Psalm 125:5 NKJV
As for such as turn aside to their crooked ways,
The Lord shall lead them away
With the workers of iniquity.
Peace be upon Israel!
The Path of Peace vs. Crooked Ways
My Notes
Psalm 125:5 (NKJV)
“As for such as turn aside to their crooked ways, The Lord shall lead them away With the workers of iniquity. Peace be upon Israel!”
Psalm 125 ends with a sober warning and a gentle blessing—judgment and peace held side by side. Scripture often speaks this way because two kinds of people always exist in the world: the upright and those who turn aside to crooked ways.
The psalmist grieves that some do not merely begin in wickedness but turn aside from the straight path. They once walked among God’s people, but instead of a joyful conversion toward righteousness, they drift into deceit, compromise, and spiritual decline. Their ways become “crooked”—bypaths of sin, like the unfrequented, twisting roads mentioned in Judges 5:6.
These crooked paths never lead to steadfastness, peace, or blessing. They lead away from God, away from truth, and ultimately into judgment. The psalmist does not pray for their judgment—he simply states it. God’s justice is certain. Those who persist in wickedness will be “led away” with the workers of iniquity.
Yet the psalm does not end in gloom. It ends with shalom—a prayer and a promise: “Peace be upon Israel!”
This peace belongs to the faithful, the upright, the steadfast. Though they may face trouble, though the wicked may seem to prosper for a moment, the end of the righteous is peace. God Himself will secure it.
This final blessing echoes through Scripture: peace now in the heart, and peace forever in the presence of God. It anticipates the day when all enemies of Christ are removed and His people dwell in unbroken peace, as Psalm 72:7 describes.
The message is clear: Those who turn aside will be led away. Those who remain faithful will be surrounded by peace.
Prayer
Abba, keep my feet on the straight path. Guard my heart from wandering into crooked ways or compromising with sin. Strengthen me to walk uprightly, faithfully, and sincerely before You. Have mercy on those who are drifting—draw them back before they are led away with the workers of iniquity. Let Your peace rest upon Your people, upon Your church, and upon all who trust in You. Fill us with steadfastness now and eternal peace in the end. I ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Key Takeaways
- There are only two paths: the straight way of righteousness and the crooked way of sin.
- Some turn aside from the truth, not by conversion but by spiritual decline.
- God’s judgment on the wicked is certain; it does not need to be requested.
- The faithful may face trouble, but their end is peace—now and forever.
- God’s people can confidently pray for and expect His shalom to rest upon them.
Cross‑References (NKJV summaries)
- Judges 5:6 — “Byways” are described as unfrequented, crooked paths—an image of wandering from truth.
- Psalm 1:6 — The Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked shall perish.
- Psalm 72:7 — In the Messiah’s reign, the righteous flourish and there is abundance of peace.
- Galatians 6:16 — Peace and mercy are pronounced upon the Israel of God.
- Proverbs 2:12–15 — Wisdom delivers from those who leave the straight paths to walk in crooked ways.
- Psalm 37:37–38 — The future of the upright is peace, but transgressors shall be destroyed together.
Meditation Questions
- Where am I tempted to “turn aside” from the straight path God has set before me?
- What small compromises or crooked ways do I need to bring into the light?
- What does it mean for me to remain upright and steadfast in this season of life?
Proverb for Today
A man’s pride will bring him low, But the humble in spirit will retain honor. Proverbs 29:23 NKJV
Closing
Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, Acts 4:29 NKJV
Bill
Posted on 12/29/2025 by Bill Stephens
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Summary of Commentaries:
Psalm 125:5 contrasts the upright with those who turn aside into crooked, sinful paths. Some drift from truth into deceit, and their end is certain judgment—God Himself will lead them away with the workers of iniquity. Yet the psalm closes with hope: “Peace be upon Israel.” While the wicked perish, the faithful ultimately inherit peace. Though they may face trouble now, steadfast believers will enjoy God’s lasting shalom, both in this life and in eternity.
