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Psalms 82

BSB·8 verses ·Old Testament
✦ Tap any verse to open Scripture Explorer — original Hebrew/Greek, commentary, notes & highlights
1Godאֱ‍ֽלֹהִ֗ים’ĕlō·hîm — God, the divine beingH430 — Full Word Study → presidesנִצָּ֥בniṣ·ṣāḇ — To stand, station, or set up firmlyH5324 — Full Word Study → in the divineאֵ֑ל’êl — God, Mighty OneH410 — Full Word Study → assemblyבַּעֲדַת־ba·‘ă·ḏaṯ- — congregation, assembly, gathered communityH5712 — Full Word Study →; He renders judgmentיִשְׁפֹּֽט׃yiš·pōṭ — to judge, govern, or execute justiceH8199 — Full Word Study → amongבְּקֶ֖רֶבbə·qe·reḇ — midst, inner part, heart, inward beingH7130 — Full Word Study → the godsאֱלֹהִ֣ים’ĕ·lō·hîm — God, the divine beingH430 — Full Word Study →: 2How longעַד־‘aḏ- — until, till, up to (temporal or spatial limit)H5704 — Full Word Study → will you judgeתִּשְׁפְּטוּ־tiš·pə·ṭū- — to judge, govern, or execute justiceH8199 — Full Word Study → unjustlyעָ֑וֶל‘ā·wel — Moral evil, wickedness, unrighteousnessH5766 — Full Word Study → and show partialityוּפְנֵ֥יū·p̄ə·nê — face; presence; beforeH6440 — Full Word Study → to the wickedרְ֝שָׁעִ֗יםrə·šā·‘îm — wicked, guilty, morally corruptH7563 — Full Word Study →? Selahסֶֽלָה׃se·lāh — Pause or SelahH5542 — Full Word Study → 3Defend the causeשִׁפְטוּ־šip̄·ṭū- — to judge, govern, or execute justiceH8199 — Full Word Study → of the weakדַ֥לḏal — poor, needy, weakH1800 — Full Word Study → and fatherlessוְיָת֑וֹםwə·yā·ṯō·wm — A child without a father; an orphanH3490 — Full Word Study →; uphold the rightsהַצְדִּֽיקוּ׃haṣ·dî·qū — To be righteous, justify, vindicateH6663 — Full Word Study → of the afflictedעָנִ֖י‘ā·nî — Poor, afflicted, humbleH6041 — Full Word Study → and oppressedוָרָ֣שׁwā·rāš — To be poor, lack, or become destituteH7326 — Full Word Study →. 4Rescueפַּלְּטוּ־pal·lə·ṭū- — to escape, slip away, deliver safelyH6403 — Full Word Study → the weakדַ֥לḏal — poor, needy, weakH1800 — Full Word Study → and needyוְאֶבְי֑וֹןwə·’eḇ·yō·wn — Poor person in dire needH34 — Full Word Study →; save themהַצִּֽילוּ׃haṣ·ṣî·lū — to rescue, deliver, or snatch awayH5337 — Full Word Study → from the handמִיַּ֖דmî·yaḏ — hand; power, strength, controlH3027 — Full Word Study → of the wickedרְשָׁעִ֣יםrə·šā·‘îm — wicked, guilty, morally corruptH7563 — Full Word Study →. 5They do notלֹ֤אlō — not; negation; absenceH3808 — Full Word Study → knowיָֽדְע֨וּ׀yā·ḏə·‘ū — to know, understand, perceiveH3045 — Full Word Study → or understandיָבִ֗ינוּyā·ḇî·nū — To understand, discern, perceiveH995 — Full Word Study →; they wanderיִתְהַלָּ֑כוּyiṯ·hal·lā·ḵū — to go, walk, travel, proceedH1980 — Full Word Study → in the darknessבַּחֲשֵׁכָ֥הba·ḥă·šê·ḵāh — Darkness; obscurity; gloomH2825 — Full Word Study →; allכָּל־kāl- — All, every, whole, totalityH3605 — Full Word Study → the foundationsמ֥וֹסְדֵיmō·ws·ḏê — Foundation, base, or establishmentH4144 — Full Word Study → of the earthאָֽרֶץ׃’ā·reṣ — Land, earth, or countryH776 — Full Word Study → are shakenיִ֝מּ֗וֹטוּyim·mō·w·ṭū — to shake, move, slip, or fall awayH4131 — Full Word Study →. 6Iאֲ‍ֽנִי־’ănî- — I, me, myself (first person singular pronoun)H589 — Full Word Study → have saidאָ֭מַרְתִּי’ā·mar·tî — to say, speak, declareH559 — Full Word Study →, ‘Youאַתֶּ֑ם’at·tem — You; second-person pronoun (singular or plural)H859 — Full Word Study → are godsאֱלֹהִ֣ים’ĕ·lō·hîm — God, the divine beingH430 — Full Word Study →; you are allכֻּלְּכֶֽם׃kul·lə·ḵem — All, every, whole, totalityH3605 — Full Word Study → sonsוּבְנֵ֖יū·ḇə·nê — Son; descendant; member of a groupH1121 — Full Word Study → of the Most Highעֶלְי֣וֹן‘el·yō·wn — Most High, elevated, supremeH5945 — Full Word Study →.’ 7Butאָ֭כֵן’ā·ḵên — Surely, certainly, trulyH403 — Full Word Study → like mortalsכְּאָדָ֣םkə·’ā·ḏām — Man, mankind, human beingH120 — Full Word Study → you will dieתְּמוּת֑וּןtə·mū·ṯūn — to die; to put to death; to killH4191 — Full Word Study →, and likeוּכְאַחַ֖דū·ḵə·’a·ḥaḏ — One; unity; single; firstH259 — Full Word Study → rulersהַשָּׂרִ֣יםhaś·śā·rîm — Ruler, leader, or one in authorityH8269 — Full Word Study → you will fallתִּפֹּֽלוּ׃tip·pō·lū — to fall; collapse; perishH5307 — Full Word Study →.” 8Ariseקוּמָ֣הqū·māh — To rise, stand, or be establishedH6965 — Full Word Study →, O Godאֱ֭לֹהִים’ĕ·lō·hîm — God, the divine beingH430 — Full Word Study →, judgeשָׁפְטָ֣הšā·p̄ə·ṭāh — to judge, govern, or execute justiceH8199 — Full Word Study → the earthהָאָ֑רֶץhā·’ā·reṣ — Land, earth, or countryH776 — Full Word Study →, forכִּֽי־kî- — because, since, that (conjunction/reason marker)H3588 — Full Word Study → allבְּכָל־bə·ḵāl — All, every, whole, totalityH3605 — Full Word Study → the nationsהַגּוֹיִֽם׃hag·gō·w·yim — Nation; a people or ethnic groupH1471 — Full Word Study → are Yourאַתָּ֥ה’at·tāh — You; second-person pronoun (singular or plural)H859 — Full Word Study → inheritanceתִ֝נְחַ֗לṯin·ḥal — to inherit, to take possession as an heirH5157 — Full Word Study →.
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Chapter Commentary — Psalms 82
Chapter Overview

