Defend the poor and fatherless; Do justice to the afflicted and needy. Deliver the poor and needy; Free them from the hand of the wicked. Psalm 82:3, 4
A Rebuke of Unjust Judgments
A psalm directed to rulers/judges reminding them that they exercise authority as God’s representatives. God is the universal Judge (82:1) and calls human judges to defend the rights of the helpless. Unjust human judges will be judged by God.
“Gods” (82:1-6). The use of Elohim (“gods”) here does not suggest deity, but rather that God is making some men judges shared His prerogatives with them. Jesus referred to verse 6 when defending His claim to be the Son of God (John 10:34). If some of the divine privileges were shared with mere human beings, how could Christ’s enemies condemn One whose miracles showed His divine commission from making a somewhat similar, though greater, claim?
Jesus answered them, “Many good works I have shown you from My Father. For which of those works do you stone Me?” 33 The Jews answered Him, saying, “For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy, and because You, being a Man, make Yourself God.” 34 Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your law, ‘I said, “You are gods” ‘? 35 If He called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be broken), 36 do you say of Him whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’? 37 If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; 38 but if I do, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know and believe that the Father is in Me, and I in Him.” John 10:31-38
82:1, 2 The congregation of the mighty refers to an assembly before God. Asaph uses the language of Job 1, Ps. 110 and Is. 6 as a teaching device to present a morality tale. Asaph describes the wicked judges of all time gathering before God and His angels to give an accounting of themselves. gods: The Hebrew word may refer to the true God or to false gods. Here it is the judges of the earth (see also v. 6). Asaph uses this honorific term sarcastically to express his contempt for the evil judges. Judge unjustly: The unrighteous judges had perverted their calling, which was to represent God Himself by establishing justice on the earth.
God stands in the congregation of the mighty; He judges among the gods. 2 How long will you judge unjustly, And show partiality to the wicked?
82:3 God expects all judges to administer true justice. Do justice: These words summarize the teaching of the Law and indicate God’s basic desire that the defenseless would find a haven of justice in the courts.
3 Defend the poor and fatherless; Do justice to the afflicted and needy. 4 Deliver the poor and needy; Free them from the hand of the wicked.
82:5 They do not know is the collective sigh of oppressed people of all ages. Wicked judges act as if they did not care about their official responsibility or the judgement they will face for abusing it. All the foundations of the earth are unstable: In 11:3, the taunt of the wicked is that the earth’s foundations are destroyed. This is said to be untrue, for God is still in control. In this psalm, however, the situation is deemed unstable because of the profound wickedness of the judges.
5 They do not know, nor do they understand; They walk about in darkness; All the foundations of the earth are unstable.
82:6, 7 die like men: Jesus quoted these verses in His exchange with the religious authorities who wanted to stone Him for declaring Himself to be the Son of God (John 10:31-35).
6 I said, “You are gods, And all of you are children of the Most High. 7 But you shall die like men, And fall like one of the princes.”
Then the Jews took up stones again to stone Him. 32 Jesus answered them, “Many good works I have shown you from My Father. For which of those works do you stone Me?” 33 The Jews answered Him, saying, “For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy, and because You, being a Man, make Yourself God.” 34 Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your law, ‘I said, “You are gods” ‘? 35 If He called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be broken), John 10:31-35
82:8 Arise, O God: In view of the overwhelming disaster that wicked judges have created, the poor and afflicted of all time call out for the true Judge, God Himself to come. Their cry will not go unheeded. The righteous Judge is coming, and He will establish justice (96:13, 98:9).
8 Arise, O God, judge the earth; For You shall inherit all nations.
** “Defend the poor… Do justice to the afflicted and needy. Deliver the poor and needy; Free them from the hand of the wicked.” These verses are not merely poetic phrases. They are the words spoken by God that we must obey. Help and deliver in each of our own capacity.
82 1 A Psalm of Asaph. God stands in the congregation of the mighty; He judges among the gods. 2 How long will you judge unjustly, And show partiality to the wicked? Selah 3 Defend the poor and fatherless; Do justice to the afflicted and needy. 4 Deliver the poor and needy; Free them from the hand of the wicked. 5 They do not know, nor do they understand; They walk about in darkness; All the foundations of the earth are unstable. 6 I said, “You are gods, And all of you are children of the Most High. 7 But you shall die like men, And fall like one of the princes.” 8 Arise, O God, judge the earth; For You shall inherit all nations.
