Psalm 82 Study Notes

Ps 82 title On Asaph, see note at Ps 50 title.

82:1 The phrase God stands indicates sentencing or judgment in progress (74:22; 94:2; Is 3:13; 33:10) since judges normally sat (Ex 18:14; Jdg 4:5; Is 28:6). The divine assembly has its equivalents in Ugaritic, Mesopotamian, and Egyptian mythology, where it refers to “lesser gods” in a pantheon. In the OT, the designation either refers to heavenly servant beings (103:19) or judges and governors appointed by God as political leaders (Ex 21:6; 22:8; 2Ch 19:5-6). The Scriptures place God in the presence of a divine council consisting of good and evil spirits (1Kg 22:19-22), sometimes designated as “sons of God” (Jb 1:6-12). The emphasis on judgment (vv. 1-3,8) reinforces the failure of God’s servants.

82:2 God formally indicted the appointed officials for social injustice since their decisions favored those who were wicked.

82:3-4 Here God charges the officials or “gods” with their responsibilities of justice. The quotation marks that end at v. 4 should probably extend through v. 7.

82:5 The result of unjust rule was that the people did not know or understand, using language reminiscent of the impotent idols often depicted by the prophet Isaiah as blind, deaf, mute, and powerless (Is 44:9,18; 46:1-2,6-7; Jr 10:3-5). The distorted administration of justice disrupted the cosmic order as originally intended by God, threatening the foundations on which God had established the world.

82:6-7 Gods refers to kings (or angels) who failed to perform responsibly and ethically and thus deserved death. The concept finds support in the book of Ezekiel (28:1-19), where the Lord banished his divine servant, the king of Tyre, from his presence to die like a common man. The term gods was used of God’s vice-regents such as Moses and the kings. Verse 6 is used by Jesus in Jn 10:34.

82:8 The Lord as Creator and King restores cosmic balance through the exercise of divine judgment on the nations.