Mazmur 125:3

125:3 Indeed, ¹  the scepter of a wicked king ²  will not settle ³ 

upon the allotted land of the godly.

Otherwise the godly might

do what is wrong. ⁴ 

[125:3]  ¹ tn Or “for.”

[125:3]  ² tn Heb “a scepter of wickedness.” The “scepter” symbolizes royal authority; when collocated with “wickedness” the phrase refers to an oppressive foreign conqueror.

[125:3]  ³ tn Or “rest.”

[125:3]  ⁴ tn Heb “so that the godly might not stretch out their hands in wrongdoing.” A wicked king who sets a sinful example can have an adverse moral and ethical effect on the people he rules.