Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 125:4
Do good, O LORD, unto [those that be] good, and [to them that are] upright in their hearts.
4. Do good ] We are reminded of Nehemiah’s prayer, Neh 5:19; Neh 13:31. The good and the upright in their hearts are the loyal, honest, straightforward Israelites. The variation from the usual phrase “upright of heart” emphasises their thorough sincerity.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
4, 5. A prayer for the faithful and a warning to renegades.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Do good, O Lord, unto those that be good … – To the good; to the pious. Let them be under the divine protection. Possibly this is not merely a prayer, but is expressive of the belief of the psalmist as to what would occur under the divine administration – that the favor of God would rest upon his people.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Psa 125:4
Do good, O Lord, unto those that be good.
–Two principles may be deduced from this prayer.
1. If you desire good, you must first be good. Do good, O Lord, unto those that be good. It is generally understood that if we would do good to others we should first become good ourselves. But it is here stated that human goodness, with all ire imperfections, has an attractive power, and is the best possible condition for obtaining more good. The rule is universal: Unto every one that hath, it shall be given, and he shall have abundance. Grace once received, prepares the way for a larger supply. Having tasted and felt that the Lord is gracious, our desires are enlarged, and our capacities for knowing more of the fulness of God are increased in a corresponding degree. The nearer we approach perfection, the higher we would climb. The more conformed we become to the image of Gods Son, the more do we long for a complete transformation, through the Lord, the Spirit.
2. The Divine promises furnish the best encouragement for prayer. The present intercession has its basis in the preceding verses. They that trust in the Lord shall be as Mount Zion, which cannot be removed. The Lord is round about His people from henceforth even for ever. Nothing can be clearer and more decided than the promise; and will any one assert that prayer is thus rendered unnecessary, if not presumptuous? Shall we say, The promise is made, and God may safely be left to accomplish His own designs? No! The argument runs in the opposite direction. Holy boldness in prayer proceeds upon the principle that God has a sincere desire to bestow the very blessing for which intercession is made. (N. McMichael.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 4. Do good, O Lord, unto those that be good] Let the upright ever find thee his sure defence! Increase the goodness which thou hast already bestowed upon them; and let all who are upright in heart find thee to be their stay and their support!
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
As thou hast promised to keep thy people from evil, Psa 125:3, be pleased also to vouchsafe unto them those blessings which are good for them. Or thus, having declared Gods tender care of his people, and his promise made to them, he now prayeth for the execution of the said promises.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
4. (Compare Psa 7:10;Psa 84:11).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Do good, O Lord, unto [those that be] good,…. That are made so by the Spirit and grace of God; for none are naturally good, but evil; only such who are regenerated and made new creatures, who have a good work of grace begun in them; who have the good Spirit of God, and his good graces, and the good word of God in them, and are filled with all goodness; and which is known by the good fruits which they bear, or the good works done by them. For these the psalmist prays the Lord would do good to them, not only in a providential way, as he does to all; but in a way of special grace, bestowing the blessings of his goodness on them, and causing all things to work for their good: and as saints should pray for one another, or supplication should be made for all saints, such a prayer as this may be the prayer of faith; for it is not to be doubted but God will do good to those he makes good. Aben Ezra says this may be considered either as a prayer or a prophecy; it may have respect unto the church in the latter day, and to the good things spoken of concerning it; which God will accomplish in due time, and should be prayed for; see Ps 51:18;
and to [them that are] upright in their hearts; which is a further description of good men, from the integrity and sincerity of their hearts; who do all they do before God and men, in the uprightness of their souls, cordially and sincerely, from right principles, and with right views.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
On the ground of the strong faith in Psa 125:1. and of the confident hope in Psa 125:3, the petition now arises that Jahve would speedily bestow the earnestly desired blessing of freedom upon the faithful ones, and on the other hand remove the cowardly lit. those afraid to confess God and those who have fellowship with apostasy, together with the declared wicked ones, out of the way. For such is the meaning of Psa 125:4. (in Proverbs alternating with the “righteous,” Pro 2:20, the opposite being the “wicked,” , Pro 14:19) are here those who truly believe and rightly act in accordance with the good will of God,
(Note: The Midrash here calls to mind a Talmudic riddle: There came a good one (Moses, Exo 2:2) and received a good thing (the Tra, Pro 4:2) from the good One (God, Psa 145:9) for the good ones (Israel, Psa 125:4).)
