The Meaning of Psalms 96:13 Explained

Psalms 96:13

KJV: 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.

YLT: 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!

Darby: Before Jehovah, for he cometh; for he cometh to judge the earth: he will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples in his faithfulness.

ASV: 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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Psalms 96:13 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalm 96:1-13 - "the Lord Reigneth"
This psalm is found also in 1 Chronicles 16:1-43. Note the thrice-repeated command, Sing, sing, sing, Psalms 96:1-2; the corresponding, thrice-repeated, Give, give, give, Psalms 96:7-8; the triple call for joy from heaven, sea, and land, Psalms 96:11-12. It is good to read these psalms; they impart the burning devotion of these olden saints. They break on our lethargy as the bugle-call on the sleeping soldier. Notice that we call men to a Jubilate, not a Miserere, when we invite them to come home to God.
What a stately procession escorts the King to the throne of the world! He comes to reign in equity. Righteousness and truth which had fled the world return with Him. Honor and majesty are His avant-couriers. Strength and beauty stand in His court-circle. When we are brought into the divine Kingdom, and are at one with God, we detect the unison of nature in her song of praise. The seas provide the bass; the quivering leaves, the song of buds, the hum of insect life provide the tenors and altos; while the stars in their courses sing the treble. To the anointed ear, the new song has already begun. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalm 96

1  An exhortation to praise God
4  for his greatness
8  for his kingdom
11  for his general judgment

What do the individual words in Psalms 96:13 mean?

Before Yahweh for He is coming He is coming to judge the earth He shall judge the world with righteousness and the peoples with His truth
לִפְנֵ֤י יְהוָ֨ה ׀ כִּ֬י בָ֗א בָא֮ לִשְׁפֹּ֪ט הָ֫אָ֥רֶץ יִשְׁפֹּֽט־ תֵּבֵ֥ל בְּצֶ֑דֶק וְ֝עַמִּ֗ים בֶּאֱמוּנָתֽוֹ

לִפְנֵ֤י  Before 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, common plural construct
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
יְהוָ֨ה ׀  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
בָ֗א  He  is  coming 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
בָא֮  He  is  coming 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
לִשְׁפֹּ֪ט  to  judge 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: שָׁפַט  
Sense: to judge, govern, vindicate, punish.
הָ֫אָ֥רֶץ  the  earth 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
יִשְׁפֹּֽט־  He  shall  judge 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁפַט  
Sense: to judge, govern, vindicate, punish.
תֵּבֵ֥ל  the  world 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: תֵּבֵל  
Sense: world.
בְּצֶ֑דֶק  with  righteousness 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular
Root: צֶדֶק  
Sense: justice, rightness, righteousness.
וְ֝עַמִּ֗ים  and  the  peoples 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
בֶּאֱמוּנָתֽוֹ  with  His  truth 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: אֱמוּנָה  
Sense: firmness, fidelity, steadfastness, steadiness.