Charles Ellicott Commentary Psalms 125

As the mountains. —In the first verse, the stability of the faithful is compared to that of Mount Zion; here their security to that of the city surrounded by its hills. (On the geographical reference, see Dean Stanley, S. and P., pp. 174, 175.) Robinson’s description is—“The sacred city lies upon the broad and high mountain range, which is shut in by the two valleys, Jehoshaphat and Hinnom.

All the surrounding hills are higher: in the east, the Mount of Olives; on the south, the so-called Hill of Evil Counsel, which ascends from the valley of Hinnom; on the west, the ground rises gently to the border of the great wadi, as described above; while on the north the bend of a ridge which adjoins the Mount of Olives limits the view to the distance of about a mile and a half.” In Zechariah 2:4-5, the protecting care of Jehovah is likened to a wall round the city, instead of to the rampart of mountains, as here.

Rod. —The imagery of this unusually long verse is peculiar. The “rod of the wicked,” or “of wickedness,” is the heathen sceptre, and the righteous are the Israelites who hold fast to the religion of their fathers. This sceptre now rests—a word expressing the presence of tyranny—upon the Holy Land; but this will not continue. God will not allow the tyranny to last, so that the righteous will not be seduced or forced into complicity in practices which religion unites with patriotism to condemn.

Turn aside to their crooked ways. —Or, bend their crooked ways, that is, pursue evil courses.

But peace. —Better, as an innovation on the customary form, peace be in Israel. (See Note on Psalms 122:6, and compare Psalms 128:6.)