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英文原文
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.
1-5
The Duty of Magistrates
治理者的本分
亚萨的诗。
¹ 神站在有权力者的会中，在诸神中行审判。
² 你们审判不秉公义，徇恶人的情面，要到几时呢？〔细拉〕
³ 你们当为贫寒的人和孤儿伸冤；当为困苦和穷乏的人施行公义。
⁴ 当搭救贫寒和穷乏的人；救他们脱离恶人的手。
⁵ 他们仍不知道，也不明白；在黑暗中走来走去；地的根基都动摇了。
我们在此看见，
一、神在一切议会与法庭中至高的主持与权能被肯定、被宣告——这是一条必须为君王与臣民所信的大真理（诗82:1）：「神站在」「有权力者」——全能者的「会中，作为主要的指导者」；他「在诸神中行审判」——即在下属官长中。君王立法与执法两种权能都在他的眼下、在他的手中。请看，1. 官长的权能与尊荣；他们是「有权力者」。他们在权柄上如此——为公益而有的权柄（他们所受托的乃是极大的权能），他们也当在智慧与勇气上如此。在希伯来文里，他们被称为「神」——对这下属的治理者所用的字，与对全世界的至高治理者所用的是同一个字。他们是「以罗欣」。天使如此称，既因他们权能强大，又因神乐意使用他们的事奉来治理这下面世界；官长也以较次的身分，照样是神护理的仆人——为维持人类社会中的秩序与安宁，又尤其为惩治行恶者、保护行善者而彰显他的公义与良善。好官长——尽上官长本分的——便如神一般；神部分尊荣加在他们身上；他们是他的副手，是任何百姓的大福。「王的嘴中有神的判语」（箴16:10）。但「暴虐的君王辖制贫民，好像吼叫的狮子、觅食的熊」（箴28:15）。2. 这里暗示了一种良好的政体形式，即如我们这般的混合君主制：这里有全能者——君王；又有他的会——他的枢密院、他的议会、他的审判席，他们被称为「诸神」。3. 神在一切有权能者的会中、并其之上，那无可争辩的主权被持守。「神站着」，他「在他们中间行审判」；他们的权能从他而来，也向他交账。「君王借他而治」。他在他们一切辩论中都在场，鉴察他们所言所行；凡言行失当的，都必再被审问，他们也必为其失职受算账。他们的心、他们的舌都在他手中，他「随意」引导他们（箴21:1）。所以他在他们一切决议中有否决权，而他的筹算必立定，无论人心中有何谋略。他随意使用他们，借他们成就自己的目的与计划，尽管他们的心并不如此想（赛10:7）。愿官长思想此事而敬畏；「神在审判中与他们同在」（代下19:6，申1:17）。愿臣民思想此事而得安慰；因为好君王好审判官——心存善意的——都在神的引导之下；坏的——心存何等恶意的——也在神的约束之下。
二、向一切官长所发的命令：要用他们的权能行善，因为他们必向那将权能托付他们的主交账（诗82:3-4）。1. 他们当保护那些容易受侵害的人，作那些需要指教与帮助之人的庇护：「当为贫寒的人……伸冤」——他们没有钱可以结交朋友或聘请教示；「和孤儿」——当年幼无能自助之时，已失了那本可作他们少年引导的人。官长既是一般的国父，就尤其当作国中孤儿的父。他们既称为「神」，就当在此效法他——当「作孤儿的父」。约伯就是如此（伯29:12）。2. 他们当不偏不倚地施行公义，为「困苦和穷乏的人」行「正直」——他们既软弱无助，常受欺压；若官长不「在职上」为他们出头，他们便有丧失一切之虞。穷人若有正当的案件，他的贫穷不当成为其案件的不利，无论与他争讼的人何等伟大、何等有权势。3. 他们当搭救那些已落在压迫者手中的人，将他们解救出来（诗82:4）：「救他们脱离恶人的手。」「为我仇敌伸冤」（路18:3）。这些当事人无可图利——事奉他们无酬可取，施恩他们无利可图；然而这些正是审判官与官长所当关心的，他们的安慰所当顾念的，他们的案件所当承办的。
三、对坏官长所提出的控状——他们忽略本分、滥用权能，忘记了神在他们中间站着（诗82:2、5）。请看，1. 他们在此被控的罪是什么；他们「审判不秉公义」，违背公平的法则与自己良心的指示——或出于恶意恨恶，对那有理的一方判败诉；或出于偏爱偏私，对那不义的一方判胜诉。行事不义诚然可恶，审判不义更坏得多，因为是假公义之名行不义之实；受屈的人对这种不义最无屏障，而行恶的人反因此受鼓励。所罗门在日头之下所见的恶中，这算为一大恶：「审判之处有奸恶」（传3:16，赛5:7）。他们不仅因富人富足便徇情面——这固然甚坏——更（甚坏得多）「徇恶人的情面」因他们恶；他们不仅容忍他们的恶，更因此爱他们，并附从他们的利益。邦国啊，你的审判官如此，你有祸了！2. 这罪的原因何在。他们已明明受嘱：保护搭救穷人原是他们的职分与本分，也屡屡受命；然而他们审判不秉公义，因为他们「不知道，也不明白」。他们不愿听自己的本分；不肯劳神去研读它；无心要正直地判断，却被利益——不是理、不是公义——所支配。「暗中送礼的，使他们眼睛看不见」。他们不知道，因为他们不愿明白。无人比那不肯看见的人更瞎。他们既已蒙蔽自己的良心，便「在黑暗中走来走去」，不知也不顾自己所作的是何、所往的是何处。「在黑暗中走来走去」的，正是走向永远的黑暗。3. 这罪的后果何在：「地的根基」「都动摇了」。公义一旦被颠倒，还能指望什么善？正如诗人在类似处境中所说：「地和其上的居民都熔化了」（诗75:3）。公众人物的失职便是公众的祸患。
英文原文
The Duty of Magistrates
A psalm of Asaph.