or, as the parallel member of the verse explains (where did not require the article on account of the addition), those who in the bottom of their heart are uprightly disposed, as God desires to have it. The poet supplicates good for them, viz., preservation against denying God and deliverance out of slavery; for those, on the contrary, who bend ( ) their crooked paths, i.e., turn aside their paths in a crooked direction from the right way ( , cf. Jdg 5:6, no less than in Amo 2:7; Pro 17:23, an accusative of the object, which is more natural than that it is the accusative of the direction, after Num 22:23 extrem., cf. Job 23:11; Isa 30:11) – for these he wishes that Jahve would clear them away ( like Arab. ahlk , perire facere = perdere ) together with the workers of evil, i.e., the open, manifest sinners, to whom these lukewarm and sly, false and equivocal ones are in no way inferior as a source of danger to the church. lxx correctly: (Aquila , Symmachus , Theodotion ) . . . . Finally, the poet, stretching out his hand over Israel as if pronouncing the benediction of the priest, gathers up all his hopes, prayers, and wishes into the one prayer: “Peace be upon Israel.” He means “the Israel of God,” Gal 6:16. Upon this Israel he calls down peace from above. Peace is the end of tyranny, hostility, dismemberment, unrest, and terror; peace is freedom and harmony and unity and security and blessedness.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
| The Security of God’s People. | |
4 Do good, O LORD, unto those that be good, and to them that are upright in their hearts. 5 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.
Here is, 1. The prayer the psalmist puts up for the happiness of those that are sincere and constant (v. 4): Do good, O Lord! unto those that are good. This teaches us to pray for all good people, to make supplication for all saints; and we may pray in faith for them, being assured that those who do well shall certainly be well dealt with. Those that are as they should be shall be as they would be, provided they be upright in heart, that they be really as good as they seem to be. With the upright God will show himself upright. He does not say, Do good, O Lord! to those that are perfect, that are sinless and spotless, but to those that are sincere and honest. God’s promises should quicken our prayers. It is comfortable wishing well to those for whom God has engaged to do well. 2. The prospect he has of the ruin of hypocrites and deserters; he does not pray for it (I have not desired the woeful day, thou knowest), but he predicts it: As for those, who having known the way of righteousness, for fear of the rod of the wicked, basely turn aside out of it to their wicked ways, use indirect ways to prevent trouble or extricate themselves out of it, or those who, instead of reforming, grow worse and worse and are more obstinate and daring in their impieties, God shall send them away, cast them out, and lead them forth with the workers of iniquity, that is, he will appoint them their portion with the worst of sinners. Note, (1.) Sinful ways are crooked ways; sin is the perverting of that which is right. (2.) The doom of those who turn aside to those crooked ways out of the right way will be the same with theirs who have all along walked in them, nay, and more grievous, for if any place in hell be hotter than another that shall be the portion of hypocrites and apostates. God shall lead them forth, as prisoners are led forth to execution. Go, you cursed, into everlasting fire; and these shall go away; all their former righteousness shall not be mentioned unto them. The last words, Place upon Israel, may be taken as a prayer: “God preserve his Israel in peace, when his judgments are abroad reckoning with evil-doers.” We read them as a promise: Peace shall be upon Israel; that is, [1.] When those who have treacherously deserted the ways of God meet with their own destruction those who faithfully adhere to them, though they may have trouble in their way, shall have peace in the end. [2.] The destruction of those who walk in crooked ways will contribute to the peace and safety of the church. When Herod was cut off the word of God grew,Act 12:23; Act 12:24. [3.] The peace and happiness of God’s Israel will be the vexation, and will add much to the torment, of those who perish in their wickedness, Luk 13:28; Isa 65:13. My servants shall rejoice, but you shall be ashamed.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
4. Do good, O Jehovah to the good. The Prophet has already promised to all the faithful the seasonable help of God; but still he has recourse to prayer, and that not without cause; for although faith may sustain us, yet, as our carnal sense and reason are wavering, we ought to mingle prayers for our confirmation. Let us then follow this rule of the Prophet, who, having exhorted all the faithful to cherish confidence, teaches them at the same time, that instead of sitting in listless inactivity, they should betake themselves to God, earnestly beseeching him by prayer, for what he has bidden them hope for by his word. And assuredly the importance of using this remedy is apparent from the consideration, that amidst the darkness of afflictions, the aid of God is not discerned, but that he rather seems to make no difference between the righteous and the wicked. Nor does the Psalmist simply pray that God would deal graciously with the good, he also defines the goodness by which they are characterized, as what proceeds from sincere affection of heart. It would not be enough for the children of God to abstain from all wrong-doing, were they not distinguished by corresponding integrity of heart, or rather did it not govern their whole life.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
