Commentaires bibliques

This psalm is calculated for the meridian of princes' courts and courts of justice, not in Israel only, but in other nations; yet it was probably penned primarily for the use of the magistrates of Israel, the great Sanhedrim, and their other elders who were in places of power, and perhaps by David's direction. This psalm is designed to make kings wise, and "to instruct the judges of the earth" (as Ps 82:2,10), to tell them their duty as (2Sa 23:3), and to tell them of their faults as Ps 58:1. We have here, I. The dignity of magistracy and its dependence upon God, Ps 82:1. II. The duty of magistrates, Ps 82:3,4. III. The degeneracy of bad magistrates and the mischief they do, Ps 82:2,5. IV. Their doom read, Ps 82:6,7. V. The desire and prayer of all good people that the kingdom of God may be set up more and more, Ps 82:8. Though magistrates may most closely apply this psalm to themselves, yet we may any of us sing it with understanding when we give glory to God, in singing it, as presiding in all public affairs, providing for the protection of injured innocency, and ready to punish the most powerful injustice, and when we comfort ourselves with a belief of his present government and with the hopes of his future judgment.

This, too, is a "Psalm of Asaph." See Introduction to Psalm 73. There is nothing, however, in its contents to determine the time or the occasion of its being composed, although there is no difficulty in ascertaining the design for which it was written, or the use to be made of it. It is intended to state the duties and the responsibilites of magistrates or civil rulers. Though the language is such as was adapted especially to the Hebrew magistracy, and to the duties of magistrates as specified in the Jewish law, yet the principles are such as should guide magistrates at all times and in all countries; and the truths suggested are such as are eminently worthy the attention of all who are entrusted with authority.

The psalm was evidently composed at a time when there was much that was unjust and oppressive in the administration of justice; when the magistrates were corrupt; when they could be bribed; when they were forgetful of their obligation to defend the poor and the fatherless - the afflicted and the needy; when manifest consequences of the evil administration of justice prevailed in the land, and "all the foundations of the earth" seemed to be "out of course;" and when those in power were haughty and arrogant, as if they were not people, and were not to die. DeWette supposes that the psalm was composed in the time of the Babylonian exile, and had reference to the conduct of the oppressive rulers in that land; but it is not necessary to suppose this. There were doubtless many occasions in the history of the Hebrew people when all that is here said of the conduct of their rulers and judges was applicable to them. Compare Isaiah 1:17, Isaiah 1:23, Isaiah 1:26.

The contents of the psalm are as follows:

I. A reference to God as the Supreme Ruler; the Ruler of those that rule; the God to whom all magistrates, however exalted in rank, are responsible, Psalm 82:1.

II. A reference to the character of the magistrates at the time when the psalm was written, as those who judged unjustly; who were partial in the administration of justice; and who favored people of rank and position, Psalm 82:2.

III. A statement of the duties of magistrates, in reference particularly to the poor, the fatherless, the needy, and the afflicted, Psalm 82:3-4.

IV. A further statement in regard to the character of the magistrates at the time when the psalm was written, particularly as ignorant, and as walking in darkness, Psalm 82:5.

V. A solemn appeal to them as mortal people - as subject to death like others - though they had a rank which entitled them to the appellation of "gods," and were the representatives of the Most High on earth, Psalm 82:6-7.

VI. A call on God to arise and to execute judgment in the earth, for he was the Supreme Ruler, and the nations, with all their interests, pertained to him, Psalm 82:8.

A warning to corrupt judges, Psalm 82:1, Psalm 82:2; an exhortation to them to dispense justice without respect of person, Psalm 82:3-5; they are threatened with the judgments of the Lord, Psalm 82:6-8.

This Psalm, which, in the title, is attributed to Asaph, was probably composed in the time when Jehoshaphat reformed the courts of justice throughout his states; see 2 Chronicles 19:6, 2 Chronicles 19:7, where he uses nearly the same words as in the beginning of this Psalm.

