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God Commands Justice

A psalm of Asaph.[a]

82 God stands in the divine assembly;[b]
he administers judgment in the midst of the gods.[c]
“How long will you judge unjustly
and show favoritism to the wicked?[d] Selah
Judge on behalf of the helpless and the orphan;
provide justice to the afflicted and the poor.
Rescue the helpless and the needy;
deliver them from the hand of the wicked.”
They do not know or consider.[e]
They go about in the darkness,
so that all the foundations of the earth are shaken.
I have said,[f] “You are gods,
and sons of the Most High, all of you.
However, you will die like men,[g]
and you will fall like one of the princes.”
Rise up, O God, judge the earth,
because you shall inherit[h] all the nations.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 82:1 The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm
  2. Psalm 82:1 Or “assembly of El
  3. Psalm 82:1 Hebrew elohim
  4. Psalm 82:2 Literally “lift up the faces of the wicked”
  5. Psalm 82:5 Or “understand”
  6. Psalm 82:6 Hebrew “I, I have said”
  7. Psalm 82:7 Singular
  8. Psalm 82:8 Or “receive an inheritance”

Psalm 82

A psalm of Asaph.

82 God takes his stand in the divine council;
    he gives judgment among the gods:
“How long will you judge unjustly
    by granting favor to the wicked? Selah
Give justice to the lowly and the orphan;
    maintain the right of the poor and the destitute!
Rescue the lowly and the needy.
    Deliver them from the power of the wicked!

They don’t know; they don’t understand;
    they wander around in the dark.
    All the earth’s foundations shake.

    I hereby declare, “You are gods,
    children of the Most High—all of you!
But you will die like mortals;
    you will fall down like any prince.”

Rise up, God! Judge the earth
    because you hold all nations in your possession!