Chapter Overview

Psalm 82 is a powerful courtroom drama in which God confronts unjust judges and calls them to account for their corrupt rule. Written likely during a time of widespread injustice in Israel, this psalm presents God standing in the divine assembly to expose the failure of human authorities who have abandoned their sacred duty to protect the vulnerable. The psalmist condemns their partiality toward the wicked, their neglect of the poor and fatherless, and their fundamental lack of understanding about what true justice requires. Ultimately, the psalm calls upon God to rise up and establish His own righteous reign over all the nations.

Verses 1–2: God's Indictment Begins

The psalm opens with a vivid image: "God standeth in the congregation of the mighty; he judgeth among the gods." This is not a reference to multiple gods in the polytheistic sense, but rather to human judges and rulers whom God appoints to administer justice (see Exodus 22:28, where judges are called "gods" because they represent God's authority). God positions Himself in their assembly as the ultimate Judge, observing their conduct.

Verse 2 shifts to God's direct accusation: "How long will ye judge unjustly, and accept the persons of the wicked?" The phrase "accept the persons" means to show partiality or favoritism. These judges have betrayed their calling by taking bribes, showing preference to the powerful, and perverting justice. The word Selah signals a pause for reflection—inviting us to consider the gravity of judicial corruption.

Application: This reminds us that all authority comes from God and will be held accountable before Him. Whether we hold formal positions of power or simply influence those around us, we are called to exercise justice fairly and never to favor the wealthy or powerful over the vulnerable.

Verses 3–5: The Call to True Justice

God now articulates what justice actually demands. Verse 3 commands: "Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy." Verse 4 reinforces this: "Deliver the poor and needy: rid them out of the hand of the wicked." The repeated emphasis on protecting the most vulnerable—the poor, orphans, and afflicted—shows that biblical justice is fundamentally protective and restorative. It is not merely neutral arbitration; it actively advocates for those without power to advocate for themselves.

Verse 5 explains why such corruption is so destructive: "They know not, neither will they understand; they walk on in darkness: all the foundations of the earth are out of course." When judges abandon justice, society itself becomes destabilized. The metaphor of "foundations...out of course" suggests that injustice doesn't merely harm individuals—it undermines the entire social order that God ordained.

Application: We are reminded that true justice is inseparable from mercy and protection for the defenseless. Christians are called to advocate for the vulnerable in our own time and place.

Verses 6–8: God's Final Verdict and Appeal

Verse 6 contains a striking statement: "I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High." This recalls their original position of honor and responsibility. God gave them authority as His representatives. However, verse 7 pronounces their doom: "But ye shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes." Their exalted position offers no exemption from judgment or death. No earthly rank protects us from God's justice.

The psalm concludes with an urgent prayer in verse 8: "Arise, O God, judge the earth: for thou shalt inherit all nations." The psalmist appeals to God to intervene directly, establishing His perfect justice across all the earth.

Application: Though human judges fail, God's justice is certain and eternal. We can trust Him to ultimately set all things right.

Application for Today

Psalm 82 calls modern believers to be voices for justice in an unjust world, knowing that God Himself is the ultimate Judge. Whether through law, business, education, or everyday relationships, we must refuse favoritism and actively protect the vulnerable. When earthly powers fail, we can rest in God's sovereign promise to judge the earth with perfect righteousness.

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