Psalms 96:13
Before 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.
Study Note
Study Note
The climactic affirmation — 'he comes to judge the earth; he will judge the world in righteousness, and the peoples in his faithfulness' — presents the LORD's coming judgment as the consummation of the hymn's call to universal praise (verses 1-12). The double 'for he comes' (ki ba) creates emphatic anticipation, and the parallel between 'righteousness' (tsedek) and 'faithfulness' (emunah) grounds judgment in God's consistent moral character. Psalm 96 belongs to the enthronement psalms (93-99), which celebrate the LORD's cosmic kingship over the nations and all creation. The verse has been used in Christian Advent theology as a joyful anticipation of Christ's return rather than a fearful warning, because the God who comes is known as righteous and faithful.
Other Translations
Before Jehovah; for he cometh, For he cometh to judge the earth: He will judge the world with righteousness, And the peoples with his truth.
Before Jehovah, for He hath come, For He hath come to judge the earth. He judgeth the world in righteousness, And the peoples in His faithfulness!
Before the Lord, for he is come; he is come to be the judge of the earth; the earth will be judged in righteousness, and the peoples with unchanging faith.
Cross References
O let the nations be glad and sing for joy: for thou shalt judge the people righteously, and govern the …
Say among the heathen that the Lord reigneth: the world also shall be established that it shall not be moved: …
Before the Lord; for he cometh to judge the earth: with righteousness shall he judge the world, and the people …
He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces; and …
And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he …
Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, …
But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like …
For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the …
Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because …