1 Chronicles 16:14 kjv
He is the LORD our God; his judgments are in all the earth.
1 Chronicles 16:14 nkjv
He is the LORD our God; His judgments are in all the earth.
1 Chronicles 16:14 niv
He is the LORD our God; his judgments are in all the earth.
1 Chronicles 16:14 esv
He is the LORD our God; his judgments are in all the earth.
1 Chronicles 16:14 nlt
He is the LORD our God.
His justice is seen throughout the land.
1 Chronicles 16 14 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Psa 105:7 | He is the Lord our God; His judgments are in all the earth. | Exact parallel verse emphasizing universal rule. |
| Psa 97:9 | For You, O Lord, are most high over all the earth. | God's supremacy over all the world. |
| Psa 83:18 | ...that they may know that You alone, whose name is the Lord, are the Most High over all the earth. | Yahweh's unique and universal highness. |
| Isa 6:3 | ...The whole earth is full of His glory! | God's glory manifested globally. |
| Jer 10:10 | But the Lord is the true God; He is the living God and the everlasting King. At His wrath the earth trembles... | God as the true, eternal, and sovereign King. |
| Psa 22:27 | All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord. | Universal turning to God in future. |
| Dan 4:34-35 | His dominion is an everlasting dominion... and He does according to His will in the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth... | God's eternal and unchallenged dominion. |
| Rev 11:15 | ...The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ... | Final establishment of God's global rule. |
| Zeph 3:8 | ...For My decision is to gather the nations...to pour out on them My indignation... | God's universal judgment on nations. |
| Zec 14:9 | And the Lord will be king over all the earth. In that day the Lord will be the only one, and His name the only one. | Future global kingship of Yahweh. |
| Psa 47:7 | For God is the King of all the earth; sing praises with a psalm. | Call to worship God as universal King. |
| Isa 45:22 | Turn to Me and be saved, all you ends of the earth... | Universal invitation to salvation under God's rule. |
| Mal 1:11 | For from the rising of the sun even to its setting, My name will be great among the nations... | God's name universally recognized. |
| Matt 28:18 | All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. | Christ's universal authority echoing divine rule. |
| Col 1:16 | For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible... | Christ's creative authority implies universal rule. |
| 1 Tim 2:5 | For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus... | Uniqueness of God, implies universal application. |
| Deut 4:39 | Know therefore today, and take it to your heart, that the Lord is God in heaven above and on earth below; there is no other. | Yahweh's singular authority everywhere. |
| Gen 18:25 | ...Shall not the Judge of all the earth deal justly? | God as the ultimate and righteous global Judge. |
| Isa 2:4 | And He will judge between the nations... | God's role in judging and settling disputes among nations. |
| Rom 3:6 | Far from it! For otherwise, how will God judge the world? | God's inherent right and ability to judge the world. |
| Acts 10:42 | And He ordered us to preach to the people, and solemnly to testify that this is the One who has been appointed by God as Judge of the living and the dead. | Christ appointed as the universal Judge. |
| Acts 17:31 | because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed... | God's appointed future global judgment. |
1 Chronicles 16 verses
1 Chronicles 16 14 Meaning
First Chronicles 16:14 proclaims the absolute sovereignty and universal authority of the God of Israel. He is declared as Yahweh, the covenant-keeping God, who stands in a special relationship with His people ("our God"). Furthermore, it asserts that His divine decrees, righteous governance, and justice are not confined to Israel but are operative and observed across the entirety of the earth. This signifies God's comprehensive and inescapable dominion over all nations and creation, serving as both a comfort for His people and a warning to all others.
1 Chronicles 16 14 Context
First Chronicles 16:14 is part of a magnificent psalm (verses 8-36) delivered by King David on the momentous occasion of bringing the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem and setting it in the tent David had prepared for it (1 Chron 16:1, 7). This event marked the centralization of Israel's worship and served as a powerful declaration of God's presence among His people. The psalm is a compilation of sections found in Psa 105:1-15, Psa 96:1-13, and Psa 106:1, 47-48, reflecting David's prophetic and priestly heart. The overall message of the psalm is praise, thanksgiving, and an exaltation of Yahweh as the unique and supreme God who remembers His covenant and whose sovereignty extends over all the earth. Verse 14 specifically reinforces the universal scope of this sovereign God whom Israel worships, distinguishing Him sharply from the local, limited deities of surrounding nations.
1 Chronicles 16 14 Word analysis
- He: Refers implicitly but clearly to Yahweh (the LORD), the subject of the entire psalm. This personal pronoun emphasizes His singularity and identity as the one true God, distinct from any other entity.
