Psalms 72:2 — Word Study
WLCיָדִ֣ין עַמְּךָ֣ בְצֶ֑דֶק וַעֲנִיֶּ֥יךָ בְמִשְׁפָּֽט׃
BSAMay he judgedîyn▸ [govern, rule with wisdom] Your peopleʻam [nation, those belonging to You] with righteousnesstsedeq [justice, moral integrity] and Your afflictedʻânîy [poor, humble, weak ones] with justicemishpâṭ [fairness, judgment]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| יָדִ֣ין | he will judge | Verb, Qal, imperfect third person masculine singular |
| עַמְּךָ֣ | people your | Noun common masculine singular construct, suffix |
| בְצֶ֑דֶק | with righteousness | Preposition, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| וַעֲנִיֶּ֥יךָ | and poor [people] your | Conjunction, suffix |
| בְמִשְׁפָּֽט׃ | with justice | Preposition, noun common masculine singular absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | May he judge Your people with righteousness and Your afflicted with justice. |
| KJV | He shall judge thy people with righteousness, and thy poor with judgment. |
| ASV | He will judge thy people with righteousness, And thy poor with justice. |
| YLT | He judgeth Thy people with righteousness, And Thy poor with judgment. |
| WEB | He will judge your people with righteousness, and your poor with justice. |
| BBE | May he be a judge of your people in righteousness, and make true decisions for the poor. |
The translations agree in their rendering of the verse, maintaining the core message of justice and righteousness.
The verse consists of two main clauses linked by a conjunction, each with its own object and manner of judgment.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbדִּין
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Psalms 72:2
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — A Royal Psalm for Justicegenerated
Psalm 72:2 expresses a plea for the king to judge the people with righteousness and to ensure justice for the afflicted. This psalm highlights the ideal qualities of a ruler, emphasizing the importance of moral integrity and fairness in leadership. The context of the psalm suggests a desire for a king who embodies these virtues, reflecting God's character in governance.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psalm 72:12–14 | For he will deliver the needy who cry out and the afflicted who have no helper. |
| 2 | Psalm 45:6–7 | Your throne, O God, endures forever and ever, and justice is the scepter of Your kingdom. |
| 3 | 1 Kings 3:5–10 | One night at Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream, and God said, “Ask, and I will give it to you!” |
| 4 | Isaiah 11:3–5 | 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, |
| 5 | Isaiah 32:1–17 | Behold, a king will reign in righteousness, and princes will rule with justice. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 10 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — יָדִין, ya.Dingenerated
The verb יָדִין (ya.Din) is a Qal imperfect form meaning 'he will judge.' It indicates an ongoing action of judging or governing, emphasizing the role of the king as a just ruler. The root דִּין (diyn) encompasses the act of executing judgment and pleading a cause, suggesting a deep responsibility in leadership.
This verb carries the sense of moral authority and accountability, reflecting the expectation that a king should not only enforce laws but also embody righteousness in his judgments. The use of this term in the psalm indicates a divine endorsement of the king's role in maintaining justice.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The finite verb יָדִין governs the entire verse, indicating the action of judging. The structure includes two noun phrases as objects: עַמְּךָ (your people) and וַעֲנִיֶּיךָ (your afflicted), each followed by a prepositional phrase describing the manner of judgment.
The order emphasizes the king's responsibility to judge both the people and the afflicted, highlighting the dual focus on justice and righteousness in leadership.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint uses the Greek word κρίνειν (krínein) to translate יָדִין. This choice emphasizes the act of judging, aligning closely with the Hebrew meaning but also suggesting a broader understanding of judgment as it relates to divine authority.
This translation choice reflects the importance of justice in governance, resonating with the expectations of a righteous ruler in both the Hebrew and Greek contexts.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Psalm 72:2 asks God to help the king judge the people fairly and to care for the poor and afflicted. The psalm emphasizes the need for justice and righteousness in leadership, reflecting God's own character.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It means the king should govern with fairness and moral integrity, ensuring that justice is served for all people.
The 'afflicted' refers to the poor, humble, or weak individuals in society who require protection and justice.
Justice is crucial in leadership as it ensures that all individuals are treated fairly and that the rights of the vulnerable are upheld.
This verse reflects God's character by emphasizing His commitment to justice and righteousness, qualities that He desires in human leaders.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways can I ensure that I practice fairness and justice in my own life?
- How can leaders today embody the principles of righteousness and justice described in this psalm?
- What are some examples of how God has shown justice in the world?
- How can we support those who are afflicted or marginalized in our communities?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early commentary on this verse is provided by Augustine of Hippo, who reflects on the themes of justice and leadership found in Psalm 72.
