The Meaning of Psalms 99:4 Explained

Psalms 99:4

KJV: The king's strength also loveth judgment; thou dost establish equity, thou executest judgment and righteousness in Jacob.

YLT: And the strength of the king Hath loved judgment, Thou -- Thou hast established uprightness; Judgment and righteousness in Jacob, Thou -- Thou hast done.

Darby: And the strength of the king that loveth justice. Thou hast established equity: it is thou that executest judgment and righteousness in Jacob.

ASV: The king's strength also loveth justice; Thou dost establish equity; Thou executest justice and righteousness in Jacob.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

The king's  strength  also loveth  judgment;  thou dost establish  equity,  thou executest  judgment  and righteousness  in Jacob. 

What does Psalms 99:4 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalms 99:1-9 - Worship The Great And Holy One
This psalm has its counterpart in Psalms 97:1-12. There Jehovah's reign is associated with the gladness of faith; here with the trembling of mortal and sinful hearts. Thrice we are reminded that He is holy, Psalms 99:3; Psalms 99:5; Psalms 99:9. This threefold ascription of earth concerning the holiness of God answers the threefold ascription of heaven, where one seraph cries to the rest, saying, "Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of His glory," Isaiah 6:3.
God's holiness is terrible to sinners. It inspires even His own people with awe. However near we come to Him in Christ, we always must remember that we are sinful men who have no right to stand before Him, save through the mediation and in the righteousness of His Son.
How great God must be, who can reckon Moses, Aaron, and Samuel as His servants! And we, too, though beneath them in personal character and gift, are permitted to be among His priests; to call upon His name; to hear Him speaking from the pillar of cloud. Let us all walk worthy of our high calling! Let us fear this great and holy God, who cannot tolerate sin in His children, and will not scruple to inflict pain if sin is persisted in. He does forgive-glory to His name!-but He will not hesitate to chasten us for sins which we presumptuously and knowingly permit. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalms 99

1  The prophet, setting forth the kingdom of God in Zion
5  Exhorts all, by the example of their forefathers, to worship God at his holy hill

What do the individual words in Psalms 99:4 mean?

And the strength of King justice loves You have established equity justice and righteousness in Jacob You have executed
וְעֹ֥ז מֶלֶךְ֮ מִשְׁפָּ֪ט אָ֫הֵ֥ב אַ֭תָּה כּוֹנַ֣נְתָּ מֵישָׁרִ֑ים מִשְׁפָּ֥ט וּ֝צְדָקָ֗ה בְּיַעֲקֹ֤ב ׀ אַתָּ֬ה עָשִֽׂיתָ

וְעֹ֥ז  And  the  strength 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: עֹז  
Sense: might, strength.
מֶלֶךְ֮  of  King 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
מִשְׁפָּ֪ט  justice 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִשְׁפָּט  
Sense: judgment, justice, ordinance.
אָ֫הֵ֥ב  loves 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָהַב  
Sense: to love.
כּוֹנַ֣נְתָּ  have  established 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: כּוּן 
Sense: to be firm, be stable, be established.
מֵישָׁרִ֑ים  equity 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: מֵישָׁרִים  
Sense: evenness, uprightness, straightness, equity.
מִשְׁפָּ֥ט  justice 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִשְׁפָּט  
Sense: judgment, justice, ordinance.
וּ֝צְדָקָ֗ה  and  righteousness 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine singular
Root: צְדָקָה  
Sense: justice, righteousness.
בְּיַעֲקֹ֤ב ׀  in  Jacob 
Parse: Preposition-b, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יַעֲקֹב  
Sense: son of Isaac, grandson of Abraham, and father of the 2 patriarchs of the tribes of Israel.
עָשִֽׂיתָ  have  executed 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.