New International Version
Psalms 50:4
4He summons the heavens above, and the earth, that he may judge his people:
Psalms 50:4 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)He shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth, that he may judge his people.
- English Standard Version (ESV)He calls to the heavens above and to the earth, that he may judge his people:
- New King James Version (NKJV)He shall call to the heavens from above, And to the earth, that He may judge His people:
- New Living Translation (NLT)He calls on the heavens above and earth below to witness the judgment of his people.
Context of Psalms 50:4
2From Zion, perfect in beauty, God shines forth. 3Our God comes and will not be silent; a fire devours before him, and around him a tempest rages. He summons the heavens above, and the earth, that he may judge his people: 5“Gather to me this consecrated people, who made a covenant with me by sacrifice.” 6And the heavens proclaim his righteousness, for he is a God of justice.
Read all of Psalms 50Psalms 50:4 word by word
יִקְרָ֣א אֶל־הַשָּׁמַ֣יִם מֵעָ֑ל וְאֶל־הָ֝אָ֗רֶץ לָדִ֥ין עַמּֽוֹ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Psalms 50:4
- Psalms 50:6And the heavens proclaim his righteousness, for he is a God of justice.
- Deuteronomy 4:36From heaven he made you hear his voice to discipline you. On earth he showed you his great fire, and you heard his words from out of the fire.
- Deuteronomy 30:19This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live
- Deuteronomy 31:28Assemble before me all the elders of your tribes and all your officials, so that I can speak these words in their hearing and call the heavens and the earth to testify against them.
- Deuteronomy 32:1Listen, you heavens, and I will speak; hear, you earth, the words of my mouth.
- Isaiah 1:2Hear me, you heavens! Listen, earth! For the Lord has spoken: “I reared children and brought them up, but they have rebelled against me.
- Micah 6:1Listen to what the Lord says: “Stand up, plead my case before the mountains; let the hills hear what you have to say.
- Psalms 96:13Let all creation rejoice before the Lord, for he comes, he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples in his faithfulness.
- Psalms 98:9let them sing before the Lord, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples with equity.
- Isaiah 11:3and he will delight in the fear of the Lord. He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears;
- John 5:22Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son,
Commentaries on Psalms 50:4
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4He shall call to the heavens from above - He will call on all the universe; he will summon all worlds. The meaning here is, not that he will gather those who are in heaven to be judged, but that he will call on the inhabitants of all worlds to be his witnesses; to bear their attestation to the justice of his sentence. See Psalm 50:6. The phrase “from above” does not, of course, refer to the heavens as being above God, but to the heavens as they appear to…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4-6The Lord is coming to bring justice. This hope encourages his faithful people. However, those who have been unfaithful will not receive blessings when the heavens and earth testify against them (see Deuteronomy 30:19; 31:28; 32:1; Isaiah 1:2). The Lord comes to restore order to the world (see Psalms 5:8; 22:31; 33:5; 40:9; 50:6; 71:16; 97:6).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-231-4. The description of this majestic appearance of God resembles that of His giving the law (compare Ex 19:16; 20:18; De 32:1).Read the comment
Topics related to Psalms 50:4
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Psalms 50
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- The Treasury of David
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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