Next there follows, "To judge Your people in justice, and Your poor in judgment" [Psalms 72:2].Early Church Fathers on Psalms 72 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Psalms 72:2 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleHe shall judge thy people with righteousness,.... Or, "so shall he judge"; or, "that he may judge" (n), as the Syriac and Arabic versions; having the judgments and righteousness of God given him, he
Read John Gill on Psalms 72 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryHe shall judge thy people with righteousness, and thy poor with judgment. He shall judge ... thy poor with judgment - the afflicted ones among the people of God.
Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 72 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleHe shall judge, to wit, if thou givest him what I have desired. And by this prediction he doth tacitly admonish him of, and oblige him to, the performance of his duty herein. Or, Let him judge; the future being put for the imperative, as hath been oft observed. So it is a prayer. Thy people; for they are thine more than his; and therefore he must not govern them according to his own will and pleasure, but according to the rules of thy word, and for thy service and glory. Thy poor; or, thy afflicted or oppressed ones, for such are thine in a special manner; thou art their Judge and Patron, , and hast commanded all thy people, and especially kings and magistrates, to take a singular care of…
Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 72 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsPsalms 72:2 He shall judge thy people with righteousness, and thy poor with judgment.Ver. 2. He shall judge thy people with righteousness] sc. If thou please to remember thy promise to me, and to answer this my prayer of faith founded thereupon. And thy poor] Or, thine afflicted. The people (the poor afflicted especially) are the Lord’ s and therefore not to be tyrannized over and trampled on by their governors.
Read John Trapp on Psalms 72 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(1, 2) The order of the words should be noticed—“judgments,” “righteousness,” “righteousness,” “judgment”—as offering a good instance of introverted parallelism. With regard to the meaning of the words we are placed on practical ground; they refer to the faculty of judging in affairs of government, of coming to a great and fair decision. In fact, whether Solomon be the intended subject of the poem or not, the prayer made in his dream at Gibeon (1 Kings 3:9) is the best comment on these verses. (Comp. Isaiah 11:4; Isaiah 32:1.)
Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 72 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 2. He shall judge thy people with righteousness] With justice and mercy mixed, or according to equity. And thy poor with judgment.] Every one according to the law which thou hast appointed; but with especial tenderness to the poor and afflicted.
Read AdamClarke on Psalms 72 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges2. He shall give sentence to thy people with righteousness, And to thine afflicted ones with Judgement. Many commentators render the verbs throughout the Ps. as optatives, Let him give sentence, and so forth. In Psalms 72:8 ff. this rendering is required by the form of the verb; but here the form is a simple future. The administration of the king endowed with divine capacities for ruling is described (Psalms 72:2; Psalms 72:4; Psalms 72:6), together with the resultant blessings (3, 5, 7). The rendering give sentence is adopted to indicate that the Heb. word is different from that in Psalms 72:4. It has been argued that ‘thine afflicted ones’ implies that the nation was at the time in a…
Read Cambridge on Psalms 72 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleHe shall judge thy people with righteousness - On this verse see the notes at Isaiah 11:3-4. The fact that this so entirely accords with the description in Isa.
Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 72 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
May he judge Your people with righteousness and Your afflicted with justice.
He will judge your people with righteousness, and your poor with justice.
May he judge Your people with righteousness and Your afflicted with justice.
Then he will judge your people fairly, and your oppressed ones equitably.
Tyndale line
He shall judge thy people with righteousness, and thy poor with judgment.
He will judge thy people with righteousness, And thy poor with justice.
He shall judge thy people with righteousness, and thy poor with judgment.
He shall judge thy people with righteousness, and thy poor with judgment.
Then shall he iudge thy people in righteousnesse, and thy poore with equitie.
Strictly literal
He will judge thy people with righteousness, and thine afflicted with judgment.
He judgeth Thy people with righteousness, And Thy poor with judgment.
He judges Your people with righteousness, || And Your poor with judgment.
He shall decide for thy people with righteousness, and for thy afflicted with justice.
May he judge your people with righteousness and your poor with justice.
From the Latin
But my feet were almost moved; my steps had well nigh slipped.
Simplified
May he rightly judge your people, and may he be fair to the poor.
May he be a judge of your people in righteousness, and make true decisions for the poor.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree in the wording of יָדִין עַמְּךָ בְצֶדֶק וַעֲנִיֶּיךָ בְמִשְׁפָּט, maintaining the same key concepts of judgment and justice. The Septuagint's word order differs but retains the essential meaning.