- is the LORD:
- Hebrew: YHWH (יְהוָה - transliterated as Yahweh). This is God's personal, covenantal, and proper name revealed to Moses. It signifies His self-existence, eternal nature ("I AM WHO I AM" - Ex 3:14), and His unchanging faithfulness to His promises. The declaration here asserts that the God who reigns universally is the same God who entered into a specific covenant with Israel.
- our God:
- Hebrew: ʾElohim (אֱלֹהִים), modified by the possessive pronoun "our" (נוּ). ʾElohim is a generic term for God or a god, but when used of Yahweh, especially in conjunction with possessive pronouns like "our," it denotes His exclusive and intimate relationship with His covenant people, Israel. It underscores that this universal Lord is specifically their God, who has chosen them and watches over them, creating a unique bond of intimacy and covenant responsibility. This is a contrast to the pagan gods who were not "their God" but limited local deities.
- his judgments:
- Hebrew: mishpaṭīm (מִשְׁפָּטִים). This word carries a rich meaning, not limited to merely punitive verdicts. It encompasses divine decrees, ordinances, just rulings, righteous ways of governing, and even the natural laws established by God. It refers to God's active, rightful, and righteous administration of His creation. It implies His divine control, governance, and justice in action across the cosmos. It can include both positive (justice, order) and negative (punishment) applications.
- are in all the earth:
- Hebrew: bəḵol-hāʾāreṣ (בְּכָל־הָאָרֶץ). This phrase is emphatic on the universal scope of God's authority. "All the earth" refers to the entire planet and its inhabitants. It highlights the inescapable presence and operative power of God's will, justice, and governance everywhere. This is a polemic against the notion of gods confined to specific territories or nations; Yahweh's authority knows no geographical or national boundaries. His "judgments" (mishpatim) are not only proclaimed but are actively present and working throughout the world.
Words-group analysis:
- "He is the LORD our God": This powerful opening establishes the identity of the supreme ruler. It emphasizes God's personal covenant relationship with Israel while simultaneously declaring His inherent, self-existent deity as Yahweh. This pairing of the covenant name and the familial/possessive 'our God' affirms both His transcendent glory and His immanent relationship.
- "his judgments are in all the earth": This clause describes the pervasive nature of God's active rule. It signifies that His divine will, justice, and decrees are not limited to the chosen people or a specific land but extend globally. It means every corner of creation and every human society is subject to His righteous governance, whether acknowledged or not. This phrase encapsulates God's cosmic jurisdiction and the ultimate accountability of all humanity to His divine standard.
1 Chronicles 16 14 Bonus section
The repeated emphasis on God's universal dominion in Old Testament psalms and prophetic literature (like the parallel in Psa 105:7) serves several important theological purposes:
- Doxological: It inspires worship and adoration, as recognizing God's vast and all-encompassing power magnifies His glory.
- Apologetic/Polemics: It powerfully refutes the polytheistic and nationalistic beliefs of surrounding cultures who worshipped localized or limited deities. Yahweh is portrayed as fundamentally different—He is truly the God over everything and everyone.
- Ethical/Moral: If God's judgments are global, then all humanity is held accountable to His universal moral standards, not merely those under a specific covenant. This implies a baseline moral law intrinsic to creation.
- Missiological: Though expressed centuries before the concept of global mission took full form, the assertion that "His judgments are in all the earth" provides an implicit theological basis for the eventual global spread of His truth and the ingathering of nations to Him. If His rule is global, then knowledge of Him should also be global.
- Eschatological: It anticipates the final realization of God's kingdom on earth, when every knee will bow and every tongue confess His lordship, as seen in passages like Zech 14:9 and Rev 11:15. The present reality of His judgments everywhere points to a future where His righteous rule is fully acknowledged and actualized universally.
1 Chronicles 16 14 Commentary
First Chronicles 16:14 is a foundational statement of God's universal sovereignty and active governance. Emerging from David's psalm of praise, it asserts that the God worshiped by Israel, the God of the Ark of the Covenant, is not a local deity but the supreme and ultimate authority over the entire globe. His "judgments" encompass His righteous decrees, ordinances, and acts of justice, implying that all of creation operates under His established order and is accountable to His will. This truth provides immense comfort to believers, assuring them that their God is in complete control, even amidst chaos and unrighteousness in the world. It also serves as a solemn warning to all, believers and non-believers alike, that no one is outside the scope of God's just governance. His universal rule ensures that ultimately, justice will prevail, His plans will be accomplished, and all nations will one day acknowledge His lordship. The practical application is to live in light of His universal authority, trusting His wisdom, submitting to His commands, and recognizing His power to bring about justice and order everywhere.