INTRODUCTION TO Psalm 82

A Psalm of Asaph. This psalm was written for the use of persons in power, for the instruction of kings and princes, judges and civil magistrates; according to Kimchi, it was written about the times of Jehoshaphat, who appointed new judges throughout the land; those that were before having been very corrupt, to whom he gave a charge agreeably to the purport of this psalm, 2 Chronicles 19:5, but it seems rather to be written by Asaph, in the times of David, under a spirit of prophecy, and has respect to the times of Christ, when there was a great corruption among the judges and rulers of the Jews, both civil and ecclesiastic. The Syriac version calls it, "a reproof of the ungodly Jews"; our Lord cites a passage out of it in vindication of himself from their charge of blasphemy, John 10:34.

LXXXII.

This psalm represents the conviction which was so profoundly fixed in the Hebrew mind, that Justice is the fundamental virtue of society, and that its corruption implies total disorganisation and ruin. The mode in which this conviction is presented is also distinctively Hebrew. We have here once more a vision of judgment. But it is not the whole nation of the Jews, or the nations of the world generally, that are here arraigned before the Divine tribunal; nor are there introduced any of those elements of grandeur and awe which generally accompany a theophany. God is not here driving across the heavens on His storm - chariot, and calling on the mountains to bear evidence of earth’s sin. But with a calm dignity, which is by contrast the more striking, the Divine arbiter comes to take His place as presiding Judge among the magistrates themselves, and depose them. In a few incisive words He pronounces them indifferent to justice, neglectful of their duties, venal, and unscrupulous, and warns them of the ruin they are bringing on society, and of their own certain downfall, however secure and inviolable their position appears.

Then the poet himself, with a wider sweep of view, that takes in not only the administrators of law, but the political situation of his nation, makes appeal to the “judge of all the earth,” who in the conviction of Israel must do right.

The date of such a poem, if it could be recovered, would crown its interest; but it is in vain to discuss the conjectures, which range from the Davidic to the Macedonian age. The histories do not reveal anything in the early monarchy to indicate such abuses in the judicature as the psalm describes. The poetical form is irregular.

Title.—See title, Psalms 1.

This Psalm is a vision of judgement. It sets forth, in a highly poetical and imaginative form, the responsibility of earthly judges to the Supreme Judge, Whose representatives they are, and from Whom they derive their authority. The dramatic form, the representation of God as the Judge, and the introduction of God Himself as the speaker, are characteristics common to several of the Asaphic Psalms. See Psalms 50, 75, 81.

God takes His stand as Judge in a solemn assembly: His delegates appear before His tribunal (Psalm 82:1).

Sternly He upbraids them for their injustice and partiality, and bids them remember what the duties of their office are (Psalm 82:2-4).

But they are incapable of reformation, and the foundations of society are being shaken by their misconduct. Though they bear the lofty title of gods, they shall share the common fate of men (Psalm 82:5-7).

The Psalmist concludes with a prayer that God will Himself assume the government of the world (Psalm 82:8).

In Psalms 50 the nation of Israel is assembled for judgement: here the authorities of the nation who have abused their trust are put upon their trial. The evil complained of has been common in Oriental countries in all ages, and ancient Israel was no exception. Exhortations to maintain the purity of justice are common in the Law: complaints of its maladministration are frequent in the Prophets. One passage in particular—Isaiah 3:13 ff.—presents a close parallel. “Jehovah standeth up to plead, and standeth to judge the peoples. Jehovah will enter into judgement with the elders of His people, and the princes thereof: for ye—ye have devoured the vineyard: the spoil of the afflicted is in your houses: what mean ye that ye crush my people, and grind the face of the afflicted? saith the Lord, Jehovah of hosts.”

The authorities of the nation are called gods (Psalm 82:1; Psalm 82:6) as being the representatives of God, sons of the Most High (Psalm 82:6) as exercising a power delegated by the supreme Ruler of the world. The judgement which they give is God’s (Deuteronomy 1:17). Even if it be held that Elôhîm should be rendered God rather than the judges in Exodus 21:6; Exodus 22:8-9; Exodus 22:28; 1 Samuel 2:25, it is clear that the administration of justice at the sanctuary by those who were regarded as the representatives of God is meant in these passages, and the direct application of the title Elôhîm to judges in the Psalm is fully intelligible. This interpretation is the oldest, for it is not only given by the Targum, but was that generally current in our Lord’s time, as is clear from His use of the passage in John 10:34 ff., and it is the simplest and most natural. Two other explanations however require notice.