Commentaries:
Charles Spurgeon
“As for such as turn aside unto their crooked ways, the LORD shall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity.” Two kinds of men are always to be found, the upright and the men of crooked ways. Alas, there are some who pass from one class to another, not by a happy conversion, turning from the twisting lanes of deceit into the highway of truth, but by an unhappy declension, leaving the main road of honesty and holiness for the bypaths of wickedness. Such apostates have been seen in all ages, and David knew enough of them; he could never forget Saul, Ahithophel, and others. How sad that men who once walked in the right way should turn aside from it! Observe the course of the false-hearted: first, they look out for crooked ways; next, they choose them and make them “their crooked ways,” and then they turn aside into them. They never intend to go back unto perdition, but only to make a curve and drop into the right road again. The straight way becomes a little difficult, and so they make a circumbendibus, which all along aims at coming out right, though it may a little deviate from precision. These people are neither upright in heart, nor good, nor trusters in Jehovah, and therefore the Lord will deal otherwise with them than with his own people: when execution day comes, these hypocrites and time servers shall be led out to the same gallows as the openly wicked. All sin will one day be expelled the universe, even as criminals condemned to die are led out of the city; then shall secret traitors find themselves ejected with open rebels. Divine truth will unveil their hidden pursuits, and lead them forth, and to the surprise of many, they shall be set in the same rank with those who avowedly wrought iniquity.
“But peace shall be upon Israel.” In fact, the execution of the deceivers shall tend to give the true Israel peace. When God is smiting the unfaithful, not a blow shall fall upon the faithful. The chosen of the Lord shall not only be like Salem, but they shall have Shalom, or peace. Like a prince, Israel has prevailed with God, and therefore he need not fear the face of man; his wrestlings are over, the blessing of peace has been pronounced upon him. He who has peace with God may enjoy peace concerning all things. Bind the first and last verses together: Israel trusts in the Lord, Psalm 125:1, and Israel has peace, Psalm 125:5.
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Enduring Word
As for such as turn aside to their crooked ways: Under the Old Covenant, there was blessing for the good, but many curses for the wicked. The singer pictured these workers of iniquity being led out of the land in exile. (Guzik)
i. “…who are not faithful; who give way to sin; who backslide, and walk in a crooked way, widely different from the straight way of the upright, yesharim, the straight in heart; they shall be led forth to punishment with the common workers of iniquity.” (Clarke)
ii. “The psalmist uses a vivid image to describe half-hearted adherents to the people of Jehovah: ‘they bend their ways,’ so as to make them crooked…. ‘Those crooked, wandering ways’…can never lead to steadfastness or to any good.” (Maclaren)
iii. The LORD shall lead them away: “It is important to notice the difference between the writer’s prediction of God’s sure judgment on the wicked and his petition for blessing on the righteous. He does not need to ask that the wicked will be judged, because their judgment is certain, sometimes sooner than either we or they expect!” (Boice)
Peace be upon Israel: Psalm 125 ends with a prayer pronouncing shalom upon Israel – essentially, that they would be the good that enjoy blessing and not be the wicked who suffer exile. (Guzik)
i. “We remember that Jerusalem means ‘peace’ (shalom). Thus, we are told, we shall not only be like Salem but shall have Salem too.” (Boice)
ii. “Finally, the poet, stretching out his hands over all Israel, as if blessing them like a priest, embraces all his hopes, petitions, and wishes in the one prayer ‘Peace be upon Israel!’” (Maclaren)
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Albert Barnes
As for such as turn aside unto their crooked ways – The wicked. Those who leave the right or straight path and wander in forbidden ways. The word here rendered “crooked ways” occurs nowhere else except in Judges 5:6, where it is rendered “by-ways,” meaning unfrequented paths or roads; narrow and crooked paths, remote from the highways, or the ways commonly traversed. Hence, the word means also paths of sin, as deviations from the straight road which man should travel.
The Lord shall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity – They shall be dealt with as sinners. They shall be punished. The allusion is to backsliders; to those who forsake the worship of God; who cease to do “good” who, though among the professed people of God, wander from him in by-paths and forbidden ways. The idea is that their profession of religion will not save them; that they will not obtain the divine blessing merely because they are avowedly the people of God, or are numbered among them, but that they will be treated as all other sinners are: they will be led forth with all the wicked, and will be treated like them. Compare Ezekiel 33:12-13; Matthew 7:22-23; Matthew 25:11-12.
But peace shall be upon Israel – Upon the real Israel; upon the true people of God. Galatians 6:16; Isaiah 54:13; Isaiah 55:12; Isaiah 57:2; Isaiah 66:12; John 14:27; John 16:33; Ephesians 2:17; Philippians 4:7.
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John Gill
[but] peace [shall be] upon Israel; upon every true Israelite, upon the whole Israel of God; the apostle seems to have respect to this passage in Galatians 6:16; such shall have spiritual peace in their hearts now, and eternal peace hereafter. The words may be read either as a prayer that it might be, or as a prophecy that it should be; and may have regard unto the latter day, when all the enemies of Christ and his church shall be destroyed, and there shall be abundance of peace, so long as the moon endures, Psalm 72:7.
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Matthew Henry
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, Acts 12:23, 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, Lu. 13:28; Isa. 65:13. My servants shall rejoice, but you shall be ashamed.
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