Psalms 89:14
in Psalms 89Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; loving devotion and faithfulness go before You.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Righteousness and justice are the foundation of thy throne: Lovingkindness and truth go before thy face.
KJV
Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne: mercy and truth shall go before thy face.
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This verse in Psalms 89
Commentary
9 notes on this verseJustice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne. They are the basis of the divine government, the sphere within which his sovereignty moves. God as a sovereign is never unjust or unwise. He is too holy to be unrighteous, too wise to be mistaken; this is constant matter for joy to the upright in heart. Mercy and truth shall go before thy face.
This site's exposition
the foundation of Your throne
on Psalms 89:14-18
Righteousness and justice hold up the throne, and the loving devotion and faithfulness of verse 1 walk in front of it. The joyful sound in verse 15 is teruah, a shout that served both a festival and a battle. Verse 18 gives the king to the Holy One of Israel.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
"Righteousness and judgment are the preparation of Thy seat" (ver. 14). Thy righteousness and judgment will appear in the end: they are now hidden. Of Thy righteousness it is treated in another Psalm, "on the hidden things of the Son." There will then be a manifestation of Thy righteousness and judgment: some will be set on the right, others on the left hand: and the unbelieving will tremble, when they see what now they mock at, and believe not: the righteous will rejoice, when they shall see what they now see not, yet believe. "Righteousness and judgment are the preparation of Thy seat:" especially in the Day of Judgment. What then now? "mercy and truth go before Thy face." I should fear the preparation of Thy seat, Thy justice, and Thy coming judgment, did not mercy and truth go before Thee: why should I at the end fear Thy righteousness, when with Thy mercy going before Thee Thou blottest out my sins, and by showing forth Thy truth fulfillest Thy promises? "Mercy and truth go before Thy face." For "all the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth."
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne,....
As there is none like unto the God of Jeshurun, so, happy art thou, O Israel! there is none like unto thee, O people! especially as a type of the gospel-Israel, consisting of all true believers, whose happiness is here described. Glorious discoveries are made to them, and glad tidings of good brought to them; they hear, they know, the joyful sound,
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
To illustrate His power and faithfulness examples are cited from history. His control of the sea (the most mighty and unstable object in nature), and of Egypt (Ps 87:4), the first great foe of Israel (subjected to utter helplessness from pride and insolence), are specimens.
Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne. They are the basis of the divine government, the sphere within which his sovereignty moves. God as a sovereign is never unjust or unwise. He is too holy to be unrighteous, too wise to be mistaken; this is constant matter for joy to the upright in heart. Mercy and truth shall go before thy face. They are the harbingers and heralds of the Lord; he calls these to the front to deal with guilty and changeful man; he makes them, in the person of the Lord Jesus, to be his ambassadors, and so poor, guilty man is enabled to endure the presence of his righteous Lord. If mercy had not paved the way, the coming of God to any man must have been swift destruction. Thus has the poet sung the glories of the covenant God. It was meet that before he poured forth his lament he should record his praise, lest his sorrow should seem to have withered his faith. Before we argue our case before the Lord it is most becoming to acknowledge that we know him to be supremely great and good, whatever may be the appearance of his providence; this is such a course as every wise man will take who desires to have an answer of peace in the day of trouble.
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne - The throne - the government, of God, is founded in righteousness and judgment. He knows what is right; he sees what is right; he does what is right; and his judgments are ever according to righteousness. His decisions are all oracles, no one of them is ever reversed. Mercy and truth shall go before thy face - These shall be the heralds that shall announce the coming of the Judge. His truth binds him to fulfill all his declarations; and his mercy shall be shown to all those who have fled for refuge to the hope that is set before them in the Gospel. See the notes on Psa 85:10, Psa 85:11.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
justice and judgment are the habitation of the throne - Margin, “establishment.” The Hebrew word - מכון mâkôn - means properly a place where one stands; then, a foundation or basis. The idea here is, that the throne of God is founded on justice and right judgment; it is this which supports it; his administration is maintained because it is right. This supposes that there is such a thing as right or justice in itself considered, or in the nature of things, and independently of the will of God; that the divine administration will be conformed to that, and will be firm because it is thus conformed to it. Even omnipotent power could not maintain permanently a throne founded on injustice and wrong. Such an administration would sooner or later make its own destruction sure. Mercy, and truth shall go before thy face - literally, anticipate thy face; that is, thy goings. Wherever thou dost go, wherever thou dost manifest thyself, there will be mercy and faithfulness. Thy march through the world will be attended with kindness and fidelity. So certain is this, that his coming will, as it were, be anticipated by truth and goodness.
The words behind it
8 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| צֶ֣דֶק | tzedek | [is] righteousness | H6664 → | 119 times |
| וּ֭מִשְׁפָּט | umishpot | and justice | H4941 → | 422 times |
| מְכ֣וֹן | mekhon | [the] foundation of | H4349 → | 17 times |
| כִּסְאֶ֑ךָ | kisekha | throne your | H3678 → | 135 times |
| חֶ֥סֶד | chesed | covenant loyalty | H2617 → | 247 times |
| וֶ֝אֱמֶ֗ת | veemet | and faithfulness | H571 → | 127 times |
| יְֽקַדְּמ֥וּ | yekademu | they come to meet | H6923 → | 26 times |
| פָנֶֽיךָ׃ | faneikha | face your | H6440 → | 2123 times |
צֶ֣דֶק[is] righteousness
tzedekH6664 →119 times
וּ֭מִשְׁפָּטand justice
umishpotH4941 →422 times
מְכ֣וֹן[the] foundation of
mekhonH4349 →17 times
כִּסְאֶ֑ךָthrone your
kisekhaH3678 →135 times
חֶ֥סֶדcovenant loyalty
chesedH2617 →247 times
וֶ֝אֱמֶ֗תand faithfulness
veemetH571 →127 times
יְֽקַדְּמ֥וּthey come to meet
yekademuH6923 →26 times
פָנֶֽיךָ׃face your
faneikhaH6440 →2123 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Psalms 145:17The LORD is righteous in all His ways and kind in all His deeds.
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 32:4
He is the Rock, His work is perfect; all His ways are just. A God of faithfulness without injustice, righteous and upright is He.
- Zephaniah 3:5
The LORD within her is righteous; He does no wrong. He applies His justice morning by morning; He does not fail at dawn, yet the unjust know no shame.
- Psalms 103:6
The LORD executes righteousness and justice for all the oppressed.
- Deuteronomy 32:4
Through
Psalms 97:2Clouds and darkness surround Him; righteousness and justice are His throne’s foundation.
it leads to
- Psalms 99:4
The mighty King loves justice. You have established equity; You have exercised justice and righteousness in Jacob.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Exodus 19:9
The LORD said to Moses, “Behold, I will come to you in a dense cloud, so that the people will hear when I speak with you, and they will always put their trust in…
- Proverbs 16:12
Wicked behavior is detestable to kings, for a throne is established through righteousness.
- Hebrews 1:8–9
But about the Son He says: “Your throne, O God, endures forever and ever, and justice is the scepter of Your kingdom.
- Psalms 99:4
Through
Proverbs 16:12Wicked behavior is detestable to kings, for a throne is established through righteousness.
it leads to
- Proverbs 25:5
Remove the wicked from the king’s presence, and his throne will be established in righteousness.
- Proverbs 25:5
Where this verse is studied
On this page
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About Psalms
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Augustine of Hippo, Exposition on Psalm 89; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David, Vol. 4; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.