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God Stands in Judgment

A Psalm of Asaph.

82 God takes His (A)stand in the congregation of [a]God;
He (B)judges in the midst of [b](C)gods.
How long will you (D)judge unrighteously
And (E)show partiality to the wicked? [c]Selah.
(F)Give justice to the poor and the orphan;
Justify the afflicted and destitute.
(G)Protect the poor and needy;
Deliver them out of the hand of the wicked.

They (H)do not know and do not understand;
They (I)walk about in darkness;
All the (J)foundations of the earth are shaken.
[d]I (K)said, “You are gods,
And all of you are (L)sons of the Most High.
Nevertheless (M)you will die like men
And you will fall like any (N)one of the princes.”
(O)Arise, O God, (P)judge the earth!
For it is You who (Q)will inherit all the nations.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 82:1 Heb El; the one true God
  2. Psalm 82:1 Or rulers
  3. Psalm 82:2 Selah may mean Pause, Crescendo, Musical Interlude
  4. Psalm 82:6 Lit I, on my part

Psalm 82

A psalm of Asaph.

God presides over heaven’s court;
    he pronounces judgment on the heavenly beings:
“How long will you hand down unjust decisions
    by favoring the wicked? Interlude

“Give justice to the poor and the orphan;
    uphold the rights of the oppressed and the destitute.
Rescue the poor and helpless;
    deliver them from the grasp of evil people.
But these oppressors know nothing;
    they are so ignorant!
They wander about in darkness,
    while the whole world is shaken to the core.
I say, ‘You are gods;
    you are all children of the Most High.
But you will die like mere mortals
    and fall like every other ruler.’”

Rise up, O God, and judge the earth,
    for all the nations belong to you.