before the LORD, for He comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness and the peoples with equity.
Parallel translations
- WEB Let them sing before Yahweh, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with equity.
- KJV Before the LORD; for he cometh to judge the earth: with righteousness shall he judge the world, and the people with equity.
- NKJV For He is coming to judge the earth. With righteousness He shall judge the world, And the peoples with equity.
- NASB Before the Lord, for He is coming to judge the earth; He will judge the world with righteousness And the peoples with fairness.
- NLT before the Lord, for he is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world with justice, and the nations 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
Creation rejoices because the LORD comes to judge the earth with righteousness and equity. His judgment is good news for the world.
Overview
The psalm climaxes with the LORD coming to judge the world justly and fairly, a cause for joy rather than dread for those who trust Him. Righteous judgment means the world will finally be set right. This is fulfilled in Christ, whom God appointed to judge the world in righteousness (Acts 17:31).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 9
- Ps 96:13before the LORD, for He is coming—He is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples in His faithfulness.
- Acts 17:31For He has set a day when He will judge the world with justice by the Man He has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising Him from the dead.”
- Ps 96:10Declare among the nations: “The LORD reigns!” The world is firmly established; it cannot be moved; He will judge the peoples with equity.
- Isa 5:16But the LORD of Hosts will be exalted by His justice, and the holy God will show Himself holy in righteousness.
- Acts 24:25As Paul expounded on righteousness, self-control, and the coming judgment, Felix became frightened and said, “You may go for now. When I find the time, I will call for you.”
- Rev 1:7Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him—even those who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. So shall it be! Amen.
- Ps 72:2May he judge Your people with righteousness and Your afflicted with justice.
- Rom 2:5–6But because of your hard and unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of wrath, when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.
- Ps 67:4Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for You judge the peoples justly and lead the nations of the earth. Selah
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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 98:9 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.