יָדִ֣ין עַמְּךָ֣ בְצֶ֑דֶק וַעֲנִיֶּ֥יךָ בְמִשְׁפָּֽט׃
5 of the 5 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Psalms 72:2
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
דִּין (diyn) means to judge or govern, encompassing actions like executing judgment, pleading a cause, and contending. The verb appears in various forms, including Qal and Niphal, indicating both active and passive roles in judgment and strife. Strong's entry also notes a connection to a straight course, particularly in Genesis 6:3.
דִּין vb. judge
Qal
act as judge, minister judgment
plead the cause
execute judgment, vindicate
execute judgment, requite
govern
he cannot contend with one mightier than he
Niph. and all the people were at strife throughout all the tribes of Israel
base
H1777 דִּין judge .. act as judge, minister judgment
. plead the cause
. execute judgment, vindicate
. execute judgment, requite
. govern
. he cannot contend with one mightier than he
. and all the people were at strife throughout all the tribes of Israel
1777 diyn deen
or (Gen. 6:3) duwn {doon}; a primitive roy a straight course,
i.e. sail direct:--(come) with a straight course.
דִּין (din) — to judge.
1) to judge, contend, plead
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to act as judge, minister judgment
1a2) to plead a cause
1a3) to execute judgment, requite, vindicate
1a4) to govern
1a5) to contend, strive
1b) (Niphal) to be at strife, quarrel
Aramaic equivalent: din (דִּין "to judge" H1778)
V-Qal-Imperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singularHVqi3ms
juj (shopheT; New Testament dikastes, krites): In the early patriarchal times the heads of families and the elders of the tribes were the judges (compare Ge 38:24), and their authority was based on custom. In the wilderness Moses alone was the judge until Jethro suggested a scheme of devolution. On his advice Moses divided the people into groups of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens, and over each group a wise and good man was set as a judge. Thereafter only the most important cases were brought before Moses (Ex 18:13-26; De 1:9-17). This arrangement ceased to be practicable when the children of Israel settled down in Canaan. Although David took counsel with the heads of thousands and hundreds (
Judge
(Heb. shophet, pl. shophetim), properly a magistrate or ruler, rather than one who judges in the sense of trying a cause. This is the name given to those rulers who presided over the affairs of the Israelites during the interval between the death of Joshua and the accession of Saul (Judg. 2:18), a period of general anarchy and confusion. “The office of judges or regents was held during life, but it was not hereditary, neither could they appoint their successors. Their authority was limited by the law alone, and in doubtful cases they were directed to consult the divine King through the priest by Urim and Thummim (Num. 27:21). Their authority extended only over those tribes by whom they had been elected or acknowledged. There was no income attached to their office, and they…
→ Appointed by the Persians Ezr 7:25
→ Kings and other rulers as 2Sa 8:15; 15:2; 1Ki 3:16-28; 10:9; 2Ki 8:1-6; Ps 72:1-4; Mt 27:11-26; Ac 23:34,35; 24; 25:11,12
→ Priests and Levites as De 17:9; 2Ch 19:8; Eze 44:23,24; Mt 26:57-62
עַם (am) primarily means 'people' or 'nation,' referring to a collective group, often in the context of tribes such as those of Israel. It can also denote kinsmen or compatriots. The term appears in various contexts, including military and familial references. There is a mention of a specific individual named Ammi in Song of Solomon 6:12.
עַם, עָם 1810 n.m. people
a people, nation
= smaller units
= common people
people in gen., persons
phrases
base
[עַם] n.[m.] kinsman (on father's side)
base
H5971a עַם, עָם people H5971b עַם kinsman (on father's side)
5971 `am am
from 6004; a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a
tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or
attendants; figuratively, a flock:--folk, men, nation,
people.
see HEBREW for 06004
עַם (am) — people.
: people/nation
1) nation, people
1a) people, nation
1b) persons, members of one's people, compatriots, country-men
עַם (am) — kinsman.
kinsman, kindred
עַם (am) — Ammi.
A man living at the time of United Monarchy, only mentioned at Sng.6.12
§ kinsman, kindred
עַם (am) — People's (Gate).
§ kinsman, kindred
עַם (am) — (Ibleam)-am.
Combined with yiv.le.am (יִבְלְעָם "Ibleam" H2991)
§ kinsman, kindred
עַם (am) — Amaw.
This name means nation, people
עַם (am) — people: soldiers.
: soldiers/army
1) nation, people
1a) people, nation
1b) persons, members of one's people, compatriots, country-men
עַם (am) — people: creatures.
