---
title: "Psalm 33:5"
description: "God 'loves righteousness and justice,' and the earth is full of His lovingkindness — justice and mercy are united in His character, not opposed. This refutes the idea that showing mercy requires abandoning justice; God holds both."
type: "scripture"
book: "Psalms"
chapter: 33
verses: "5"
translation: "NASB"
refutes: "Pro-life incrementalism"
affirms_abolition: true
themes:
  - "God loves justice"
  - "justice and mercy united"
  - "lovingkindness"
source_url: "https://www.abhortion.org/scripture/psalm-33-5.html"
---

# Psalm 33:5

Book of Psalms · Chapter 33

## The text

> He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the lovingkindness of the Lord.
> — Psalm 33:5, NASB

**The claim this verse counters:** "Justice and mercy are in tension, so mercy (sparing the guilty) can override justice."

## The argument

God 'loves righteousness and justice,' and the earth is full of His lovingkindness — justice and mercy are united in His character, not opposed. This refutes the idea that showing mercy requires abandoning justice; God holds both.

## Context & notes

Another foundation text. Also useful against the framing that establishing justice is 'unmerciful,' since the same verse joins justice to lovingkindness.

## Themes

- God loves justice
- justice and mercy united
- lovingkindness

## Discussion questions

1. The verse joins justice and lovingkindness in God. Does doing justice for the unborn conflict with mercy — or express it?
2. How can mercy toward a coerced mother coexist with justice for the child?

## Source transcript

Drawn from Does the Pro-Life Movement Hate Justice? (T. Russell Hunter, 'Justice Alone') — 'He loves righteousness and justice... Psalm 33:5.'.

## Related

**Related scriptures:**

- [Isaiah 61:8](isaiah-61-8.md)
- [Proverbs 21:15](proverbs-21-15.md)
- [Micah 6:8](micah-6-8.md)

**Related arguments:**

- [God commands 'justice, and only justice' — not partial or deferred justice](../arguments/arg-justice-only.md)
- [“Making mothers subject to prosecution (up to capital murder) is unjust, cruel, and…”](../arguments/def-prosecute-women.md)

## Attribution

Verse text is quoted from the NASB. Scripture quotations taken from the New American Standard Bible® (NASB), Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org