Psalms 124:5
But such as turn aside into bonds, the Lord shall lead out with the workers of iniquity: peace upon Israel.
Open Psalms 124:5 in the Motif Searcher, word by word across all five texts →Show on the spiral →The verse in its languages
- Vulgate (Clementine)
- Declinantes autem in obligationes, adducet Dominus cum operantibus iniquitatem. Pax super Israël !
- Septuagint (Swete)
- τοὺς δὲ ἐκκλίνοντας εἰς τὰς στραγγαλιὰς ἀπάξει Κύριος μετὰ τῶν ἐργαζομένων τὴν ἀνομίαν. εἰρήνη ἐπὶ τὸν Ἰσραήλ.
- Hebrew (WLC) shown from Psalms 125:5
- וְהַמַּטִּ֤ים עַֽקַלְקַלּוֹתָ֗ם יוֹלִיכֵ֣ם יְ֭הוָה אֶת פֹּעֲלֵ֣י הָאָ֑וֶן שָׁ֝ל֗וֹם עַל יִשְׂרָאֵֽל
Haydock's commentary
Bonds, obligationes. "Knots," as straggalias, also means, (Berthier) rather than duties. (Bellarmine)
Some suspect that obliquationes was put originally, as Hebrew means "crooked ways," (Calmet) "embarrassments." (Aquila)
He may allude to the dark machinations of false brethren, who endeavoured to thwart the pious designs of Nehemias, vi. 14. Apostles shall be treated like infidels, (Calmet) or rather worse, as we shall be if we act not up to the lights, (Haydock) and graces which we have received. (Calmet)
Those who enter into any covenant, &c., to uphold a false religion, though they may despise it in their hearts, must expect to be punished, while the Church shall have peace. (Worthington)
Israel. St. Paul adds, of God, to shew who may be entitled to this blessing. (Berthier)
Heretics can neither give nor receive this peace. (St. Augustine)
From Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary, 1859, in the transcription made by Todd Easton and kept online by John Paul Wohlschied at johnblood.gitlab.io/haydock.
The Fathers on this verse
Clement of Alexandria The Stromata, or Miscellanies, Fragments of Clemens Alexandrinus
Possibly by the “iota and the tittle” His righteousness exclaims, “If ye come right to me, I also will come right to you; if ye walk crooked, I also will walk crooked, saith the Lord of hosts,” alluding to the offences of sinners under the name of crooked ways. For the straight way, and that according to nature, which is pointed out by the iota of Jesus, is His goodness, which is immoveable towards those who have obediently believed. There shall not then pass away from the law neither the iota nor the tittle; that is, neither the promise that applies to the straight in the way, nor the punishment threatened against those that diverge. …
St Augustine Expositions on the Book of Psalms, Psalm CXXV
10. 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. …
St John Chrysostom The Homilies on the Statues to the People of Antioch, Homily IV
2. Let us then give thanks to God even for these things, that we have reaped so much fruit from the tribulation; that we have received so great an advantage from the trial. If there were no trial, there would be no crown; if there were no wrestlings, there would be no prize; if there were no lists marked out, there would be no honours; if there were no tribulation, there would be no rest; if there were no winter, there would be no summer. And this may be observed, not only amongst men, but even with the very seeds; for if, in that case, we expect the ear of corn to spring and flourish, there must be much rain, much gathering of the clouds, and much frost; and the time of sowing is also a rainy season. …