4. Do good unto those good The true Israel. An evident distinction between true and false Israelites. Though the whole nation, by profession and covenant, were holy, yet it was well understood that “they were not all Israel that were of Israel,” (Rom 9:6,) and the Old Testament everywhere draws this line of distinction. See notes on Psa 115:9; Psa 115:11
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
DISCOURSE: 718
THE UPRIGHT AND APOSTATES CONTRASTED
Psa 125:4-5. Do good, O Lord, unto those that be good, and to them that are upright in their hearts. 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:
AT the commencement of this psalm, the inspired writer speaks of the Lords people as secured both by the providence and grace of God. And it is further promised, in the verse before my text, that their trials shall not prevail beyond their strength [Note: Compare ver. 3. with 1Co 10:13.]. But no exemption from trouble is promised them. It is taken for granted, that the rod of the wicked shall fall upon them, though it shall not rest upon them. The wrath of man, like water turned upon a mill, shall come on them with no more force than shall be sufficient for accomplishing Gods gracious purposes on their souls: the rest, however menacing its power may be, shall be made to pass off by an opened sluice [Note: Psa 76:10.]. Nevertheless, the trouble shall be sufficient to try every man, and to prove the truth and measure of his integrity; the man who fairly meets and stands the trial, being approved, whilst he who sinks under it, or shuns it, shall be deemed altogether unworthy of the Divine favour. Hence the Psalmist pours out his fervent intercession in behalf of the upright, and at the same time warns every man of the danger of declension from the ways of God. The two points for our consideration are,
I.
His encouragement to the upright
His prayer shews what every believing soul may expect at the hands of God
[No one, without constant supplies of grace and strength, would be able to endure the trials with which he will be visited in the path of duty. A mans uprightness may embolden him to ask for divine assistance; but it can never support him without it. The greatest and best of men are weak, even as others, if for a moment they be left to themselves. Hezekiah was in some respects as eminent for piety as any of the kings of Israel [Note: 2Ki 18:5.]: but, when God left him to try him, he fell [Note: 2Ch 32:31.]. Even Abraham and Isaac shewed themselves weak in the day of trial; each of them denying his wife, and Abraham repeatedly, through fear of the consequences which an acknowledgment of the truth might bring upon them. The Psalmist therefore prays, Do good unto them, O Lord; supply every one of them with that measure of strength which their necessities may require; and uphold them under all the circumstances to which they may be reduced! ]
In fact, the prayer contains nothing which God himself has not made the subject of a direct promise
[With all his believing people God has made an everlasting covenant, that He will not turn away from them to do them good; yea, that he will rejoice over them to do them good, and assuredly interest himself in their behalf, with his whole heart, and with his whole soul [Note: Jer 32:40-41.]. God considers his own glory as engaged for his people: and sooner shall heaven and earth pass away, than one who is truly upright in heart be ever left by him to perish [Note: Psa 84:11.]. The good he designs them may not be of the precise nature that they desire or expect; (as Paul had not the thorn in his flesh removed, but grace given him to sustain it:) but, that which is really best shall be vouchsafed unto them; and it shall be imparted to them in the time, and manner, and measure, that unerring wisdom sees to be best for them [Note: Their extremity shall be Gods opportunity. See Isa 58:10-11.].]
With his tender concern for the upright, we see combined,
II.
His warning to the unstable
As for open apostates, no one can doubt their fate; their last end will be worse than their beginning [Note: 2Pe 2:20-21.]. But there are many who secretly decline from Gods holy ways, who yet think that, because they turn not back to open profaneness, they shall escape the judgment of God. Now,
These are the persons warned
[The man who puts his hand to the plough, is not to look back, lest the furrows which he makes disgrace the field [Note: Luk 9:62.]. So those who turn aside unto their crooked paths are persons who, by crooked policy and undue compliances, are labouring to avert the evils which a bold and steadfast conduct would bring upon them Such was the conduct of Peter, when, for the sake of pacifying the Judaizing teachers, he constrained the Gentiles to conform to the Mosaic ritual: and had not the reproof which Paul administered to him, in the presence of the whole Galatian Church, produced the desired change, this temporizing Apostle would have destroyed his own soul, and the souls of all his followers. In matters of minor importance we may yield, for the sake of peace, as Paul himself did when he became a Nazarite: but in matters which will in any degree impeach our fidelity to God, we must not give place, no, not for an hour. To benefit others, we may yield: to screen ourselves, we must not yield. Not life itself must be held dear, when an adherence to duty calls for the sacrifice of it.]
