Psalms 82

God Judges Unjust Rulers and Calls for Justice for the Weak

The psalm moves from God taking His place in the divine courtroom, to an accusation against unjust rulers, to commands that justice be done for the vulnerable, to a diagnosis of ignorant darkness and cosmic instability, to the verdict that exalted rulers will die and fall, and finally to a global prayer that God judge the earth and possess all nations.

World English Bible, Public Domain

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?”

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.

6 I said, “You are gods, all of you are sons of the Most High.

7 Nevertheless you shall die like men, and fall like one of the rulers.”

8 Arise, God, judge the earth, for you inherit all of the nations.

Key Terms

אֱלֹהִים elohim H430
נִצָּב nitsav H5324
עֲדַת־אֵל adat-el H5712
יִשְׁפֹּט yishpot H8199
עַד־מָתַי ad-matay H5704
עָוֶל avel H5766
רְשָׁעִים reshaim H7563
דַּל dal H1800
יָתוֹם yatom H3490
עָנִי ani H6041
רָשׁ rash H7326

World English Bible (WEB): Public Domain Scripture text · License details