שִׁיר הַמַּעֲלוֹת הַבֹּטְחִים בַּה' כְּהַר צִיּוֹן לֹא יִמּוֹט לְעוֹלָם יֵשֵׁב

A song of ascents. Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which will never topple and will forever endure.

יְרוּשָׁלִַם הָרִים סָבִיב לָהּ וה' סָבִיב לְעַמּוֹ מֵעַתָּה וְעַד עוֹלָם

This comparison elicits another: Jerusalem, mountains surround it. Jerusalem is not situated on the highest hill in the area but rather is surrounded by a number of hills of the same approximate height, which can serve to fortify the city from every direction. And the Lord surrounds His people. Just as Jerusalem is surrounded and protected by mountains, so too God surrounds and protects His people from all evil, from now until eternity.

כִּי לֹא יָנוּחַ שֵׁבֶט הָרֶשַׁע עַל גּוֹרַל הַצַּדִּיקִים לְמַעַן לֹא יִשְׁלְחוּ הַצַּדִּיקִים בְּעַוְלָתָה יְדֵיהֶם

Indeed, the rod of wickedness will not rest upon the lot of the righteous. Shevet, translated here as “rod,” also refers to the scepter of a king. God will not allow the righteous to fall under the rule of evil rulers, lest the righteous set their hands to wrongdoing. When evil men rule, even righteous people, in order to survive, have no choice but to be compliant to a greater or lesser extent, and then it is as if they themselves participate in wrongdoing.

הֵיטִיבָה ה' לַטּוֹבִים וְלִישָׁרִים בְּלִבּוֹתָם

Be good, Lord, to those who are good, and to the upright of heart, that is, all those who refrain from entering a world of evil and wrongdoing.

וְהַמַּטִּים עַקַלְקַלּוֹתָם יוֹלִיכֵם ה' אֶת פֹּעֲלֵי הָאָוֶן שָׁלוֹם עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל

By contrast, as for those who twist their crooked ways, they believe they are permitted to act in devious ways in order to gain something or to extricate themselves from evil. Even though they are not completely wicked, they “twist their crooked ways,” that is, they will not only follow crooked routes but will also make such paths even more twisted than they are. May the Lord lead them away with the evildoers. Because they are not honest and upright, God will carry them off with the outright evildoers. Peace be to Israel. But when people follow a path of righteousness and integrity, there will be peace upon Israel.