: creatures
1) nation, people
1a) people, nation
1b) persons, members of one's people, compatriots, country-men
N-ms | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffixHNcmsc/Sp2ms
צֶ֫דֶק (tsedeq) refers to concepts of rightness and righteousness, encompassing moral, legal, and natural dimensions. It includes justice in governance, ethical correctness, and vindication in disputes. The term also suggests prosperity and deliverance, particularly in relation to God's covenant and the Messianic king. The entries consistently emphasize its broad application in both personal and societal contexts.
צֶ֫דֶק n.m. rightness, righteousness
what is right, just, normal; rightness, justness, of weights and measures
righteousness, in government
righteousness, justice, in a case or cause
rightness, in speech
righteousness, as ethically right
righteousness, as vindicated, justification in controversy with enemies and troubles, deliverance, victory, prosperity
base
H6664 צֶ֫דֶק rightness, righteousness . what is right, just, normal; rightness, justness, of weights and measures
. righteousness, in government
. righteousness, justice, in a case or cause
. rightness, in speech
. righteousness, as ethically right
. righteousness, as vindicated, justification in controversy with enemies and troubles, deliverance, victory, prosperity
6664 tsedeq tseh'-dek
from 6663; the right (natural, moral or legal); also
(abstractly) equity or (figuratively) prosperity:--X even, (X
that which is altogether) just(-ice), ((un-))right(-eous)
(cause, -ly, - ness).
see HEBREW for 06663
צֶ֫דֶק (tse.deq) — righteousness.
1) justice, rightness, righteousness
1a) what is right or just or normal, rightness, justness (of weights and measures)
1b) righteousness (in government)
1b1) of judges, rulers, kings
1b2) of law
1b3) of Davidic king, Messiah
1b4) of Jerusalem as seat of just government
1b5) of God's attribute
1c) righteousness, justice (in case or cause)
1d) rightness (in speech)
1e) righteousness (as ethically right)
1f) righteousness (as vindicated), justification (in controversy), deliverance, victory, prosperity
1f1) of God as covenant-keeping in redemption
1f2) in name of Messianic king
1f3) of people enjoying salvation
1f4) of Cyrus
צֶ֫דֶק (tse.deq) — Righteousness.
This name means justice, righteousness
Another name of ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068G)
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular absoluteHR/Ncmsa
ri'-chus-nes (tsaddiq, adjective, "righteous," or occasionally "just" tsedheq, noun, occasionally = "riahteousness," occasionally = "justice"; dikaios, adjective, dikaiosune, noun, from dike, whose first meaning seems to have been "custom"; the general use suggested conformity to a standard: righteousness, "the state of him who is such as he ought to be" (Thayer)):
1. Double Aspect of Righteousness: Changing and Permanent
2. Social Customs and Righteousness
3. Changing Conception of Character of God: Obligations of Power
4. Righteousness as Inner
5. Righteousness as Social
6. Righteousness as Expanding in Content with Growth in Ideals of Human Worth
LITERATURE
1. Double Aspect of Righteousness: Changing and Permanent:
In Christian thought the idea of righteousness contains both a permanent and a changing element. The fixed element is the will to do right; the changing factor is the conception of…
Righteousness
See JUSTIFICATION.
Rectitude, justice, holiness; an essential perfection of God’s character, Job 36:3; Isa 51:5-8; Joh 17:25; and of his administration, Ge 18:25; Ro 3:21,22; 10:3. It is the wonder of grace that as the righteous guardian of the law, he can acquit the unrighteous. "The righteousness of Christ" includes his spotless holiness, his perfect obedience the law demands; and "the righteousness of faith" is that imputed to the sinner who believes in Christ. With reference to personal character, righteousness is used both for uprightness between man and man, and for true religion,
עָנִי (aniy) describes a state of being poor, afflicted, or humble. It is built from the root meaning to be depressed in mind or circumstances. The entries indicate it covers a range of meanings including needy, lowly, and wretched. There is a noted disagreement regarding its relationship to another word, עָנָה (anah), with some lexicons viewing one as subjective and the other as objective.
עָנִי adj. poor, afflicted, humble
base
H6041 עָנִי poor, afflicted, humble
6041 `aniy aw-nee'
from 6031; depressed, in mind or circumstances (practically
the same as 6035, although the margin constantly disputes
this, making 6035 subjective and 6041 objective):--afflicted,
humble, lowly, needy, poor.
see HEBREW for 06031
see HEBREW for 06035
see HEBREW for 06035
see HEBREW for 06041
עָנִי (a.ni) — afflicted.
