Open your mouth, judge in righteousness, ¹  and plead the cause ²  of the poor and needy.

The one who lives ¹  uprightly ²  and speaks honestly; the one who refuses to profit from oppressive measures and rejects a bribe; ³  the one who does not plot violent crimes ⁴  and does not seek to harm others ⁵  –

So I said to the Lord, ¹  “O Lord who rules over all, ²  you are a just judge! You examine people’s hearts and minds. ³  I want to see you pay them back for what they have done because I trust you to vindicate my cause.” ⁴ 

For you defended my just cause; ¹  from your throne you pronounced a just decision. ² 

I furthermore admonished your judges at that time that they ¹  should pay attention to issues among your fellow citizens ²  and judge fairly, ³  whether between one citizen and another ⁴  or a citizen and a resident foreigner. ⁵ 

The God of Israel spoke, the protector ¹  of Israel spoke to me. The one who rules fairly among men, the one who rules in the fear of God,

Say among the nations, “The Lord reigns! The world is established, it cannot be moved. He judges the nations fairly.”

It trains us ¹  to reject godless ways ²  and worldly desires and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age,

When he was maligned, he ¹  did not answer back; when he suffered, he threatened ²  no retaliation, ³  but committed himself to God ⁴  who judges justly.

Let foreigners ¹  rejoice and celebrate! For you execute justice among the nations, and govern the people living on earth. ²  (Selah)

Look, a king will promote fairness; ¹  officials will promote justice. ² 

Do not judge according to external appearance, ¹  but judge with proper ²  judgment.”

If you know that he is righteous, you also know ¹  that everyone who practices righteousness has been fathered ²  by him.

No one is concerned about justice; ¹  no one sets forth his case truthfully. They depend on false words ²  and tell lies; they conceive of oppression ³  and give birth to sin.

because he has set ¹  a day on which he is going to judge the world ²  in righteousness, by a man whom he designated, ³  having provided proof to everyone by raising ⁴  him from the dead.”

and maintain good conduct ¹  among the non-Christians, ²  so that though ³  they now malign you as wrongdoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God when he appears. ⁴ 

The evildoer must continue to do evil, ¹  and the one who is morally filthy ²  must continue to be filthy. The ³  one who is righteous must continue to act righteously, and the one who is holy must continue to be holy.”

Far be it from you to do such a thing – to kill the godly with the wicked, treating the godly and the wicked alike! Far be it from you! Will not the judge ¹  of the whole earth do what is right?” ² 

“When a righteous person turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and I set an obstacle ¹  before him, he will die. If you have not warned him, he will die for his sin. The righteous deeds he performed will not be considered, but I will hold you accountable for his death.