Those only who are upright will have peace at the last
[Those who dissemble with God, and are diverted from the paths of righteousness by that fear of man which bringeth a snare, have no real peace in this life [Note: Isa 59:8.]: for there can be no peace where there is not the testimony of a good conscience. Much less can there be peace in a dying hour, and in the near prospect of giving up our account to God. But, if we suppose a man to have deceived himself so far as to have prevented any remonstrances from his own conscience, still, the very instant that he shall be summoned into the presence of his God, his delusions will be all dispelled, and he will see himself even as God sees him. Where will his peace then be? Alas! it will be fled for ever: for in that day none but the true Israel will be approved of their God. All the rest, how specious soever may have been their conduct, will be led forth with the workers of iniquity, and take their portion with the most abandoned of the human race. In fact, the portion of hypocrites is declared to be pre-eminently bitter [Note: Mat 24:51.], because of the light they have resisted, and the dissimulation they have practised. Let the unstable then know this, and avail themselves of the warning thus given them.]
Then let every one see, and be convinced of,
1.
The importance of uprightness
[None but the upright in heart can expect any good at the hands of God. As for such as turn aside unto their crooked ways, their own wickedness shall correct them, and their backslidings reprove them [Note: Jer 2:10.]. Then only can we be approved of our God, when our heart is right with God. For the hypocrites in heart heap up wrath; and will surely perish, under an accumulated weight of misery.]
2.
The necessity of decision
[It should never admit of one moments doubt, whom we shall serve. Nothing must be suffered to stand in competition with Gods revealed will. Sufferings are to be only as the dust upon the balance. So, also, must gains be counted but loss by us, if we would approve ourselves to God. Let us, then, ever be ready to answer our opponents, as the Apostles did: Whether it be right to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye; for we cannot but obey him at all events, and execute his will, though every man on earth, and every wicked spirit in hell, should combine against us. We will, God helping us, be faithful unto death: for then, and then only, can we have any scriptural hope of obtaining eternal life.]
Fuente: Charles Simeon’s Horae Homileticae (Old and New Testaments)
The prayer of the faithful, and the prospect of the ruin of the ungodly, are strikingly blended in one view. The same scripture that promiseth to feed his people, declares that their enemies shall be hungry. See a string of rich and blessed promises to this amount, Isa 65:13-15 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Psa 125:4 Do good, O LORD, unto [those that be] good, and [to them that are] upright in their hearts.
Ver. 4. Do good, O Lord, unto those that be good ] But afflicted by those men of thy hand, Psa 17:14 , who are the rod in thine hand, Isa 10:5 . Do good in thy good pleasure (for nothing can be claimed by the very best) to such, according to thy promise, Psa 125:3 , which here I put in suit for them; let the Lord be with the good, 2Ch 19:11 .
And to them that are upright in their hearts
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Psa 125:4-5
4Do good, O Lord, to those who are good
And to those who are upright in their hearts.
5But as for those who turn aside to their crooked ways,
The Lord will lead them away with the doers of iniquity.
Peace be upon Israel.
Psa 125:4 Do good This is a Hiphil imperative(BDB 405, KB 408). God is good (BDB 373 II, cf. Psa 86:5; Psa 100:5; Psa 106:1) and His people should reflect Him (cf. Deu 8:16).
Both Hebrew words for good are used in this verse.
Psa 125:5 Notice how Psa 125:4-5 characterizes two kinds of people (to those who. . .). This is known as the two ways (cf. Deu 30:15; Deu 30:19; Psa 1:1). One’s relationship with God can be seen by the way he/she lives life (cf. Mat 7:15-23)! Eternal life has observable characteristics!
crooked ways A crooked way (BDB 785) is the exact opposite of the righteous way (cf. Psa 5:8; Psa 139:24; Psa 143:10).
Notice the parallel ways of describing people.
1. those who are good
2. those who are upright in heart
3. those who turn aside to their crooked ways
4. the doers of iniquity
Peace be upon Israel Peace can be upon only a believing, faithful, righteous Israel. In the NT this refers to followers of Jesus Christ (cf. Gal 6:16). Also note Rom 2:28-29; Rom 9:6; Gal 3:7; Gal 3:29; Php 3:3! The OT must be interpreted through the fuller revelation of Jesus and the NT!
