Psalms 125:4-5

Context

125:4 Do good, O Lord, to those who are good,

to the morally upright!¹

125:5 As for those who are bent on traveling a sinful path,²

may the Lord remove them,³ along with those who behave wickedly!⁴

May Israel experience peace!⁵

[125:4] ¹tn Heb “pure of heart.” The “heart” is here viewed as the seat of one’s moral character and motives. The “pure of heart” are God’s faithful followers who trust in and love the Lord and, as a result, experience his deliverance (see Pss 7:10; 11:2; 32:11; 36:10; 64:10; 94:15; 97:11).

[125:5] ²tn Heb “and the ones making their paths twisted.” A sinful lifestyle is compared to a twisting, winding road.

[125:5] ³tn Heb “lead them away.” The prefixed verbal form is understood as a jussive of prayer here (note the prayers directly before and after this). Another option is to translate, “the Lord will remove them” (cf. NIV, NRSV).

[125:5] ⁴tn Heb “the workers of wickedness.”

[125:5] ⁵tn Heb “peace [be] upon Israel.” The statement is understood as a prayer (see Ps 122:8 for a similar prayer for peace).