Psalms 82:1-6

1 God is in charge of the great meeting; he judges among the "gods."

2 He says, "How long will you defend evil people? How long will you show greater kindness to the wicked?Selah

3 Defend the weak and the orphans; defend the rights of the poor and suffering.

4 Save the weak and helpless; free them from the power of the wicked.

5 "You know nothing. You don't understand. You walk in the dark, while the world is falling apart.

6 I said, 'You are "gods." You are all sons of God Most High.'

Psalms 82:1-6 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 82

\\<>\\. This psalm was written for the use of persons in power, for the instruction of kings and princes, judges and civil magistrates; according to Kimchi, it was written about the times of Jehoshaphat, who appointed new judges throughout the land; those that were before having been very corrupt, to whom he gave a charge agreeably to the purport of this psalm, 2Ch 19:5-7, but it seems rather to be written by Asaph, in the times of David, under a spirit of prophecy, and has respect to the times of Christ, when there was a great corruption among the judges and rulers of the Jews, both civil and ecclesiastic. The Syriac version calls it, "a reproof of the ungodly Jews"; our Lord cites a passage out of it in vindication of himself from their charge of blasphemy, Joh 10:34-36.