The God of Peace and the Prince of Peace desire peace for those who trust them! See Special Topic: Peace (shalom).
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
Psa 125:4-5
Psa 125:4-5
“Do good, O Jehovah, unto those that are good,
And to them that are upright in their hearts.
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.”
The implication here is that not all of Israel are “good.” McCullough has this comment.
“In this psalm there are two groups of people. On the one hand, there are those who trust in the Lord, those who put their trust in the Lord, and who call themselves `the righteous,’ `those who are good’ and `those who are upright in their hearts.’ On the other hand, there are those who are connoted by scepter of wickedness, and along with these, there are, `those who turn aside unto their crooked ways.’ Apparently these latter are renegade Jews who have associated themselves with some kind of godlessness.
This is by far the most helpful comment we have located on this psalm. By understanding `scepter of wickedness,’ not as a reference to some king of Israel but as an idiomatic expression simply referring to renegade Jews, the whole psalm makes sense. Otherwise, there continues to remain some ambiguity regarding the meaning of Psa 125:3.
The reason why this expression was used was also explained by McCullough. Those renegade Jews had joined themselves with some kind of foreign, or pagan, ruling class, suggesting the term “scepter of wickedness.”
“Peace be upon Israel” (Psa 125:5). “The psalm ends with this liturgical prayer for Israel’s peace.
E.M. Zerr:
Psa 125:4. Do good does not refer to the personal conduct of God for he could not do otherwise. It means to ask God to extend good and desirable favors to those who are entitled to such treatment.
Psa 125:5. Crooked ways means the ways of life followed by those who forsake the pathway of righteousness. They shall be classed at the end with the ones who had never professed a life of goodness. This suggests the awful thought in Mat 25:41.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
Do good: Psa 41:1-3, Psa 51:18, Psa 73:1, Isa 58:10, Isa 58:11, Heb 6:10, 1Jo 3:17-24
upright: Psa 32:2, Psa 84:11, Psa 119:80, Lam 3:25, Joh 1:47, Rev 14:5
Reciprocal: Psa 7:10 – which Psa 11:2 – the upright Psa 32:11 – upright Psa 51:6 – Behold Psa 94:15 – and all Psa 141:5 – for yet my Gal 6:16 – walk 1Pe 3:11 – do
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Psa 125:4-5. Do good unto those that be good As thou hast promised to keep thy people from evil, (Psa 125:3,) be pleased, also, to vouchsafe unto them those blessings which will be good for them. Deal well with those that are truly good, and reward the fidelity of them that are upright in their hearts Who, notwithstanding the calamities with which they are chastised and tried, still persist in thy ways and preserve their integrity.
As for such as turn aside unto their crooked ways But, as for those unstable persons who, either through fear of the rod, mentioned Psa 125:3, or for other considerations, shall turn aside from those good ways, which, for a time, they professed to walk in, unto sinful courses, and who, instead of growing better by the Lords chastisements, decline more and more from the paths of righteousness; the Lord shall lead them forth Namely, unto punishment, as malefactors are led to the place of execution; with the workers of iniquity With the most obstinate and profligate sinners, with whom he will appoint them their portion; for, as they partook of their sins, they shall also partake of their plagues. But peace shall be upon Israel Upon the true Israel of God. When those that have treacherously deserted the ways of God meet with their own destruction, they that faithfully adhere to them, though they may have trouble in their way, they shall have peace in their end.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
2. The choices before God’s people 125:4-5
However, even though God’s people are secure, they have a choice concerning how they will live. They can be faithful to the Lord, or depart from Him and live sinful lives. In Psa 125:4, the psalmist asked God to bless those of His people who do good and remain upright in their attitudes and affections. In Psa 125:5, he warned that those believers who did not follow Him faithfully would suffer a fate similar to that of the wicked. They would cease to enjoy the privileges of intimate fellowship with Yahweh. For Israel, this meant banishment and captivity as an ultimate punishment. Nevertheless, they would never cease to be His people (Psa 125:1-3). The psalmist closed by praying for peace on Israel, which in the context required walking with God.
"The life of faith is not easy, but the life of unbelief is much harder-in this life and in the life to come." [Note: Wiersbe, The . . . Wisdom . . ., p. 344.]
This psalm makes a distinction that is obvious in the history of Israel. The New Testament teaches that these principles apply to Christians as well. Those who trust in the Lord are eternally secure, but they can choose to follow Him faithfully and experience His blessing, or depart from Him and suffer His discipline.