Bird's-eye view
Psalm 82 is a dramatic courtroom scene where the Supreme Judge, God Himself, puts all lesser judges in the dock. The psalm opens with God taking His stand in the heavenly council to prosecute the corrupt magistrates of the earth. These earthly rulers, called "gods" (elohim) because they wield delegated divine authority to judge, are charged with a catastrophic failure to perform their basic duty. Their sin is twofold: they pervert justice and show partiality to the wicked, while at the same time neglecting their primary responsibility, which is to protect the weak and vulnerable. This dereliction of duty is not a small matter; it is so foundational that their failure causes the very foundations of the earth to shake. The psalm is a blistering indictment of all authorities who forget they rule under God and will one day give an account to Him.
Asaph, the psalmist, reveals a fundamental principle of cosmic order: righteous judgment is a load-bearing wall for civilization. When judges, rulers, and magistrates become corrupt, the whole structure of society begins to crumble. This psalm is therefore a timeless warning to all who are in positions of power, from kings and presidents down to fathers and church elders. It is also a profound comfort to the oppressed, assuring them that the ultimate Judge sees their plight and will not allow injustice to have the last word.
Outline
- 1. The Divine Court Convenes (Ps 82:1)
- a. God as Prosecutor and Judge (Ps 82:1a)
- b. The Defendants: Earthly Rulers ("gods") (Ps 82:1b)
- 2. The Indictment of the Judges (Ps 82:2-5)
- a. The Charge: Unrighteous Judgment (Ps 82:2)
- b. The Mandate: Justice for the Vulnerable (Ps 82:3-4)
- c. The Consequence: Cosmic Disorder (Ps 82:5)
Context In Psalms
Psalm 82 is one of the Psalms of Asaph (Psalms 50, 73-83), which are often concerned with questions of theodicy, justice, and God's rule over the nations. This psalm fits squarely within that theme, tackling the problem of corrupt human authority. It functions as a covenant lawsuit, a formal legal proceeding initiated by God against His unfaithful vice-regents. It stands as a stark reminder, alongside psalms like Psalm 2, that all earthly kings and judges rule by God's permission and are accountable to His throne. Its message is echoed by the prophets who repeatedly condemned Israel's leaders for oppressing the poor and perverting justice. The Lord Jesus Himself famously quotes this psalm in John 10:34 to defend His own divinity, showing that the concept of men being called "gods" in an official, delegated capacity was an established part of Old Testament theology.
Key Issues
- The Identity of the "Gods" (Elohim)
- The Divine Council
- The Nature of Delegated Authority
- The Biblical Definition of Justice
- The Connection Between Justice and Social Stability
- The Accountability of All Rulers to God
God Among the Gods
The central interpretive challenge in this psalm is the identity of the "gods" (elohim) in whose midst God stands to render judgment. The word elohim in Hebrew can refer to the one true God, to pagan deities, to angels, or to human rulers who hold the power of judgment. While some have argued that this refers to a council of angelic beings, the context of the psalm and its use by Jesus in the New Testament point overwhelmingly to the "gods" being human magistrates. They are charged with judging on earth (v. 2), a task assigned to men. They are commanded to defend the poor and orphan (v. 3), a human responsibility. And, most decisively, they are told they will "die like men" (v. 7). This is not a description of angels. Jesus confirms this interpretation in John 10:34-36, where He applies the title "gods" to "those to whom the word of God came." These are men, specifically Israel's judges, who were given God's law and charged with administering His justice. Their authority was real, but it was delegated. They were "gods" by office, not by nature, and here the God of gods calls them to account.
Verse by Verse Commentary
1 God takes His stand in the congregation of God; He judges in the midst of gods.
The scene is set with dramatic force. God is not sitting; He takes His stand. This is the posture of a prosecutor about to deliver a momentous indictment. The venue is the "congregation of God," which is the divine council, the heavenly courtroom where ultimate decisions are rendered. And who is in the dock? The "gods." God is the judge, and the judges are being judged. This opening verse establishes a foundational principle of reality: all human authority is derived and therefore accountable. No ruler, no government, no court is autonomous. Above every human throne, there is a higher throne. God is sovereign not just in theory, but as an active, presiding Judge who convenes court whenever He pleases.
