The righteous considereth the cause of the poor,.... Not his poverty and distress, so as to relieve him, which yet he does, Psalm 41:1; nor the person of the poor in judgment, and which he ought not to do; for as he should not regard a rich man's person, and favour him, because he is rich; so neither a poor man, because he is poor, through an affectation of mercy, Leviticus 19:15; but the cause of the poor, and the justice of that, and do him justice, though a poor man. This is to be understood chiefly of a civil magistrate, a judge righteous; who will take notice of and regard a poor man's cause, and take a good deal of pains and care that he is not injured. Or, "knoweth the judgment of the poor" (m) he acquaints himself with his case, makes himself thoroughly master of it, searches out his cause as Job did, Proverbs 29:16;
but the wicked regardeth not to know it; or, "does not understand knowledge" (n) of the poor man's cause and case; and there being no money to be had, he does not care to consider it, and look into it, and get knowledge of it, and do him justice; he will not take his cause in hand, or plead it.
(m) "novit justus causan pauperum", V. L. "cognoscit", Pagninus, Tigurine version, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, &c. "novit et curat justus judicum pauperum", Michaelis; "cognoscit justus litem tenuiem", Schultens. (n) "non intellilget scientiam", Paguinus, Montanus; "intelligit", Mercerus, Piscator, Gejerus, Michaelis, Schultens.

This verse is applicable to compassion for the distress of the poor, and the unfeeling disregard shown by the wicked.

considereth--literally, "knows," as Psalm 1:6.
the cause--that is, in courts of justice (compare Proverbs 29:14). The voluntary neglect of it by the wicked (Proverbs 28:27) occasions oppression.

7 The righteous knoweth the cause of the poor,
But the godless understandeth no knowledge.
The righteous knoweth and recogniseth the righteous claims of people of low estate, i.e., what is due to them as men, and in particular cases; but the godless has no knowledge from which such recognition may go forth (cf. as to the expression, Proverbs 19:25). The proverb begins like Proverbs 12:10, which commends the just man's compassion to his cattle; this commends his sympathy with those who are often treated as cattle, and worse even than cattle. The lxx translates 7b twice: the second time reading רשׁ instead of רשׁע, it makes nonsense of it.