1 -- A Psalm of Asaph. God hath stood in the company of God, In the midst God doth judge.
2 Till when do ye judge perversely? And the face of the wicked lift up? Selah.
3 Judge ye the weak and fatherless, The afflicted and the poor declare righteous.
4 Let the weak and needy escape, From the hand of the wicked deliver them.
5 They knew not, nor do they understand, In darkness they walk habitually, Moved are all the foundations of earth.
6 I -- I have said, `Gods ye `are', And sons of the Most High -- all of you,
7 But as man ye die, and as one of the heads ye fall,
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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.