upon Israel. |
For "crooked ways", the Vulgate has the words in obligationes,[5] translated in the Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition as "such as turn aside into bonds".[6][7]
The concluding prayer for peace upon Israel recurs at the end of Psalm 128. It is best taken as a "detached clause", according to the Pulpit Commentary.[8]
This psalm is recited following Mincha between Sukkot and Shabbat Hagadol.[9]
Around 530, St. Benedict of Nursia used this for the office of Sext from Tuesday until Saturday, after Psalms 123 and 124, according to the Rule of St. Benedict.[10][11] Today its use is in the Liturgy of the Hours, being recited or sung at vespers on Monday of the third week of the four weekly liturgical cycle.
Heinrich Schütz composed a setting of a metred paraphrase in German of Psalm 125, "Die nur vertraulich stellen", SWV 230, for the Becker Psalter, published first in 1628.
