Limitless Word
For you have maintained my just cause. You sit on the throne judging righteously.
Psalms 9:4 · World English Bible
Parallel translations
  • KJV For thou hast maintained my right and my cause; thou satest in the throne judging right.
  • BSB For You have upheld my just cause; You sit on Your throne judging righteously.
  • NKJV For You have maintained my right and my cause; You sat on the throne judging in righteousness.
  • NASB For You have maintained my just cause; You have sat on the throne judging righteously.
  • NLT For you have judged in my favor; from your throne you have judged with fairness.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

God has upheld David's just cause, judging righteously from His throne. The believer's vindication rests on God the righteous Judge.

Overview

David grounds his confidence in God's character as a righteous Judge enthroned over all. Rather than taking vengeance himself, he entrusts his cause to the One who judges justly. This anticipates the New Testament call to leave vengeance to God (Romans 12:19) and points to Christ, the righteous Judge of all.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 9

  • Ps 140:12I know that Yahweh will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and justice for the needy.
  • 1 Pet 2:23Who, when he was cursed, didn’t curse back. When he suffered, didn’t threaten, but committed himself to him who judges righteously;
  • Isa 11:4but with righteousness he will judge the poor, and decide with equity for the humble of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; and with the breath of his lips he will kill the wicked.
  • Ps 98:9Let them sing before Yahweh, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with equity.
  • Ps 89:14Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne. Loving kindness and truth go before your face.
  • Ps 47:8God reigns over the nations. God sits on his holy throne.
  • Ps 16:5Yahweh assigned my portion and my cup. You made my lot secure.
  • Ps 96:13before Yahweh; for he comes, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness, the peoples with his truth.
  • Ps 45:6–7Your throne, God, is forever and ever. A scepter of equity is the scepter of your kingdom.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (2)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Psalms videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Psalms 9:4YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on PsalmsMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

The Psalms are Christ's own prayer book and a gallery of his portraits — the suffering one of Psalm 22, the risen Lord of Psalm 16, the priest-king of Psalm 110, the Son to whom the nations are given.

How Psalms 9:4 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.