“Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures forever. As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds his people both now and forevermore. The scepter of the wicked will not remain over the land allotted to the righteous, for then the righteous might use their hands to do evil. Lord, do good to those who are good, to those who are upright in heart. But those who turn to crooked ways the Lord will banish with the evildoers. Peace be on Israel.”—Psalm 125 (NIV)

Moving to Miami as a teenager meant I had to bid farewell to the many mountains that surrounded me in my native land of Puerto Rico. In Puerto Rico, we get hurricanes, high and extremely uncomfortable temperatures, and we don’t even get a little break in the cooler seasons (such as fall and winter) like we do in Florida. In other words, it’s summer every day of the year!  

However, unlike Florida, Puerto Rico does have the advantage of being surrounded by mountains. In fact, not only do the mountains provide some breeze to help alleviate the hot weather, they also provide protection from major hurricane damage. Scientists speculate that El Yunque, located in Luquillo, has redirected hurricanes over centuries. Even the Taino Indians believed the gods who lived atop the mountains protected their little island from these destructive phenomenons.

Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case for us in 1998 when Hurricane George devastated my Isla del Encanto (enchanted island), which forced my family to move my dad’s restaurants to Miami Beach in 1999. Reading today’s passage is a reminder of God’s ever faithfulness in always providing opportunities for my family, even if that meant relocating us to a new home. This particular psalm happens to be one of 15 Songs of Ascent, “and it was especially appropriate for those pilgrims on their way to Jerusalem for one of the three annual major feasts of Israel” (David Guzik).

Jerusalem is surrounded by mountains including the majestic and impressive Mount Zion, which is a prominent hill where Jerusalem was established and used symbolically as the place where God dwells. Trust in the Lord is foundational to our Christian faith, and in this psalm, God is reaffirming us with a powerful promise in verse 1. In other words, we’re promised an eternal security unlike anything of this world! 

God’s inheritance is secured from the wicked, and we don’t have to worry about ever losing it because it’s also eternal. We know humans can be unstable and inconsistent, and even a bit chaotic (like a hurricane), which makes us an untrustworthy source. Oh, but God . . . He surrounds us like the mountains do all around Jerusalem, and He protects us like El Yunque has protected Puerto Rico from massive destruction from many hurricanes over centuries. He’s the only one who can strengthen us like Mount Zion and make us mature, stable, and secure to withstand any wind coming our way, no matter the speed!

“Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.”—Ephesians 4:14 (NIV)

We can take confidence in this: Those who scheme and God considers wicked, their reign won’t last long and they’ll soon be stopped. There’s a time God’s mercy runs out for those who keep doing evil and remain unrepentant, but to those who are faithful and endure many challenges with much resilience and grace can remain at peace (shalom) because He promises to be their shelter forever.  

Everything I have I count as loss,

Everything I have is stripped away

Before I started building, 

I counted up these costs

There’s nothing left for you to take away.

Hello Hurricane, you can’t silence my love.

I’ve got doors and windows boarded up.

All your dead end fury is not enough, you can’t silence my love.

—Hello Hurricane by Switchfoot

Pause: How has God provided for you through adversity? Thank Him for what He has done for you recently.

Practice: Encourage someone who might be going through a rough patch and share this truth with them today. Remind them that our God is trustworthy and they have nothing to fear because He keeps His promises. 

Pray:  Father, I submit this day to You because I know You’re trustworthy and faithful. Thank You God for taking care of me in the midst of these storms of life. Lord, help me walk in confidence and peace knowing You’re in control of every circumstance. May my eyes be focused on You and my feet cemented to Your truth so I remain unshaken through adversity. Amen.