Psalm verses on justice, from God's throne to the courtroom, with the full text and a printable sheet.
Justice runs through the psalms. It is part of how God is described, and it is tied again and again to the weak: the poor, the widow, the fatherless, the foreigner. The psalms also speak for people who were wronged and accused, and they are honest about waiting. More than one asks God how long.
The sections move from what the psalms say justice is, to justice for the oppressed, to prayers for a fair hearing, to the wait, and last to the justice people are asked to do. Tick the verses you want and print them as one sheet.
What the psalms say justice is, and where it comes from.
Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne.Loving kindness and truth go before your face.
Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne: mercy and truth shall go before thy face.
Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne. Justice is not something God does now and then. It is what his rule stands on.
He loves righteousness and justice.The earth is full of the loving kindness of the LORD.
He loveth righteousness and judgment: the earth is full of the goodness of the LORD.
He loves righteousness and justice. The same verse says the earth is full of his loving kindness, so justice and kindness sit side by side.
before the LORD; for he comes,for he comes to judge the earth.He will judge the world with righteousness,the peoples with his truth.
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.
He comes to judge the earth with righteousness and truth. The verses before call the heavens, sea and trees to rejoice about it.
The psalms tie justice to the weak, the poor, the fatherless and the foreigner again and again.
“Defend the weak, the poor, and the fatherless.Maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed.
Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy.
Defend the weak, the poor, and the fatherless. God says this in the great assembly, to those the verse before accuses of judging unjustly.
who executes justice for the oppressed;who gives food to the hungry.The LORD frees the prisoners.
Which executeth judgment for the oppressed: which giveth food to the hungry. The LORD looseth the prisoners:
Justice for the oppressed sits in one list with food for the hungry and freedom for prisoners. Justice here is practical.
I know that the LORD will maintain the cause of the afflicted,and justice for the needy.
I know that the LORD will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and the right of the poor.
I know that the LORD will maintain the cause of the afflicted. The writer says it as settled knowledge at the end of a prayer against violent men.
But you do see trouble and grief.You consider it to take it into your hand.You help the victim and the fatherless.
Thou hast seen it; for thou beholdest mischief and spite, to requite it with thy hand: the poor committeth himself unto thee; thou art the helper of the fatherless.
You do see trouble and grief. The psalm opens asking why God stands far off, and here answers its own question: he sees, and helps the victim and the fatherless.
For anyone facing a court, a hearing or a false charge. These are prayers for a fair judgment, not promises of a verdict.
Don’t deliver me over to the desire of my adversaries,for false witnesses have risen up against me,such as breathe out cruelty.
Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty.
False witnesses have risen up against me. The request is not to be handed over to what the accusers want.
Vindicate me, God, and plead my cause against an ungodly nation.Oh, deliver me from deceitful and wicked men.
Judge me, O God, and plead my cause against an ungodly nation: O deliver me from the deceitful and unjust man.
Vindicate me, and plead my cause. God is asked to take the writer's side against deceitful and wicked men, as an advocate would.
Let my sentence come out of your presence.Let your eyes look on equity.
Let my sentence come forth from thy presence; let thine eyes behold the things that are equal.
Let my sentence come out of your presence. The writer wants the verdict to come from God, whose eyes look on equity.
For he will stand at the right hand of the needy,to save him from those who judge his soul.
For he shall stand at the right hand of the poor, to save him from those that condemn his soul.
Earlier the psalm speaks of an accuser standing at a man's right hand. It ends with God standing at the right hand of the needy instead.
For the long wait, when the wrong has not been put right.
LORD, how long will the wicked,how long will the wicked triumph?
LORD, how long shall the wicked, how long shall the wicked triumph?
How long will the wicked triumph. The question is asked twice in one line, and the psalm does not scold the one asking.
he will make your righteousness shine out like light,and your justice as the noon day sun.
And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.
Your righteousness will shine out like light, and your justice like the noon day sun. It follows the call to commit your way to the LORD.
“How long will you judge unjustly,and show partiality to the wicked?” Selah.
How long will ye judge unjustly, and accept the persons of the wicked? Selah.
How long will you judge unjustly. Here God is the one asking, and the question is aimed at those who were meant to give justice.
Justice in the psalms is also something people are asked to do.
Blessed are those who keep justice.Blessed is one who does what is right at all times.
Blessed are they that keep judgment, and he that doeth righteousness at all times.
Blessed are those who keep justice. The verse puts keeping justice and doing right at all times in one line.
he who doesn’t lend out his money for usury,nor take a bribe against the innocent.He who does these things shall never be shaken.
He that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that doeth these things shall never be moved.
No usury and no bribe against the innocent. Psalm 15 lists who may live on God's holy hill, and honest money is on the list.
No psalm promises a verdict. Several speak for people who say they were falsely accused, and they ask God to judge them fairly. Psalm 26 asks God to examine the writer's heart and mind. Psalm 35:11 describes unrighteous witnesses asking about things the writer knows nothing about. Psalm 17 wants the sentence to come from God's presence. They are prayers for a true judgment, which is not always the same as winning.
Psalm 82 is the clearest: God calls those who judge unjustly to account and tells them to defend the weak and the fatherless. Psalm 94 and Psalm 146 also focus on justice for the oppressed.
Psalm 43:1 and Psalm 35:24 ask God to vindicate the writer. They pray for a fair judgment rather than promise a result.
Psalm 94 asks how long the wicked will triumph and leaves vengeance with God. Psalm 37 tells the reader not to fret and says their justice will shine like the noon day sun.
Yes, in plain words. Psalm 33:5, Psalm 37:28 and Psalm 99:4 all say he loves justice.
Psalms for Enemies and People Who Are Against YouPsalms for HelpPsalms about Mercy and GracePsalms for PatiencePsalms for AngerPsalms for the Nation, Government and Leaders