2 How long will you judge unrighteously And show partiality to the wicked? Selah.
The prosecution begins with a sharp, accusatory question: "How long?" This implies that God's patience is at its end. The sin of these judges has been persistent and flagrant. The charge is specific. First, they "judge unrighteously." Their verdicts are not aligned with God's standard of right and wrong. Second, and as a direct consequence, they "show partiality to the wicked." Literally, they "lift up the faces" of the wicked, meaning they give them honor, favor, and preferential treatment in their courts. They are biased toward the powerful, the wealthy, and the well-connected. The law is supposed to be a shield for the weak, but in their hands, it has become a weapon for the wicked. The word Selah invites a pause. We are meant to stop and feel the weight of this accusation. Let it sink in. This is what God hates.
3 Give justice to the poor and the orphan; Justify the afflicted and destitute.
Having stated the negative charge, God now lays out the positive mandate. This is what righteous judgment looks like. The primary duty of a magistrate is to ensure justice for those who cannot secure it for themselves. The "poor" (or weak) and the "orphan" are archetypes of the vulnerable. They lack money, social standing, and family connections to protect them. They are the ones most easily crushed by the powerful and wicked. The command is to "give justice" to them, and to "justify" the afflicted. This means to declare them righteous in a legal dispute, to vindicate them when they are in the right. It is not a call for class warfare, but for true impartiality. In a fallen world, impartiality requires a conscious effort to ensure the scales are not tipped in favor of the strong.
4 Protect the poor and needy; Deliver them out of the hand of the wicked.
The duty of the magistrate goes beyond the courtroom verdict. Justice must be active, not passive. Rulers are to "protect" and "deliver." The image is one of rescue. The poor and needy are like sheep, and the wicked are like predatory wolves. A good shepherd, or a good judge, does not simply declare that wolves are bad; he actively intervenes to drive the wolves away and save the flock. The "hand of the wicked" is a metaphor for their power, their grasp, their ability to oppress and exploit. The job of the civil magistrate, the "god" on earth, is to break that grasp and set the captives free. This is the essence of good government according to God.
5 They do not know and do not understand; They walk about in darkness; All the foundations of the earth are shaken.
This verse describes the state of the corrupt judges and the catastrophic result of their failure. Their problem is not just moral, but epistemological. They are spiritually blind. "They do not know and do not understand." Having rejected God's standard of justice, they have no light. They "walk about in darkness," stumbling around, making a mess of everything they touch. The consequence is not limited to a few bad court cases. The result is cosmic instability: "All the foundations of the earth are shaken." Justice is to society what gravity is to the physical world. When you remove it, everything begins to fly apart. A society that tolerates and institutionalizes partiality and oppression is a society that is coming undone at the seams. The very framework of civilization is threatened when its leaders walk in darkness.
Application
This psalm is a bucket of ice water in the face of every person who holds authority. For the civil magistrate, the message is plain: your job is not to serve your party, your donors, or your own ambition. Your job is to mirror the justice of God by punishing the wicked and protecting the weak. Anything less is a gross dereliction of duty for which you will answer to the Judge of all the earth.
But the application is broader. Elders in a church are "gods" in this sense, charged with judging rightly and protecting the flock from wolves. Fathers are "gods" in their homes, charged with leading their families in righteousness and protecting them from the world's wickedness. In every sphere where God has delegated authority, the standard is the same: impartial justice and active protection of the vulnerable.
When we see our society's foundations shaking, when things seem to be falling apart, Psalm 82 tells us where to look. Look to the halls of justice. Look to the leaders. Are they judging righteously? Are they showing partiality to the wicked? The ultimate answer to shaken foundations is not a new political program, but repentance and a return to the fear of God. And our ultimate hope is in the one true King who never judged unrighteously. Jesus Christ is the perfect Judge who, instead of showing partiality to the wicked, took the place of the wicked on the cross. He is the one who delivers the poor and needy from the hand of the ultimate wicked one, and He alone can establish a kingdom whose foundations will never be shaken.