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God the Supreme Ruler[a]

82 God presides in the heavenly council;
    in the assembly of the gods he gives his decision:
“You must stop judging unjustly;
    you must no longer be partial to the wicked!
Defend the rights of the poor and the orphans;
    be fair to the needy and the helpless.
Rescue them from the power of evil people.

“How ignorant you are! How stupid!
    You are completely corrupt,
    and justice has disappeared from the world.
(A)‘You are gods,’ I said;
    ‘all of you are children of the Most High.’
But you will die like mortals;
    your life will end like that of any prince.”

Come, O God, and rule the world;
    all the nations are yours.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 82:1 HEBREW TITLE: A psalm by Asaph.

Psalm 82

A Plea for Justice

A Psalm of Asaph.

God has taken his place in the divine council;
    in the midst of the gods he holds judgment:(A)
“How long will you judge unjustly
    and show partiality to the wicked? Selah(B)
Give justice to the weak and the orphan;
    maintain the right of the lowly and the destitute.(C)
Rescue the weak and the needy;
    deliver them from the hand of the wicked.”(D)

They have neither knowledge nor understanding;
    they walk around in darkness;
    all the foundations of the earth are shaken.(E)

I say, “You are gods,
    children of the Most High, all of you;(F)
nevertheless, you shall die like mortals
    and fall like any prince.”[a](G)

Rise up, O God, judge the earth,
    for all the nations belong to you!(H)

Footnotes

  1. 82.7 Or fall as one man, O princes

82 (0) A psalm of Asaf:

(1) Elohim [God] stands in the divine assembly;
there with the elohim [judges], he judges:
“How long will you go on judging unfairly,
favoring the wicked? (Selah)
Give justice to the weak and fatherless!
Uphold the rights of the wretched and poor!
Rescue the destitute and needy;
deliver them from the power of the wicked!”

They don’t know, they don’t understand,
they wander about in darkness;
meanwhile, all the foundations of the earth
are being undermined.

“My decree is: ‘You are elohim [gods, judges],
sons of the Most High all of you.
Nevertheless, you will die like mortals;
like any prince, you will fall.’”

Rise up, Elohim, and judge the earth;
for all the nations are yours.