For the rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous; lest the righteous put forth their hands unto iniquity.
Parallel translations
- 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.
- 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.
- NKJV For the scepter of wickedness shall not rest On the land allotted to the righteous, Lest the righteous reach out their hands to iniquity.
- NASB For the scepter of wickedness will not rest upon the land of the righteous, So that the righteous will not extend their hands to do wrong.
- NLT The wicked will not rule the land of the godly, for then the godly might be tempted to do wrong.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Wicked rule will not permanently dominate the righteous, lest they be tempted to sin. It promises that oppression is limited so faith is not crushed.
Overview
The psalmist trusts that hostile, wicked power over God's people will not be allowed to remain, sparing the righteous from the temptation to abandon faith under prolonged pressure. God measures the trials of His people and sets bounds to evil. This hope is fulfilled in Christ, who breaks the dominion of sin and will finally end all unjust rule.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 11
- Isa 14:5–6The LORD hath broken the staff of the wicked, and the sceptre of the rulers.
- Ps 89:22The enemy shall not exact upon him; nor the son of wickedness afflict him.
- Prov 22:8He that soweth iniquity shall reap vanity: and the rod of his anger shall fail.
- 1 Cor 10:13There 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.
- Rev 2:10Fear 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.
- Isa 27:8In measure, when it shooteth forth, thou wilt debate with it: he stayeth his rough wind in the day of the east wind.
- 1 Sam 24:10Behold, 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.
- Isa 10:5O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is mine indignation.
- Ps 103:9He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever.
- Ps 103:14For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.
- Ps 55:20He hath put forth his hands against such as be at peace with him: he hath broken his covenant.
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
The Psalms are Christ's own prayer book and a gallery of his portraits — the suffering one of Psalm 22, the risen Lord of Psalm 16, the priest-king of Psalm 110, the Son to whom the nations are given.
How Psalms 125:3 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.