Tehillim 82:3

3 Defend the poor and yatom (fatherless); do justice to the oni (afflicted) and needy.

Tehillim 82:3 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 82:3

Defend the poor and fatherless
Or, judge ^F4 them; such as have no money to enter and carry on a suit, and have no friends to assist and advise them, and abide by them; these should be taken under the care and wing of judges; their cause should be attended to, and justice done them; their persons should be protected, and their property defended and secured for, since they are called gods, they ought to imitate him whose name they bear, who is the Father of the fatherless, the Judge of the widows, and the helper of the poor that commit themselves to him, ( Psalms 10:14 ) ( 68:5 ) , such a righteous judge and good magistrate was Job; see ( Job 29:12 ) ,

do justice to the afflicted and needy;
or "justify" ^F5 them, pronounce them righteous, give the cause for them, not right or wrong, nor because they are poor and needy, but because they are in the right; for, if wicked, they are not to be justified, this is an abomination to the Lord; see ( Leviticus 19:15 ) ( Deuteronomy 25:1 ) ( Proverbs 17:15 ) .

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FOOTNOTES:

F4 (wjpv) "judicate", V. L. Pagninus, Montanus, Musculus, Junius & Tremellius, Gejerus, Michaelis.
F5 (wqyduh) "justificate", V. L. Pagninus, Montanus, Vatablus, Musculus, Cocceius

Tehillim 82:3 In-Context

1 2 (Mizmor of Asaph.) Elohim standeth in the Adat El; He judgeth among the elohim [See Ps 82:6 and Yn 10:34].

2 Ad mosai (How long) will ye judge unjustly, and show partiality to the resha’im? Selah.

3 Defend the poor and yatom (fatherless); do justice to the oni (afflicted) and needy.

4 Deliver the poor and needy; rid them out of the yad resha’im.

5 They know not, neither will they understand; they walk on in choshech; all the foundations of ha’aretz are shaken.