Psalm 82:6

6 "I commissioned you judges, each one of you, deputies of the High God,

Psalm 82:6 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 82:6

I have said, ye are gods
In the law, ( Exodus 21:6 ) ( 22:28 ) or they were so by his appointment and commission; he constituted them judges and magistrates, invested them with such an office, by which they came to have this title; see ( Romans 13:1 ) , and so our Lord interprets these words, that they were gods "to whom" the word of God came, which gave them a commission and authority to exercise their office, ( John 10:35 ) , or rather "against whom" it came, pronouncing the sentence of death on them, as in ( Psalms 82:7 ) , to which the reference is; declaring, that though they were gods by office, yet were mortal men, and should die. The Targum is, "I said, as angels are ye accounted"; and so judges and civil magistrates had need to be as angels, and to have the wisdom of them; see ( 2 Samuel 14:20 ) . Jarchi interprets it of angels, but magistrates are undoubtedly meant:

and all of you are children of the most High;
the Targum here again renders it,

``the angels of the most High:''

and so Aben Ezra explains it of them who are called the sons of God, ( Job 38:7 ) but men in power are meant, who, because of their eminency and dignity, their high office, post, and place, are so called; see ( Genesis 6:2 ) ( Psalms 89:6 ) .

Psalm 82:6 In-Context

4 Your job is to stand up for the powerless, and prosecute all those who exploit them."

5 Ignorant judges! Head-in-the-sand judges! They haven't a clue to what's going on. And now everything's falling apart, the world's coming unglued.

6 "I commissioned you judges, each one of you, deputies of the High God,

7 But you've betrayed your commission and now you're stripped of your rank, busted."

8 O God, give them their just deserts! You've got the whole world in your hands!