Old Testament
Psalms 82
Overview
Psalm 82 is a courtroom drama in heaven. God takes his stand in the divine assembly and indicts the "gods"—the rulers and judges entrusted with authority—for perverting justice and favoring the wicked while the weak, the orphan, and the poor go unprotected. He sentences these arrogant powers to fall like mortal men, and the psalm closes with a cry for God himself to arise and judge the whole earth.
1A Psalm by Asaph. God presides in the great assembly. He judges among the gods.
2“How long will you judge unjustly, and show partiality to the wicked?” Selah.
3“Defend the weak, the poor, and the fatherless. Maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed.
4Rescue the weak and needy. Deliver them out of the hand of the wicked.”
5They don’t know, neither do they understand. They walk back and forth in darkness. All the foundations of the earth are shaken.
6I said, “You are gods, all of you are sons of the Most High.
7Nevertheless you shall die like men, and fall like one of the rulers.”
8Arise, God, judge the earth, for you inherit all of the nations.