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A Rebuke for Unjust Judges

Psalm 82

A psalm of Asaph.
God takes His stand in the assembly of God.
He judges among the ‘gods’:
“How long will you judge unjustly
and show partiality to the wicked? Selah
Give justice to the poor and fatherless.
Be just to the afflicted and destitute.
Rescue the weak and needy.
Deliver them out of the hand of the wicked.
They know nothing;
they understand nothing—
they walk about in darkness.
All of earth’s foundations are shaken.
I said: ‘You are ‘gods’,
and you are all sons of Elyon,[a]
yet you will die like men,
and will fall like any of the princes.’”

Arise, O God, judge the earth!
For You possess all the nations.

Psalm 82

A psalm of Asaph.

God presides in the great assembly;
    he renders judgment(A) among the “gods”:(B)

“How long will you[a] defend the unjust
    and show partiality(C) to the wicked?[b](D)
Defend the weak and the fatherless;(E)
    uphold the cause of the poor(F) and the oppressed.
Rescue the weak and the needy;
    deliver them from the hand of the wicked.

“The ‘gods’ know nothing, they understand nothing.(G)
    They walk about in darkness;(H)
    all the foundations(I) of the earth are shaken.

“I said, ‘You are “gods”;(J)
    you are all sons of the Most High.’
But you will die(K) like mere mortals;
    you will fall like every other ruler.”

Rise up,(L) O God, judge(M) the earth,
    for all the nations are your inheritance.(N)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 82:2 The Hebrew is plural.
  2. Psalm 82:2 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.