Word of Salvation – January 2026
THE LORD SURROUNDS HIS PEOPLE
Sermon by John Haverland
Readings: Matthew 24:1-14, 15-28
Text: Psalm 125
Theme: Those who trust in the Lord are protected by him forever, while evildoers will be banished.
Purpose: To assure you who trust in the Lord that he will protect you while evildoers will be banished.
Mountains are a striking feature of the New Zealand landscape. On the South Island there are the Southern Alps and Aoraki (Mount Cook) and the Kaikoura ranges. In the North Island Mt Taranaki stands out on the west coast, as do Tongariro, Ngauruhoe and Ruapehu in the central National Park. In the winter they are all covered with snow which makes them ideal for skiing, and in the summer they are great for climbing.
Mountains were significant for the people of Israel, especially those around Jerusalem. The city was surrounded by mountains and the steep mountain sides and the deep valleys formed a secure line of defence against the attack of enemies.
This psalm describes the security of the people of God, who are protected by the Lord, while the wicked will be banished. We don’t know who wrote this psalm or when it was written. It may reflect troubled times during the reign of King David, or the period of the Babylonian exile when foreigners occupied their land, or the time of Nehemiah when the city walls were being rebuilt.
It describes a similar situation to that of the two previous psalms, 123 and 124; that is, times of oppression and persecution when the wicked ruled over the land. We read about this in Matthew 24.
In the face of this trouble the people of Israel expressed their confidence that God would protect them and rescue them. As Christians, and as a church living in these troubled times, we too need the assurance of God’s protection. This psalm speaks to us in our circumstances.
The psalm assures us of God’s protection, his mercy, and his justice.
- GOD’S PROTECTION of his people is described using two pictures.
a) The first is that of “Mount Zion”.
A mountain is rock solid and immoveable; it is firm and stable; it “cannot be moved, but abides forever.” (v 1b)
The city of Jerusalem was built on Mount Zion.
The city had high and thick walls. Her position on these mountains, and her high walls, made it very difficult for enemies to attack her; she was secure.
The people of Israel did not trust in Mount Zion itself, or in the city, or its walls, but in “the Lord.” “Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion.”
You and I need to trust in the Lord. This is not easy.
Often we trust in other people or other things.
We trust in technology and smart phones and computers.
We trust in modern medicine and surgery, in what doctors and surgeons and specialists can do.
Or you may be tempted to trust in your own strength.
But you cannot rely on any of these things for your life now, nor for the life to come. Your trust and confidence must be in the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. (Ps 124:8)
Are you trusting in the Lord in these uncertain times?
Do you rely on him in sickness and distress, in disappointment and ill health?
Are you trusting in him each day?
If so you will be “like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved but abides forever.”
This is put negatively – it “cannot be moved”.
If you trust in the Lord then you will not be shaken by the changing circumstances of your life or by uncertainty regarding the future.
Rather, you will “abide forever”. This puts it positively. We know that our bodies will not last forever. Some of us will get to 70 years, or 80 if we have strength, and some even to 90. But one day we will die.
But your soul will live on, and if you trust in the Lord, God will take your soul, your spirit, to be with him in heaven.
The first picture of God’s protection is Mount Zion.
b) The other picture of God’s protection is in v 2: “As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds his people.”
In 2 Kings we read about when the prophet Elisha was trapped in Dothan. His servant was afraid, but Elisha assured him; “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”
Then his servant was able to see “the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.” (2 Kings 6:16ff)
Through the prophet Zechariah God promised the people of Jerusalem; “I myself will be a wall of fire around it, and I will be its glory within it.” (Zech 2:5)
Psalm 34 assures us that “the angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them” (v 7).
This is true for us in these New Testament times.
The church is built on Peter’s confession that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God. Jesus promised; “On this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.” (Matt 16:19)
This does not mean, as we will see in the next verses, that everything will go smoothly.
It does mean that our Lord Jesus will always watch over his church and that he will keep us secure in him.
And what is true for the church is true for every true of every Christian. The Lord Jesus will surround you with his love, he will protect you from the evil one, and he will preserve you through to the end. “He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” (Phil 1:6)
You can be confident of God’s protection.
This is a great encouragement.
- You are also assured of GOD’S MERCY (v 3)
a) “For the sceptre of wickedness will not rest on the land allotted to the righteous.”
A sceptre is a short rod that was the symbol of the rule and authority of a king. Here it refers to the rule or dominion of the wicked over the people of God.
When this psalm was written the wicked had the upper hand, evil people ruled over the land, and the people of God were persecuted. Through their history they had been oppressed by the Egyptians, the Philistines, the Assyrians and the Babylonians.
The people of God have also been persecuted in these New Testament times.
This happened at times during the Roman Empire.
