A Plea for Justice

A Psalm of Asaph.

82 God (A)stands in the congregation of [a]the mighty;
He judges among (B)the [b]gods.
How long will you judge unjustly,
And (C)show partiality to the wicked? Selah
[c]Defend the poor and fatherless;
Do justice to the afflicted and (D)needy.
Deliver the poor and needy;
Free them from the hand of the wicked.

They do not know, nor do they understand;
They walk about in darkness;
All the (E)foundations of the earth are [d]unstable.

I said, (F)“You are [e]gods,
And all of you are children of the Most High.
But you shall die like men,
And fall like one of the princes.”

Arise, O God, judge the earth;
(G)For You shall inherit all nations.

Prayer to Frustrate Conspiracy Against Israel

A Song. A Psalm of Asaph.

83 Do(H) not keep silent, O God!
Do not hold Your peace,
And do not be still, O God!
For behold, (I)Your enemies make a [f]tumult;
And those who hate You have [g]lifted up their head.
They have taken crafty counsel against Your people,
And consulted together (J)against Your sheltered ones.
They have said, “Come, and (K)let us cut them off from being a nation,
That the name of Israel may be remembered no more.”

For they have consulted together with one [h]consent;
They [i]form a confederacy against You:
(L)The tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites;
Moab and the Hagrites;
Gebal, Ammon, and Amalek;
Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre;
Assyria also has joined with them;
They have helped the children of Lot. Selah

Deal with them as with (M)Midian,
As with (N)Sisera,
As with Jabin at the Brook Kishon,
10 Who perished at En Dor,
(O)Who became as refuse on the earth.
11 Make their nobles like (P)Oreb and like Zeeb,
Yes, all their princes like (Q)Zebah and Zalmunna,
12 Who said, “Let us take for ourselves
The pastures of God for a possession.”

13 (R)O my God, make them like the whirling dust,
(S)Like the chaff before the wind!
14 As the fire burns the woods,
And as the flame (T)sets the mountains on fire,
15 So pursue them with Your tempest,
And frighten them with Your storm.
16 Fill their faces with shame,
That they may seek Your name, O Lord.
17 Let them be [j]confounded and dismayed forever;
Yes, let them be put to shame and perish,
18 (U)That they may know that You, whose (V)name alone is the Lord,
Are (W)the Most High over all the earth.

The Blessedness of Dwelling in the House of God

To the Chief Musician. (X)On[k] an instrument of Gath. A Psalm of the sons of Korah.

84 How (Y)lovely [l]is Your tabernacle,
O Lord of hosts!
(Z)My soul longs, yes, even faints
For the courts of the Lord;
My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.

Even the sparrow has found a home,
And the swallow a nest for herself,
Where she may lay her young—
Even Your altars, O Lord of hosts,
My King and my God.
Blessed are those who dwell in Your (AA)house;
They will still be praising You. Selah

Blessed is the man whose strength is in You,
Whose heart is set on pilgrimage.
As they pass through the Valley (AB)of [m]Baca,
They make it a spring;
The rain also covers it with [n]pools.
They go (AC)from strength to strength;
[o]Each one (AD)appears before God in Zion.

O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer;
Give ear, O God of Jacob! Selah
(AE)O God, behold our shield,
And look upon the face of Your [p]anointed.

10 For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand.
I would rather [q]be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
Than dwell in the tents of wickedness.
11 For the Lord God is (AF)a sun and (AG)shield;
The Lord will give grace and glory;
(AH)No good thing will He withhold
From those who walk uprightly.

12 O Lord of hosts,
(AI)Blessed is the man who trusts in You!

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 82:1 Heb. El, lit. God
  2. Psalm 82:1 Judges; Heb. elohim, lit. mighty ones or gods
  3. Psalm 82:3 Vindicate
  4. Psalm 82:5 moved
  5. Psalm 82:6 Judges; Heb. elohim, lit. mighty ones or gods
  6. Psalm 83:2 uproar
  7. Psalm 83:2 Exalted themselves
  8. Psalm 83:5 Lit. heart
  9. Psalm 83:5 Lit. cut a covenant
  10. Psalm 83:17 ashamed
  11. Psalm 84:1 Heb. Al Gittith
  12. Psalm 84:1 are Your dwellings
  13. Psalm 84:6 Lit. Weeping
  14. Psalm 84:6 Or blessings
  15. Psalm 84:7 LXX, Syr., Vg. The God of gods shall be seen
  16. Psalm 84:9 Commissioned one, Heb. messiah
  17. Psalm 84:10 stand at the threshold

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)

Psalm 84[e]

For the director of music. According to gittith.[f] Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.

How lovely is your dwelling place,(BA)
    Lord Almighty!
My soul yearns,(BB) even faints,
    for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and my flesh cry out
    for the living God.(BC)
Even the sparrow has found a home,
    and the swallow a nest for herself,
    where she may have her young—
a place near your altar,(BD)
    Lord Almighty,(BE) my King(BF) and my God.(BG)
Blessed are those who dwell in your house;
    they are ever praising you.[g]

Blessed are those whose strength(BH) is in you,
    whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.(BI)
As they pass through the Valley of Baka,
    they make it a place of springs;(BJ)
    the autumn(BK) rains also cover it with pools.[h]
They go from strength to strength,(BL)
    till each appears(BM) before God in Zion.(BN)

Hear my prayer,(BO) Lord God Almighty;
    listen to me, God of Jacob.
Look on our shield,[i](BP) O God;
    look with favor on your anointed one.(BQ)

10 Better is one day in your courts
    than a thousand elsewhere;
I would rather be a doorkeeper(BR) in the house of my God
    than dwell in the tents of the wicked.
11 For the Lord God is a sun(BS) and shield;(BT)
    the Lord bestows favor and honor;
no good thing does he withhold(BU)
    from those whose walk is blameless.

12 Lord Almighty,
    blessed(BV) is the one who trusts in you.

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.
  5. Psalm 84:1 In Hebrew texts 84:1-12 is numbered 84:2-13.
  6. Psalm 84:1 Title: Probably a musical term
  7. Psalm 84:4 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 8.
  8. Psalm 84:6 Or blessings
  9. Psalm 84:9 Or sovereign