Psalm 125 is the 125th psalm of the Book of Psalms, beginning in English in the King James Version: "They that trust in the shall be as mount Zion". In Latin, it is known by as, "Qui confidunt in Domino". 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'alot). 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.

Text

Hebrew

The following table shows the Hebrew text of the Psalm with vowels alongside an English translation based upon the JPS 1917 translation (now in the public domain).

King James Version

Verse 5

For "crooked ways", the Vulgate has the words in obligationes, translated in the Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition as "such as turn aside into bonds". 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.

Uses

Judaism

This psalm is recited following Mincha between Sukkot and Shabbat Hagadol.

Catholic Church

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. 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.

Musical settings

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.

In popular culture

Verse 2 was adapted into the song Yerushalayim by the Orthodox Pop group Miami Boys Choir.