Trust at its Most Basic Level

Scripture:
Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion.
It cannot be shaken; it remains forever.
Jerusalem—the mountains surround her.
And the Lord surrounds His people,
both now and forever.
Psalm 125:1-2

Observation: The imagery of Mount Zion being immovable, unshakable, and eternal is used to describe those with faith. As previously discovered, Mount Zion can refer to both Jerusalem in whole, or just to the temple mount. However, in both cases, clearly anything constructed - like the city or the temple - can be destroyed. In this case, it would seem this refers to the physical object of the hill itself ... a hill surrounded by other mountains.

This therefore becomes a confusing metaphor. There is an apparent attempt to declare the mightiness of faith through the metaphor of the unshakable strength of Mount Zion. However, Mount Zion is then either a) an object of lesser stature than the surrounding mountains, or b) a constructed object obviously capable of being destroyed. This metaphor can work only in the context of the second verse ... the Lord is the mountains, and thus the true strength of Mount Zion is in the context of the protection that surrounds it and the greater strength of that protection.

Application: Even the strongest faith can be a challenge. Those who are bedrock-strong in their faith can struggle in circumstances. However, the Lord is always in support of the faithful.

Mount Zion seems like a citadel, fortress, and wondrous temple all rolled into one. It would eventually be stripped bare of those elements and shown to be a rock. However, even now it remains a strong and enduring rock.

Faith is strong when stripped away of adornments. Faith is not about appearances, rituals, words, or actions. It is humble hope and trust that the Lord will provide. I may not always believe that God will answer my prayers, protect my family from evil, continue all blessings ... but I am forever confident he will provide my daily bread, and has made a way for eternal joy.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for Jesus, and for this season of anticipation we have entered into. I trust in you, my Lord. Amen.