The Meaning of Psalms 94:15 Explained

Psalms 94:15

KJV: But judgment shall return unto righteousness: and all the upright in heart shall follow it.

YLT: For to righteousness judgment turneth back, And after it all the upright of heart,

Darby: For judgment shall return unto righteousness, and all the upright in heart shall follow it.

ASV: For judgment shall return unto righteousness; And all the upright in heart shall follow it.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

But judgment  shall return  unto righteousness:  and all the upright  in heart  shall follow  it. 

What does Psalms 94:15 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalms 94:6-23 - The Lord Our Defense Against Evil-Doers
Let us ponder all the great things that God will do for them that trust Him. He planted the ear, and will detect the sigh, sob, or broken utterance of His child, Psalms 94:9. He formed the eye, and He knows our sorrows. He watches the sparrow's fall, and His child is of more value than many sparrows. He corrects us; shall we not be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live, Psalms 94:10? He knows our thoughts; let us ask Him to purify and restrain them, Psalms 94:11. He teaches out of His Law; let us be diligent students of the Scriptures, Psalms 94:12. He will neither cast us off nor forsake us, Psalms 94:14.
The Lord is our help, and the soul that trusts Him shall not be silenced, Psalms 94:17. He holds us up when our foot slips, Psalms 94:18. Whatever thoughts may startle or affright us, God has a comfort suited to counteract each of them. His comforts delight the soul. They bring joy and hope with them, Psalms 94:19. He defends us against the charges laid at our door, and is a rock on which we may stand steadily, amid the seething waters, Psalms 94:22. If God be for us, who can be against us, or who can separate us from His love? Romans 8:31. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalms 94

1  The prophet, calling for justice, complains of tyranny and impiety
8  He teaches God's providence
12  He shows the blessedness of affliction
16  God is the defender of the afflicted

What do the individual words in Psalms 94:15 mean?

But to righteousness and will return judgment and will follow it all The upright in heart
כִּֽי־ עַד־ צֶ֭דֶק יָשׁ֣וּב מִשְׁפָּ֑ט וְ֝אַחֲרָ֗יו כָּל־ יִשְׁרֵי־ לֵֽב

צֶ֭דֶק  righteousness 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: צֶדֶק  
Sense: justice, rightness, righteousness.
יָשׁ֣וּב  and  will  return 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שׁוּב  
Sense: to return, turn back.
מִשְׁפָּ֑ט  judgment 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִשְׁפָּט  
Sense: judgment, justice, ordinance.
וְ֝אַחֲרָ֗יו  and  will  follow  it 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition, third person masculine singular
Root: אַחַר 
Sense: after the following part, behind (of place), hinder, afterwards (of time).
יִשְׁרֵי־  The  upright 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural construct
Root: יָשָׁר 
Sense: straight, upright, correct, right.
לֵֽב  in  heart 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: לֵב 
Sense: inner man, mind, will, heart, understanding.