Here primes mean conformal time derivatives, , and spatial derivatives use comoving coordinates in Newtonian gauge in cosmology. Set . The linear cosmological Euler equation gives , while the continuity equation gives .
Differentiate the continuity equation and substitute:
Thus the linear matter density equation in Newtonian gauge is
The common potential in these supplied equations assumes that the relevant scalar anisotropic stress is neglected. No Fourier-sign convention is needed for the derivation in position space.