It happened during the time of the Reformation in France, Germany, the Netherlands and in England – terrible persecutions where tens of thousands of Protestants were cruelly tortured and put to death.
And this is happening today in many parts of the world, especially in Islamic countries.
We need to read and sing these psalms to identify with the suffering of the persecuted church and to pray for these Christians.
Yet this psalm assures us that, “The sceptre of wickedness will not rest on the land”; God will not allow evil to continue on for too long; times of persecution and trial and oppression will be limited.
Jesus spoke about his second coming and the trouble that would precede his return; “If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened.” (Matt 24:22)
b) The wicked will not be permitted to rule for too long “lest the righteous stretch out their hands to do wrong” (v3b)
If evil continues on too long believers may be tempted to take matters into their own hands, to do wrong, to pay back evil for evil.
If trouble goes on for too long there is also the temptation to give up fighting for what is right and just, to become weary in doing good, and to do nothing.
And there is the danger of apostasy, of giving up the faith, of turning off the right path, of joining the world. Let’s be aware of these temptations for ourselves.
For all these reasons the Lord Jesus will not allow evil to continue on for too long.
This is true for the church and kingdom of Christ, but also for every Christian. Paul wrote, “God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted he will also provide a way out so you can stand up under it” (1 Cor 10:13).
You might feel that the sceptre of the wicked has already ruled too long over the world! Remember Christ’s promise and keep persevering.
You may use every legal means to bring about change – writing, speaking, appealing to the government, and Members of Parliament, and the Prime Minister.
But don’t take revenge and don’t repay evil for evil.
Don’t take matters into your own hands and don’t give up.
The Old Testament believers looked for salvation in the coming of the promised Messiah.
He would defeat God’s enemies and set up his kingdom of righteousness and peace.
As New Testament believers we know that the Lord Jesus has come, he has set up his kingdom and is pushing back the forces of darkness.
But we know this struggle against evil will go on until he comes again, and then the end will come.
This is what we pray for. So it is fitting that this psalm closes by looking ahead to the Day of Judgment.
- We have considered God protection and God’s mercy, and now we see GOD’S JUSTICE.
There are only two groups of people in the world: those who do good, and those who do evil; believers and unbelievers; the upright and the crooked.
The psalm closes by considering both groups.
a. “Do good, O Lord, to those who are good, and to those who are upright in their hearts.”
The good are those who are “upright in their hearts” and “who trust in the Lord” (vs 1). This describes all true believers, all of us who put our faith in God through Jesus Christ.
But this is not describing a salvation by good works.
We are not good in ourselves and our righteousness does not come from inside of us. “No merit of my own I claim, but wholly trust in Jesus name”. (SttL 461)
Any goodness we have is the work of God’s grace in our hearts. The righteousness we have is credited to us from Jesus by God.
We pray that God will do good to those who are good. We remember the words of Paul in Romans 8:28,
“We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
On the basis of this knowledge we pray that God will continue to be good to us; that he will show us his love and grace, his compassion and mercy; that he will continue to work for good in our lives.
And we pray this for all believers, for all who are good, for all who are upright in heart, wherever they are, and in whatever they are going through.
b. “But those who turn aside to their crooked ways the Lord will lead away with evildoers.” (v 5)
Most translations express this as a statement but it can also be read as a prayer that God will banish the crooked. It is a prayer for God’s justice.
This description of the crooked in verse 5 looks back to the wicked in verse 3. These are the people who are opposed to God and to believers.
They are evil rather than good, crooked rather than straight, wicked rather than righteous.
As the people of God we may, and should, pray for their conversion.
But if they continue in their crookedness we may also pray that the Lord will lead them away; that he will judge them in his righteousness, that he will be a just and holy God, punishing sin and evil.
This psalm assures us that we can be confident of God’s protection and mercy to his people and his justice to the wicked.
It then closes with a benediction:
Peace be upon Israel.
The same words are repeated at the end of Psalm 128, and a similar blessing is given at the end of Paul’s letter to the Galatians; “Peace and mercy to all who follow this rule, even to the Israel of God” (6:16).
The Hebrew word for peace is shalom. It is a prayer for wholeness, for completeness, for unity and harmony.
The word shalom gathers up all the hopes and prayers and desires of the people of God.
Peace is the end of all fighting and warfare, of all unrest and terror, of all tyranny and hatred.
It is the end of all discontent and envy, of all coveting and jealousy.
Already now you may have peace with God through the Lord Jesus Christ.
Already now you can have that peace that transcends all understanding that will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
Already now you must make every effort to live at peace with all those around you.
But when Jesus returns he will complete his kingdom, and in the New Heaven and the New Earth there will be perfect peace.
This is our prayer and desire:
Peace be upon all of God’s people.
Peace be upon the church of the Lord Jesus.
May God grant to each one of you his peace. Amen