As The Mountains

“He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I

will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.” (Psalm 91:1-2) 

“They that trust in the LORD shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever. As

the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the LORD is round about his people from henceforth even for

ever.” (Psalm 125:1-2) 

The city of Jerusalem is surrounded by higher hills. To the Psalmist of old and the Israelites generally,

this girdle of mountains was an ever-present symbol of Jehovah’s guardianship of His people. In Hebrew

thought, the mountains were the most ancient and substantial part of the earth and symbolized all that was

immovable and unchangeable. Seeing these eternal hills, dwellers in Jerusalem were reminded of God’s

unfailing care and protection of His people.

All of God’s children need to know how to lift the eyes of faith to behold the Mountains of Mercy and

the Hills of Help with which God surrounds the dwelling places of those who trust in Him. Harold Bell Wright,

in his novel, The Eyes of the World, has one of the characters say, “The mountains are not seen by those who

would visit them with a rattle and clatter and rush and roar–as one would visit the cities of men. They are to be

seen only by those who have the grace to go quietly, the understanding to go thoughtfully, the heart to go

lovingly, and the spirit to go worshipfully. They are to be approached not in the manner of going to a horse race

or a circus but in the mood of one about to enter a great cathedral; or, indeed, of one seeking admittance to the

throne room of God.”

It is a great source of comfort and strength to us every day to know God’s unchanging goodness and His

unfailing presence with us. We are secure in knowing God, for He is the dwelling place of His people in all

generations.

Think about it! He is our constant source of care, goodness, and mercy. We rely upon His help this day

and all our days. We are blessed to have found the secret dwelling place of the Most High, and we abide in its

security under the shadow of the Almighty. We know His name, which is our strong tower of safety. More than

the mountains round about Jerusalem, so the LORD is round about his people from now and forever, for He is

our Rock of Ages.

On Christ the Solid Rock I stand; all other ground is sinking sand.

Francis Mason

Pastor Mason