Psalms 82:3

3 "Defend the weak, the poor, and the fatherless. Maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed.

Psalms 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

Psalms 82:3 In-Context

1 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.

4 Rescue the weak and needy. Deliver them out of the hand of the wicked."

5 They don't know, neither do they understand. They walk back and forth in darkness. All the foundations of the earth are shaken.