2 How long will ye judge unjustly, and accept the persons of the wicked? Selah.
Ye shall not respect persons in judgment; but ye shall hear the small as well as the great; ye shall not be afraid of the face of man; for the judgment is God's: and the cause that is too hard for you, bring it unto me, and I will hear it.
It is not good to accept the person of the wicked, to overthrow the righteous in judgment.
But of these who seemed to be somewhat, (whatsoever they were, it maketh no matter to me: God accepteth no man's person:) for they who seemed to be somewhat in conference added nothing to me:
And Moses and Aaron came in unto Pharaoh, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD God of the Hebrews, How long wilt thou refuse to humble thyself before me? let my people go, that they may serve me.
Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honor the person of the mighty: but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbor.
And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.
How much less to him that accepteth not the persons of princes, nor regardeth the rich more than the poor? for they all are the work of his hands.
How long will ye imagine mischief against a man? ye shall be slain all of you: as a bowing wall shall ye be, and as a tottering fence.
And I said, Hear, I pray you, O heads of Jacob, and ye princes of the house of Israel; Is it not for you to know judgment? Who hate the good, and love the evil; who pluck off their skin from off them, and their flesh from off their bones; Who also eat the flesh of my people, and flay their skin from off them; and they break their bones, and chop them in pieces, as for the pot, and as flesh within the caldron.
Hear this, I pray you, ye heads of the house of Jacob, and princes of the house of Israel, that abhor judgment, and pervert all equity. They build up Zion with blood, and Jerusalem with iniquity. The heads thereof judge for reward, and the priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets thereof divine for money: yet will they lean upon the LORD, and say, Is not the LORD among us? none evil can come upon us. Therefore shall Zion for your sake be plowed as a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places of the forest.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Psalms 82
Commentary on Psalms 82 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
PSALM 82
Ps 82:1-8. Before the great Judge, the judges of the earth are rebuked, exhorted, and threatened.
1. congregation—(Compare Ex 12:3; 16:1).
of the mighty—that is, of God, of His appointment.
the gods—or, "judges" (Ex 21:6; 22:9), God's representatives.
2. accept the persons—literally, "lift up the faces," that is, from dejection, or admit to favor and communion, regardless of merit (Le 19:15; Pr 18:5).
3, 4. So must good judges act (Ps 10:14; Job 29:12).
4. poor and needy—(Compare Ps 34:10; 41:1).
5. By the wilful ignorance and negligence of judges, anarchy ensues (Ps 11:3; 75:3).
out of course—(Compare Margin; Ps 9:6; 62:2).
6, 7. Though God admitted their official dignity (Joh 10:34), He reminds them of their mortality.
7. fall like, &c.—be cut off suddenly (Ps 20:8; 91:7).
8. As rightful sovereign of earth, God is invoked personally to correct the evils of His representatives.