Psalms 125:5
in Psalms 125But those who turn to crooked ways the LORD will banish with the evildoers. Peace be upon Israel.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
But as for such as turn aside unto their crooked ways, Jehovah will lead them forth with the workers of iniquity. Peace be upon Israel.
KJV
As for such as turn aside unto their crooked ways, the Lord shall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity: but peace shall be upon Israel.
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This verse in Psalms 125
Commentary
11 notes on this verseGod is good, but he is also just, and it is the nature of the just to reward in proportion to merit, as it is written: "Do good, O Lord, to those that are good and to the upright of heart. But such as turn aside to their own crooked ways, the Lord shall lead out with the workers of iniquity." He is merciful, but he is also a judge, for "the Lord loves mercy and judgment," says the psalmist. And he therefore also says, "Mercy and judgment I will sing to you, O Lord."
This site's exposition
Do good, O LORD
on Psalms 125:4-5
The prayer asks the LORD to do good to the upright. Jamieson, Fausset and Brown mark the word their in verse 5 as emphatic, the crooked ways coming out of their own hearts. Those who turn are banished with the evildoers, and the psalm's last words are peace upon Israel.
This site's exposition
those who turn to crooked ways
Albert Barnes finds the word for crooked ways only once more, at Judges 5:6, where travelers left the highways for the byways. Barnes and Charles Spurgeon read it of people once in the upright way who turn aside to crooked ways. The same peace upon Israel closes Psalm 128.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
Whence the Psalmist at once addeth: "As for such as turn aside, the Lord shall lead them forth unto strangling with the workers of unrighteousness" (ver. 5): that is, those whose deeds they have imitated; because they took delight in their present pleasures, and did not believe in their punishments to come. What then shall they have, who are righteous in heart, and who turn not back? Let us now come to the heritage itself, brethren, for we are sons. What shall we possess? What is our heritage? what is our country: what is it called? Peace. In this we salute you, this we announce to you, this the mountains receive, and the little hills receive as righteousness. Peace is Christ: "for He is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us." Since we are sons, we shall have an inheritance. And what shall this inheritance be called, but peace? And consider that they who love not peace are disinherited. Now they who divide unity, love not peace. Peace is the possession of the pious, the possession of heirs. And who are heirs? Sons. ...Since then Christ the Son of God is peace, He therefore came to gather together His own, and to separate them from the wicked. From what wicked men? From those who hate Jerusalem, who hate peace, who wish to tear unity asunder, who believe not peace, who preach a false peace to the people, and have it not. To whom answer is made, when they say, "Peace be with you," "And with thy spirit:" but they speak falsely, and they hear falsely. Unto whom do they say, Peace be with you? To those whom they separate from the peace of the whole earth. And unto whom is it said, "And with thy spirit"? To those who embrace dissensions, and who hate peace. For if peace were in their spirit, would they not love unity, and leave dissensions? Speaking then false words, they hear false words. […]
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
As for such as turn aside unto their crooked ways,.... The ways of sin, immorality, or error; which are crooked ways, not agreeing with the word of God, the rule of faith and practice.
Some of the Jewish rabbies are of opinion that it has reference to the days of the Messiah; however, we that are members of the gospel-church may certainly, in singing this psalm, take comfort of these promises, and the more so if we stand in awe of the threatening.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
As for such as turn aside unto their crooked ways, the Lord shall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity. Two kinds of men are always to be found, the upright and the men of crooked ways. Alas, there are some who pass from one class to another, not by a happy conversion, turning from the twisting lanes of deceit into the highway of truth, but by an unhappy declension leaving the main road of honesty and holiness for the bypaths of wickedness.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Those who turn aside (under temptation) permanently show that they are hypocrites, and their lot or portion shall be with the wicked (Ps 28:3). crooked ways--(Compare De 9:16; Mal 2:8, 9). their--is emphatic; the "crooked ways" proceed from their own hearts. The true Israel is here distinguished from the false.
3 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
As for such as turn aside unto their crooked ways, the Lord shall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity. Two kinds of men are always to be found, the upright and the men of crooked ways. Alas, there are some who pass from one class to another, not by a happy conversion, turning from the twisting lanes of deceit into the highway of truth, but by an unhappy declension leaving the main road of honesty and holiness for the bypaths of wickedness. Such apostates have been seen in all ages, and David knew enough of them; he could never forget Saul, and Ahithophel, and others. How sad that men who once walked in the right way should turn aside from it! Observe the course of the false hearted: first, they look out for crooked ways; next, they choose them and make them "their crooked ways"; and then they turn aside into them. They never intend to go back unto perdition, but only to make a curve and drop into the right road again. The straight way becomes a little difficult, and so they make a circumbendibus, which all along aims at coming out right, though it may a little deviate from precision. These people are neither upright in heart, nor good, nor trusters in Jehovah, and therefore the Lord will deal otherwise with them than with his own people: when execution day comes these hypocrites and time servers shall be led out to the same gallows as the openly wicked. All sin will one day be expelled the universe, even as criminals condemned to die are led out of the city; then shall secret traitors find themselves ejected with open rebels. Divine truth will unveil their hidden pursuits, and lead them forth, and to the surprise of many they shall be set in the same rank with those who avowedly wrought iniquity. But peace shall be upon Israel. In fact the execution of the deceivers shall tend to give the true Israel peace.