1) poor, afflicted, humble, wretched
1a) poor, needy
1b) poor and weak
1c) poor, weak, afflicted, wretched
1d) humble, lowly
Conj | Adj | Suff — Conjunction · suffixHC/Aampc/Sp2ms
The Hebrew word מִשְׁפָּט (mishpat) primarily means judgment or justice and encompasses various aspects such as legal rights, ordinances, and decisions. It is derived from a root meaning to pronounce a verdict, covering both human and divine law. The entries highlight its application in legal contexts, including the act of deciding cases and the attributes of justice and rectitude.
מִשְׁפָּט 422 n.m. judgment
judgment
justice, right, rectitude
ordinance
decision
one's (legal) right, privilege, due
proper, fitting, measure
custom, manner
what manner of
plan
base
H4941 מִשְׁפָּט judgment . judgment
. justice, right, rectitude
. ordinance
. decision
. one's (legal) right, privilege, due
. . proper, fitting, measure
. custom, manner
. what manner of
. plan
4941 mishpat mish-pawt'
from 8199; properly, a verdict (favorable or unfavorable)
pronounced judicially, especially a sentence or formal decree
(human or (participant's) divine law, individual or
collective), including the act, the place, the suit, the
crime, and the penalty; abstractly, justice, including a
participant's right or privilege (statutory or customary), or
even a style:--+ adversary, ceremony, charge, X crime,
custom, desert, determination, discretion, disposing, due,
fashion, form, to be judged, judgment, just(-ice, -ly),
(manner of) law(-ful), manner, measure, (due) order,
ordinance, right, sentence, usest, X worthy, + wrong.
see HEBREW for 08199
מִשְׁפָּט (mish.pat) — justice: judgement.
: judgement/punishment
1) judgment, justice, ordinance
1a) judgment
1a1) act of deciding a case
1a2) place, court, seat of judgment
1a3) process, procedure, litigation (before judges)
1a4) case, cause (presented for judgment)
1a5) sentence, decision (of judgment)
1a6) execution (of judgment)
1a7) time (of judgment)
1b) justice, right, rectitude (attributes of God or man)
1c) ordinance
1d) decision (in law)
1e) right, privilege, due (legal)
1f) proper, fitting, measure, fitness, custom, manner, plan
מִשְׁפָּט (mish.pat) — justice.
: justice/right/righteousness
1) judgment, justice, ordinance
1a) judgment
1a1) act of deciding a case
1a2) place, court, seat of judgment
1a3) process, procedure, litigation (before judges)
1a4) case, cause (presented for judgment)
1a5) sentence, decision (of judgment)
1a6) execution (of judgment)
1a7) time (of judgment)
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular absoluteHR/Ncmsa
jus'-tis (tsedhaqah; tsedheq; dikaiosune): The original Hebrew and Greek words are the same as those rendered "righteousness." This is the common rendering, and in about half the cases where we have "just" and "justice" in the King James Version, the American Standard Revised Version has changed to "righteous" and "righteousness." It must be constantly borne in mind that the two ideas are essentially the same.
See RIGHTEOUSNESS.
1. Human Justice:
Justice had primarily to do with conduct in relation to others, especially with regard to the rights of others. It is applied to business, where just weights and measures are demanded (Le 19:35,36; De 25:13-16; Am 8:5; Pr 11:1; 16:11…
Justice
Is rendering to every one that which is his due. It has been distinguished from equity in this respect, that while justice means merely the doing what positive law demands, equity means the doing of what is fair and right in every separate case.
A principle of righteousness and equity, controlling our conduct, and securing a due regard to all the rights of others-their persons, property, character, and interests. It has to do, not with pecuniary transactions alone, but with all our intercourse with society. It forms a chief element of the character approved in God’s word; and a truly just man has but to "love mercy, and walk humbly with God," to fulfil all righteousness. Justice in magistrates, rulers, and judges, must be fearless and impartial, and all its decisions such as will bear revision before the court of heaven, De 1:16,17 2Sa 23:3 2Ch 19:6-10. Judgement is peculiarly the prerogative of God, and every earthly tribunal lies under the shadow of the "great white…
→ General scriptures concerning Ex 23:1-3,6-8; Le 19:13-15; De 16:18-20; 25:1-4; Ezr 7:26; Ps 72:1,2; 82:2-4; Pr 17:15,26; 18:5,17; 20:8; 22:27; 24:23; 28:21; 29:26; Ec 3:16,17; 5:8; 7:7; Isa 1:17; 56:1; 59:14,15; Jer 22:1-4; La 3:35,36; Am 5:7,11,12;