John Gill Commentary Psalms 125:2

"As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, So Jehovah is round about his people From this time forth and for evermore." — Psalms 125:2 (ASV)

As the mountains [are] round about Jerusalem

There was Mount Zion on the side of the north, and the mount of Olives on the east, and other mountains on the other sides of it; so that it was encompassed with them, and was naturally as well as artificially fortified. Tacitus ^F11 describes Jerusalem as inaccessible, walls and mountains, rocks and towers, surrounding it:

and the poet Coerilus ^F12 makes mention of a people that spoke the Phoenician language, by whom he plainly means the Jews, (oikoun d'en solumoiv oresi) , "that inhabited the mountains of Solyma"; which are spoken of by Homer ^F13 , from which, according to Tacitus ^F14 , Jerusalem had its name: yet, as Kimchi observes, this did not hinder the enemy from taking it; wherefore the Lord is a greater security to his people;

so the Lord [is] round about his people, from henceforth even for ever ;

he encompasses them with his favour and lovingkindness as a shield; he encircles them in the arms of everlasting love; he guards them by his providence all around, and keeps a wakeful and watchful eye over them, that nothing hurts them: he keeps them, as in a garrison, by his almighty power: these are the walls that are around them, yea, he himself is a wall of fire about them, and the glory in the midst of them, (Zechariah 2:5) ; and so he continues; he never leaves his people, nor forsakes them, but is their God and guide even unto death.

The Targum is, "the Word of the Lord is round about his people;" Christ, the essential Word of God.

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FOOTNOTES:

• F11: Hist. l. 5. c. 11.
• F12: Apud Euseb. Praerar. Evangel. l. 9. c. 9.
• F13: Odyss. 5. v. 283.
• F14: Ut supra. (Hist. l. 5. c. 11.)