Psalms 99:4

The mighty King loves justice. You have established equity; You have exercised justice and righteousness in Jacob.

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — The psalmist addresses the worshiping community, shifting from a third-person declaration of God’s holiness to a direct second-person address to the sovereign ruler.

The words — כּוֹנַ֣נְתָּ (ko.Nan.ta) = you have established and מֵישָׁרִ֑ים (mei.sha.Rim) = uprightness describe the concrete action of setting firm standards. מִשְׁפָּ֪ט (mish.Pat) = justice appears twice, marking the repeated focus on legal and moral order.

The thread — Psalms 11:7 states the LORD is righteous and loves justice, while the upright will see His face. Jeremiah 23:5 declares a coming Davidic king will reign wisely and execute justice. Job 36:5 notes God’s might is specifically strength of understanding, not physical force.

Why it lands — It requires the reader to anchor worship in God’s established equity rather than personal preference. It demands that those in Jacob align their conduct with the justice He has fixed in place.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וְעֹ֥זve./'Ozand/ [the] strength of מֶלֶךְ֮me.leKha king מִשְׁפָּ֪טmish.Patjustice אָ֫הֵ֥ב'a.Hevhe loves אַ֭תָּה'A.tahyou כּוֹנַ֣נְתָּko.Nan.tayou have established מֵישָׁרִ֑יםmei.sha.Rimuprightness<es>מִשְׁפָּ֥טmish.Patjustice וּ֝צְדָקָ֗הu./tze.da.Kahand/ righteousness בְּיַעֲקֹ֤ב׀be./ya.'a.Koin/ Jacob אַתָּ֬ה'a.Tahyou עָשִֽׂיתָ׃'a.Si.tayou have done

King James Version

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

Cross-references

Psalms 11:7 For the LORD is righteous; He loves justice. The upright will see His face.
Jeremiah 23:5 Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and He will reign wisely as King and will administer justice and righteousness in the land.
Job 36:5 Indeed, God is mighty, but He despises no one; He is mighty in strength of understanding.
Psalms 45:6 Your throne, O God, endures forever and ever, and justice is the scepter of Your kingdom.
Deuteronomy 10:18 He executes justice for the fatherless and widow, and He loves the foreigner, giving him food and clothing.
Deuteronomy 32:3 For I will proclaim the name of the LORD. Ascribe greatness to our God!
Isaiah 11:3 And He will delight in the fear of the LORD. He will not judge by what His eyes see, and He will not decide by what His ears hear,
Revelation 19:16 And He has a name written on His robe and on His thigh: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.
2 Samuel 23:3 The God of Israel spoke; the Rock of Israel said to me, ‘He who rules the people with justice, who rules in the fear of God,
Job 37:23 The Almighty is beyond our reach; He is exalted in power! In His justice and great righteousness He does not oppress.