The Meaning of Psalms 50:6 Explained

Psalms 50:6

KJV: And the heavens shall declare his righteousness: for God is judge himself. Selah.

YLT: And the heavens declare His righteousness, For God Himself is judge. Selah.

Darby: And the heavens shall declare his righteousness; for God executeth judgment himself. Selah.

ASV: And the heavens shall declare his righteousness; For God is judge himself. Selah

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And the heavens  shall declare  his righteousness:  for God  [is] judge  himself. Selah. 

What does Psalms 50:6 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalms 50:1-15 - Sacrifices Which God Desires
This is one of the most majestic compositions of this book. For literary power it cannot be excelled. The psalmist hears God calling the whole world from east to west. His presence is compared to the dawn and to a tropical storm. When He is seated on His throne, the heavens and the earth bear witness while He judges His people. Then up the crowded aisles His saints advance and stand before Him.
There is no need to enlarge upon the spiritual insight of the psalmist, who realizes that God cannot be enriched by anything that we can bring; but insists on the sacrifice of thanksgiving, vows of consecration, and the loud call for help in the day of trouble. These are characteristic of those whose God is the Lord, and of the people whom He has taken for His own inheritance. Let us specially ponder these three conditions of the happy life, Psalms 50:14-15. What comfort is contained in the blessed promise of Psalms 50:15! It is so absolute in its certainty and assurance. God has here bound Himself to deliver the soul that calls on Him in its trouble and give it reason to glorify Him. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalms 50

1  The majesty of God in the church
5  His order to gather his saints
7  The pleasure of God is not in ceremonies
14  but in sincerity of obedience

What do the individual words in Psalms 50:6 mean?

And let declare the heavens His righteousness for God Judge He [is] Selah
וַיַּגִּ֣ידוּ שָׁמַ֣יִם צִדְק֑וֹ כִּֽי־ אֱלֹהִ֓ים ׀ שֹׁפֵ֖ט ה֣וּא סֶֽלָה

וַיַּגִּ֣ידוּ  And  let  declare 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: נָגַד  
Sense: to be conspicuous, tell, make known.
שָׁמַ֣יִם  the  heavens 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: שָׁמַיִם  
Sense: heaven, heavens, sky.
צִדְק֑וֹ  His  righteousness 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: צֶדֶק  
Sense: justice, rightness, righteousness.
אֱלֹהִ֓ים ׀  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
שֹׁפֵ֖ט  Judge 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: שָׁפַט  
Sense: to judge, govern, vindicate, punish.
ה֣וּא  He  [is] 
Parse: Pronoun, third person masculine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.
סֶֽלָה  Selah 
Parse: Interjection
Root: סֶלָה  
Sense: to lift up, exalt.