Psalms 125 · Verse 3

Psalms 125:3

For the rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous; lest the righteous put forth their hands unto iniquity.

Psalms 125:3, King James Version

Psalms 125:3 in other translations

BSB	For the scepter of the wicked will not rest upon the land allotted to the righteous, so that the righteous will not put forth their hands to injustice.
WEB	For the scepter of wickedness won’t remain over the allotment of the righteous, so that the righteous won’t use their hands to do evil.
ASV	For the sceptre of wickedness shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous; That the righteous put not forth their hands unto iniquity.
YLT	For the rod of wickedness resteth not On the lot of the righteous, That the righteous put not forth on iniquity their hands.
DARBY	For the sceptre of wickedness shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous; lest the righteous put forth their hands unto iniquity.
BBE	For the rod of sinners will not be resting on the heritage of the upright; so that the upright may not put out their hands to evil.
Webster	For the rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous; lest the righteous put forth their hands to iniquity.

What does Psalms 125:3 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

3. Though God may leave them for a time under the "rod," or power (Psa 2:9), and oppression of the wicked for a time, as a chastisement, He will not suffer them to be tempted so as to fall into sin (1Co 10:13). The wicked shall only prove a correcting rod to them, not a destroying sword; even this rod shall not remain ("rest") on them, lest they be tempted to despair and apostasy (Psa 73:13, 14). God may even try His people to the uttermost: when nothing is before our eyes but pure despair, then He delivers us and gives life in death, and makes us blessed in the curse (2Co 1:8, 9) [Luther]. the lot--the possession, literally, "Canaan," spiritually, the heavenly inheritance of holiness and bliss which is appointed to the righteous. Sin's dominion shall not permanently come between the believer and his inheritance.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 3 For the rod of the worked shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous - Rod, here. may be taken for persecution, or for rule; and then it may be thus interpreted: "The wicked shall not be permitted to persecute always, nor to have a permanent rule." In our liturgic version this clause is thus rendered: "The rod of the ungodly cometh not into the lot of the righteous." "This," said one of our forefathers, "is neither truth nor scripture. First, it is not truth; for the rod of the wicked doth come into the inheritance of the righteous, and that often. Secondly, it is not scripture, for the text saith, 'The rod of the wicked shall not rest there.' It may come, and stay for a time; but it shall not be permitted to abide." This is only one, and not the worst, of the many sad blemishes which deform the Version in our national Prayer-book. In short, the Version of the Psalms in that book is wholly unworthy of regard; and should be thrown aside, and that in the authorized Version in the Bible substituted for it. The people of God are misled by it; and they are confounded with the great and glaring differences they find between it and what they findd in their Bibles, where they have a version of a much better character, delivered to them by the authority of Church and state. Why do not our present excellent and learned prelates lay this to heart, and take away this sore stumbling-block out of the way of the people? I have referred to this subject in the introduction to the Book of Psalms. Lest the righteous put forth - Were the wicked to bear rule in the Lord's vineyard, religion would soon become extinct; for the great mass of the people would conform to their rulers. Fear not your enemies, while ye fear God. Neither Sanballat, nor Tobiah, nor Geshem, nor any of God's foes, shall be able to set up their rod, their power and authority, here. While you are faithful, the Lord will laugh them to scorn.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Psalms 125:1-3

All those minds shall be truly stayed, that are stayed on God. They shall be as Mount Zion, firm as it is; a mountain supported by providence, much more as a holy mountain supported by promise. They cannot be removed from confidence in God. They abide for ever in that grace which is the earnest of their everlasting continuance in glory. Committing themselves to God, they shall be safe from their enemies. Even…

Read the full comment on Psalms 125:1-3 →

Psalms 125:3 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

כִּ֤יkiforH3588

לֹ֪אlo'notH3808

יָנ֡וּחַya.Nu.achit will restH5117

שֵׁ֤בֶטShe.vet[the] scepter ofH7626

הָרֶ֗שַׁעha.Re.sha'<the> wickednessH7562

עַל֮'aloverH5921

גּוֹרַ֪לgo.Ral[the] allotted portion ofH1486

הַֽצַּדִּ֫יקִ֥יםha.tza.Di.Kimthe righteous [people]H6662

לְמַ֡עַןle.Ma.'anso thatH4616

לֹא\־lo'-notH3808

יִשְׁלְח֖וּyish.le.Chu<they> may stretch outH7971

הַצַּדִּיקִ֨יםha.tza.di.Kimthe righteous [people]H6662

בְּעַוְלָ֬תָהbe.'av.La.tahin injusticeH5766

יְדֵיהֶֽם\׃ye.dei.Hemhands theirH3027

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Psalms 125:3

Isaiah 14:5-6
The Lord hath broken the staff of the wicked, and the sceptre of the rulers. He who smote the people in wrath with a continual stroke, he that ruled the nations in anger, is persecuted, and none hindereth.
Psalms 89:22
The enemy shall not exact upon him; nor the son of wickedness afflict him.
Proverbs 22:8
He that soweth iniquity shall reap vanity: and the rod of his anger shall fail.
1 Corinthians 10:13
There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
Revelation 2:10
Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.
Isaiah 27:8
In measure, when it shooteth forth, thou wilt debate with it: he stayeth his rough wind in the day of the east wind.
1 Samuel 24:10
Behold, this day thine eyes have seen how that the Lord had delivered thee to day into mine hand in the cave: and some bade me kill thee: but mine eye spared thee; and I said, I will not put forth mine hand against my lord; for he is the Lord’s anointed.
Isaiah 10:5
O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is mine indignation.
Psalms 103:9
He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever.
Psalms 103:14
For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

the rod.
103:9,14; Pr 22:8; Isa 10:5; 14:5,6; 27:8; 1Co 10:13; Re 2:10
the wicked. Heb. wickedness.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

Psalms 125:2
As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the Lord is round about his people from henceforth even for ever.
Psalms 125:3
For the rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous; lest the righteous put forth their hands unto iniquity.
Psalms 125:4
Do good, O Lord, unto those that be good, and to them that are upright in their hearts.

Read all of Psalms 125

Psalms 125:3 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Porque no reposará la vara de la impiedad sobre la suerte de los justos; porque no extiendan los justos sus manos á la iniquidad.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Car le bâton de la méchanceté ne reposera pas sur le lot des justes; afin que les justes n’étendent pas leur main vers l’iniquité.
German Elberfelder 1871	Denn die Rute der Gesetzlosigkeit wird auf dem Lose der Gerechten nicht ruhen, damit die Gerechten ihre Hände nicht ausstrecken nach Unrecht.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Magnificavit Dominus facere nobiscum; facti sumus lætantes.