(i) Some commentators think that the Psalm refers to foreign rulers, by whom the nation of Israel was being oppressed. The prayer of Psalm 82:8, it is said, proves that the reference cannot be merely to the injustice of Israelite judges, for God is entreated to arise and judge the world. But the judgement of Israel is often regarded as part of a universal judgement. See Psalm 7:6 ff.: and particularly the passage of Isaiah already referred to, where Jehovah is standing up to judge the peoples; when He summons the elders and princes of Israel to account for oppressing their poor countrymen. The language of Psalm 82:2-4 tallies exactly with the language used elsewhere of the oppression of poor and defenceless Israelites by the rich and powerful: there is not the slightest hint that the terms ‘poor’ and ‘afflicted’ are transferred to Israel as a nation. And lastly, though heathen princes claimed divine titles (Ezekiel 28:2; Ezekiel 28:6; Isaiah 14:14) it is improbable that the Psalmist would acknowledge their right to them as he does.

(ii) Others think that by Elôhîm angels are meant, and hold that the Psalm refers generally to God’s judgement upon unjust judges in heaven and earth; or more particularly to the judgement of the patron-angels of the nations. This view, proposed by Bleek, is adopted by Cheyne, who says, “The charge brought against these patron-angels of the nations (see Daniel 10, 12) is that they have (in the persons of their human subordinates) permitted such gross violence and injustice, that the moral bases of the earth are shaken.” If this view is to be adopted, it is certainly the case that “no Psalm makes a stronger demand than this on the historic imagination of the interpreter.” But (1) as has already been remarked in the note on Psalm 58:1 with reference to a similar interpretation of that Psalm, there is nothing in the context to justify the importation of an idea which belongs to the later development of Jewish theology. (2) The idea that angels can be punished with death is startling, and foreign to the O.T. view of angelic nature. (3) There is not the slightest hint that Psalm 82:2-4 refer to anything but the oppression of men by men. The language, as has been pointed out above, closely resembles that of the Law and the Prophets, and there is no reason for taking it in a non-natural sense.

There is nothing in the Psalm to fix its date. The evils complained of were constantly recurring, especially of course when the central government was weak.

This Psalm is the Psalm for the third day of the week in the ancient Jewish liturgy. See Introd. p. xxvii.

Ps 82:1-8.

Before the great Judge, the judges of the earth are rebuked, exhorted, and threatened.

1. congregation--(Compare

Ex 12:3; 16:1).

of the mighty--that is, of God, of His appointment.

the gods--or, "judges"

(Ex 21:6; 22:9),

God's representatives.

God standeth in the congregation of the mighty - In the assembly of the rulers and judges; among those of most exalted rank and station. He is there to observe them; to give them law; to direct their decisions; to judge them. He is supreme over them; and he holds them responsible to himself The word rendered congregation is that which is commonly applied to the assembly of the people of Israel, considered as an organized body, or as a body politic. It here, however, refers to magistrates considered as a body or class of people; as those who have assemblages or meetings, with special reference to their duties as magistrates. The word rendered "mighty" - אל 'Êl - is in the singular number, and is one of the names which are given to God; hence, the literal rendering is, "God standeth in the assembly of God." The Septuagint renders it, In the synagogue of the gods. So also the Latin Vulgate. The reference, however, is undoubtedly to magistrates, and the idea is, that they were to be regarded as representatives of God; as acting in his name; and as those, therefore, to whom, in a subordinate sense, the name gods might be given. Compare Psalm 82:6. In Exodus 21:6; Exodus 22:8-9, Exodus 22:28, also, the same word in the plural is applied to magistrates, and is properly translated judges in our common version. Compare the notes at John 10:34-35. The idea is, that they were the representatives of the divine sovereignty in the administration of justice. Compare Romans 13:1-2, Romans 13:6. They were, in a sense, gods to other people; but they were not to forget that God stood among them as their God; that if they were exalted to a high rank in respect to their fellowmen, they were, nevertheless, subject to One to whom the name of God belonged in the highest sense.

He judgeth among the gods - As they to whom the name gods is thus given as the representatives of the divine sovereignty judged among people, so God would judge among them. If they were, in some sense (in consequence of their representing the divine majesty, and deriving their power and appointment from God), independent of people, they were in no sense independent of God himself.