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Unjust Judgments Rebuked.

A Psalm of Asaph.

82 God stands in the divine assembly;
He judges among the gods (divine beings).

How long will you judge unjustly
And show partiality to the wicked? Selah.

Vindicate the weak and fatherless;
Do justice and maintain the rights of the afflicted and destitute.

Rescue the weak and needy;
Rescue them from the hand of the wicked.


The rulers do not know nor do they understand;
They walk on in the darkness [of complacent satisfaction];
All the foundations of the earth [the fundamental principles of the administration of justice] are shaken.

I said, “You are [a]gods;
Indeed, all of you are sons of the Most High.(A)

“Nevertheless you will die like men
And fall like any one of the princes.”

Arise, O God, judge the earth!
For to You belong all the nations.(B)

God Implored to Confound His Enemies.

A Song. A Psalm of Asaph.

83 Do not keep silent, O God;
Do not hold Your peace or be still, O God.

For behold, Your enemies are in tumult,
And those who hate You have raised their heads [in hatred of You].(C)

They concoct crafty schemes against Your people,
And conspire together against Your hidden and precious ones.

They have said, “Come, and let us wipe them out as a nation;
Let the name of Israel be remembered no more.”

For they have conspired together with one mind;
Against You they make a covenant—

The tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites,
Of Moab and the Hagrites,

Gebal and Ammon and Amalek,
Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre.

Assyria also has joined with them;
They have helped the children of Lot [the Ammonites and the Moabites] and have been an arm [of strength] to them. Selah.


Deal with them as [You did] with Midian,
As with Sisera and Jabin at the brook of Kishon,(D)
10 
Who were destroyed at En-dor,
Who became like dung for the earth.
11 
Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb
And all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna,(E)
12 
Who said, “Let us possess for ourselves
The pastures of God.”

13 
O my God, make them like [b]whirling dust,
Like chaff before the wind [worthless and without substance].
14 
Like fire consumes the forest,
And like the flame sets the mountains on fire,
15 
So pursue them with Your tempest
And terrify them with [the violence of] Your storm.
16 
Fill their faces with shame and disgrace,
That they may [persistently] seek Your name, O Lord.
17 
Let them be ashamed and dismayed forever;
Yes, let them be humiliated and perish,
18 
That they may know that You alone, whose name is the Lord,
Are the Most High over all the earth.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 82:6 Most of the ancient rabbis understood the idea of “gods” referring to judges, but some applied vv 6, 7 to the Israelites at Sinai and maintained that they would have become immortal as a result of accepting the Law, if only they had not committed the sin of the golden calf.
  2. Psalm 83:13 Or tumbleweed.

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)

Psalm 83[c]

A song. A psalm of Asaph.

O God, do not remain silent;(O)
    do not turn a deaf ear,
    do not stand aloof, O God.
See how your enemies growl,(P)
    how your foes rear their heads.(Q)
With cunning they conspire(R) against your people;
    they plot against those you cherish.(S)
“Come,” they say, “let us destroy(T) them as a nation,(U)
    so that Israel’s name is remembered(V) no more.”

With one mind they plot together;(W)
    they form an alliance against you—
the tents of Edom(X) and the Ishmaelites,
    of Moab(Y) and the Hagrites,(Z)
Byblos,(AA) Ammon(AB) and Amalek,(AC)
    Philistia,(AD) with the people of Tyre.(AE)
Even Assyria(AF) has joined them
    to reinforce Lot’s descendants.[d](AG)

Do to them as you did to Midian,(AH)
    as you did to Sisera(AI) and Jabin(AJ) at the river Kishon,(AK)
10 who perished at Endor(AL)
    and became like dung(AM) on the ground.
11 Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb,(AN)
    all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna,(AO)
12 who said, “Let us take possession(AP)
    of the pasturelands of God.”

13 Make them like tumbleweed, my God,
    like chaff(AQ) before the wind.
14 As fire consumes the forest
    or a flame sets the mountains ablaze,(AR)
15 so pursue them with your tempest(AS)
    and terrify them with your storm.(AT)
16 Cover their faces with shame,(AU) Lord,
    so that they will seek your name.

17 May they ever be ashamed and dismayed;(AV)
    may they perish in disgrace.(AW)
18 Let them know that you, whose name is the Lord(AX)
    that you alone are the Most High(AY) over all the earth.(AZ)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 82:2 The Hebrew is plural.
  2. Psalm 82:2 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.
  3. Psalm 83:1 In Hebrew texts 83:1-18 is numbered 83:2-19.
  4. Psalm 83:8 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.