As for such as turn aside - Who are not faithful; who give way to sin; who backslide, and walk in a crooked way, widely different from the straight way of the upright, ישרים yesharim, the straight in heart; they shall be led forth to punishment with the common workers of iniquity. Thus thy Church will be purified, and thy peace rest upon thy true Israel. Let him that readeth understand.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
As for such as turn aside unto their crooked ways - The wicked. Those who leave the right or straight path, and wander in forbidden ways. The word here rendered “crooked ways” occurs nowhere else except in Jdg 5:6, where it is rendered “by-ways,” meaning unfrequented paths or roads; narrow and crooked paths, remote from the highways, or the ways commonly traversed. Hence, the word means also paths of sin - as deviations from the straight road which man should travel. The Lord shall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity - They shall be dealt with as sinners. They shall be punished. The allusion is to backsliders; to those who forsake the worship of God; who cease to do “good;” who, though among the professed people of God, wander from him in by-paths and forbidden ways. The idea is, that their profession of religion will not save them; that they will not obtain the divine blessing merely because they are avowedly the people of God, or are numbered among them, but that they will be treated as all other sinners are: they will be led forth with all the wicked, and will be treated like them. Compare Eze 33:12-13; Mat 7:22-23; Mat 25:11-12. But peace shall be upon Israel - Upon the real Israel; upon the true people of God. Gal 6:16; Isa 54:13; Isa 55:12; Isa 57:2; Isa 66:12; Joh 14:27; Joh 16:33; Eph 2:17; Php 4:7.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
and those who turn their crooked ways on the people to find wicked accusationsmay the Lord lead them away with the workers of iniquity.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 3 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
10 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְהַמַּטִּ֤ים | vehammatim | and those [who] turn aside | H5186 → | 214 times |
| עַֽקַלְקַלּוֹתָ֗ם | akalkalotam | twisting [ways] their | H6128 → | |
| יוֹלִיכֵ֣ם | yolikhem | he will lead away them | H1980 → | 1546 times |
| יְ֭הוָה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | with | H854 → | 929 times |
| פֹּעֲלֵ֣י | poalei | [those who] do | H6466 → | 57 times |
| הָאָ֑וֶן | haaven | <of the> wickedness | H205 → | 77 times |
| שָׁ֝ל֗וֹם | shalom | peace | H7965 → | 236 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | [be] on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
וְהַמַּטִּ֤יםand those [who] turn aside
vehammatimH5186 →214 times
עַֽקַלְקַלּוֹתָ֗םtwisting [ways] their
akalkalotamH6128 →
יוֹלִיכֵ֣םhe will lead away them
yolikhemH1980 →1546 times
יְ֭הוָהYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
אֶת־with
ʾet-H854 →929 times
פֹּעֲלֵ֣י[those who] do
poaleiH6466 →57 times
הָאָ֑וֶן<of the> wickedness
haavenH205 →77 times
שָׁ֝ל֗וֹםpeace
shalomH7965 →236 times
עַל־[be] on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃Israel
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Psalms 40:4Blessed is the man who has made the LORD his trust, who has not turned to the proud, nor to those who lapse into falsehood.
it leads to
- Jeremiah 17:7–8
But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in Him.
- Jeremiah 17:7–8
Through
Psalms 128:6that you may see your children’s children. Peace be upon Israel!
it leads to
- Job 42:16
After this, Job lived 140 years and saw his children and their children to the fourth generation.
- Genesis 50:23
He saw Ephraim’s sons to the third generation, and indeed the sons of Machir son of Manasseh were brought up on Joseph’s knees.
- Isaiah 66:12
For this is what the LORD says: “I will extend peace to her like a river, and the wealth of nations like a flowing stream; you will nurse and be carried on her arm,…
- Proverbs 17:6
Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of a son is his father.
- Job 42:16
Through
Galatians 6:16Peace and mercy to all who walk by this rule, even to the Israel of God.
it leads to
- Galatians 3:29
And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed and heirs according to the promise.
- Philippians 3:3
For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh—
- Romans 9:6–8
It is not as though God’s word has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel.
- Galatians 3:29
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Psalms
This page draws on 10 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the Book of Psalms; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Augustine of Hippo, Exposition on Psalm 125; Basil of Caesarea, THE LONG RULES, PREFACE; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David, Vol. 7; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.