The Meaning of Psalms 125:3 Explained

Psalms 125:3

KJV: For the rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous; lest the righteous put 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.

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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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

What does Psalms 125:3 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalms 125:1-5 - The Christian's Fortress
Here are three instances of escaped peril. In Psalms 124:3 is an allusion to Korah and his company; see Numbers 16:32-33. Why are we spared when others have been overwhelmed by swift disasters? In Psalms 124:4 and Psalms 125:1-55 as the morning breaks, we see the proud waters that have burst their banks and are inundating the low-lying lands. Why did our house escape? In Psalms 124:6 and Psalms 124:7 we have the metaphor of the ensnared bird and as the fluttering fledgling, when freed, leaps into the sunny air, so do we rejoice when God frees us. But why should we escape when so many never break loose?
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Jerusalem lies on a broad and high mountain range, shut in by two deep valleys. But the surrounding hills are higher, and made her almost impregnable to the methods of ancient warfare. They who trust in God live within ramparts of His loving care for evermore. The scepter of evil may sometimes cast its gaunt shadow over their lives, but it is always arrested in time. Crooked ways are by-paths. The commandments of God are a public thoroughfare. Keep on the highway and no hurt shall assail you. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalms 125

1  The safety of such as trust in God
4  A prayer for the godly, and against the wicked

What do the individual words in Psalms 125:3 mean?

For not shall rest the scepter of wickedness On the land allotted to the righteous lest not reach out the righteous to iniquity their hands
כִּ֤י לֹ֪א יָנ֡וּחַ שֵׁ֤בֶט הָרֶ֗שַׁע עַל֮ גּוֹרַ֪ל הַֽצַּדִּ֫יקִ֥ים לְמַ֡עַן לֹא־ יִשְׁלְח֖וּ הַצַּדִּיקִ֨ים בְּעַוְלָ֬תָה יְדֵיהֶֽם

יָנ֡וּחַ  shall  rest 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: נוּחַ 
Sense: to rest.
שֵׁ֤בֶט  the  scepter 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: שֵׁבֶט  
Sense: rod, staff, branch, offshoot, club, sceptre, tribe.
הָרֶ֗שַׁע  of  wickedness 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: רֶשַׁע  
Sense: wrong, wickedness, guilt.
גּוֹרַ֪ל  the  land  allotted  to 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: גֹּורָל  
Sense: lot.
הַֽצַּדִּ֫יקִ֥ים  the  righteous 
Parse: Article, Adjective, masculine plural
Root: צַדִּיק  
Sense: just, lawful, righteous.
לְמַ֡עַן  lest 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: לְמַעַן 
Sense: purpose, intent prep.
יִשְׁלְח֖וּ  reach  out 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: שָׁלַח  
Sense: to send, send away, let go, stretch out.
הַצַּדִּיקִ֨ים  the  righteous 
Parse: Article, Adjective, masculine plural
Root: צַדִּיק  
Sense: just, lawful, righteous.
בְּעַוְלָ֬תָה  to  iniquity 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular
Root: עָוֶל 
Sense: injustice, unrighteousness, wrong.
יְדֵיהֶֽם  their  hands 
Parse: Noun, fdc, third person masculine plural
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.