Before the LORD; for he cometh to judge the earth: with righteousness shall he judge the world, and the people 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.
- BSB before the LORD, for He comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness and the peoples 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 cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth: he shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with his truth.
- Acts 17:31Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.
- Ps 96:10Say among the heathen that the LORD reigneth: the world also shall be established that it shall not be moved: he shall judge the people righteously.
- Isa 5:16But the LORD of hosts shall be exalted in judgment, and God that is holy shall be sanctified in righteousness.
- Acts 24:25And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee.
- Rev 1:7Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.
- Ps 72:2He shall judge thy people with righteousness, and thy poor with judgment.
- Rom 2:5–6But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;
- Ps 67:4O let the nations be glad and sing for joy: for thou shalt judge the people righteously, and govern the nations upon 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.