Wisdom & Poetry · Old Testament
Psalms 82
Psalm 82: God judges among the gods and tells them they shall die like men
General context
The psalm opens with God standing in the congregation of the mighty and judging among the gods. A voice asks how long they will judge unjustly and accept the persons of the wicked, and a Selah follows. The charge is given: defend the poor and fatherless, do justice to the afflicted and needy, deliver the poor and needy and rid them out of the hand of the wicked. The judged ones are described as not knowing and not understanding, walking on in darkness, while all the foundations of the earth are out of course. The speaker says, I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High, but ye shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes. The psalm ends with a plea: Arise, O God, judge the earth: for thou shalt inherit all nations.
Cited passages: Psalms 82:1, Psalms 82:2, Psalms 82:3, Psalms 82:4, Psalms 82:5, Psalms 82:6, Psalms 82:7, Psalms 82:8
Psalms 82 (KJV)
1God standeth in the congregation of the mighty; he judgeth among the gods.
2How long will ye judge unjustly, and accept the persons of the wicked? Selah.
3Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy.
4Deliver the poor and needy: rid them out of the hand of the wicked.
5They know not, neither will they understand; they walk on in darkness: all the foundations of the earth are out of course.
6I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High.
7But ye shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes.
8Arise, O God, judge the earth: for thou shalt inherit all nations.
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Historical context
This source prints no superscription; the text begins with God standeth in the congregation of the mighty. The psalm does not explain who the gods and the congregation of the mighty are beyond calling them children of the most High, charging them with unjust judgment, and telling them they shall die like men. Whether the speaker of verses 2 to 7 is God or the psalmist is not marked in the text; verse 1 describes God in the third person, verse 6 has I have said, Ye are gods, and verse 8 turns to address God directly. The one Selah stands after the question of verse 2. The duties listed are toward the poor, fatherless, afflicted and needy, and the failure is stated as accepting the persons of the wicked. John 10:34 quotes verse 6: Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?
Cited passages: Psalms 82:1, Psalms 82:6, Psalms 82:7, Psalms 82:8, Psalms 82:2, Psalms 82:3, John 10:34
Literary context
The psalm is framed by two statements about God as judge: he judgeth among the gods at the start, and he is asked to judge the earth at the end. Between them is a courtroom-like address in the second person, a question, a list of commands, a verdict and a sentence. The commands come in pairs, defend and do justice, deliver and rid, and the objects are repeated, the poor and needy twice. Verse 5 steps back from direct address to describe the accused in the third person and to widen the damage to the foundations of the earth. The reversal in verses 6 and 7 is stated in two lines: Ye are gods, then ye shall die like men. The title god is granted and then its holders are told they will fall like one of the princes. The final verse moves from a judgment already spoken to a judgment still asked for.
Cited passages: Psalms 82:1, Psalms 82:8, Psalms 82:3, Psalms 82:4, Psalms 82:5, Psalms 82:6, Psalms 82:7
Key moments
- God among the gods (Psalms 82:1). God stands in the congregation of the mighty as judge.
- How long unjust? (Psalms 82:2). The judges are asked how long they will accept the persons of the wicked.
- Defend the fatherless (Psalms 82:3). The duty owed to the poor, fatherless, afflicted and needy is stated.
- Ye shall die like men (Psalms 82:7). Those called gods are told they will fall like one of the princes.
- Arise and judge the earth (Psalms 82:8). The psalm closes by asking God to judge the earth and inherit all nations.
For reflection
The judged ones are called gods and children of the most High, and the charge against them is only that they failed the poor and fatherless. What does the psalm make of a title like that when the duty behind it goes undone?