¹ God standeth in the congregation of the mighty; he judgeth among the gods.
² How long will ye judge unjustly, and accept the persons of the wicked? Selah.
³ Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy.
⁴ Deliver the poor and needy: rid them out of the hand of the wicked.
⁵ They know not, neither will they understand; they walk on in darkness: all the foundations of the earth are out of course.
We have here,
I. God's supreme presidency and power in all councils and courts asserted and laid down, as a great truth necessary to be believed both by princes and subjects (Ps 82:1): God stands, as chief director, in the congregation of the mighty, the mighty One, in coetu fortis—in the councils of the prince, the supreme magistrate, and he judges among the gods, the inferior magistrates; both the legislative and the executive power of princes is under his eye and his hand. Observe here, 1. The power and honour of magistrates; they are the mighty. They are so in authority, for the public good (it is a great power that they are entrusted with), and they ought to be so in wisdom and courage. They are, in the Hebrew dialect, called gods; the same word is used for these subordinate governors that is used for the sovereign ruler of the world. They are elohim. Angels are so called both because they are great in power and might and because God is pleased to make use of their service in the government of this lower world; and magistrates in an inferior capacity are likewise the ministers of his providence in general, for the keeping up of order and peace in human societies, and particularly of his justice and goodness in punishing evil-doers and protecting those that do well. Good magistrates, who answer the ends of magistracy, are as God; some of his honour is put upon them; they are his vicegerents, and great blessings to any people. A divine sentence is in the lips of the king, Pr 16:10. But, as roaring lions and ranging bears, so are wicked rulers over the poor people, Pr 28:15. 2. A good form and constitution of government intimated, and that is a mixed monarchy like ours; here is the mighty One, the Sovereign, and here is his congregation, his privy-council, his parliament, his bench of judges, who are called the gods. 3. God's incontestable sovereignty maintained in and over all the congregations of the mighty. God stands, he judges among them; they have their power from him and are accountable to him. By him kings reign. He is present at all their debates, and inspects all they say and do, and what is said and done amiss will be called over again, and they reckoned with for their mal-administrations. God has their hearts in his hands, and their tongues too, and he directs them which way soever he will, Pr 21:1. So that he has a negative voice in all their resolves, and his counsels shall stand, whatever devices are in men's hearts. He makes what use he pleases of them, and serves his own purposes and designs by them; though their hearts little think so, Isa 10:7. Let magistrates consider this and be awed by it; God is with them in the judgment, 2Ch 19:6, De 1:17. Let subjects consider this and be comforted with it; for good princes and good judges, who mean well, are under a divine direction, and bad ones, who mean ever so ill, are under a divine restraint.
II. A charge given to all magistrates to do good with their power, as they will answer it to him by whom they are entrusted with it, Ps 82:3,4. 1. They are to be the protectors of those who lie exposed to injury and the patrons of those who want advice and assistance: Defend the poor, who have no money wherewith to make friends or fee counsel, and the fatherless, who, while they are young and unable to help themselves, have lost those who would have been the guides of their youth. Magistrates, as they must be fathers to their country in general, so particularly to those in it who are fatherless. Are they called gods? Herein they must be followers of him, they must be fathers of the fatherless. Job was so, Job 29:12. 2. They are to administer justice impartially, and do right to the afflicted and needy, who, being weak and helpless, have often wrongs done them; and will be in danger of losing all if magistrates do not, ex officio—officially, interpose for their relief. If a poor man has an honest cause, his poverty must be no prejudice to his cause, how great and powerful soever those are that contend with him. 3. They are to rescue those who have already fallen into the hands of oppressors and deliver them. (Ps 82:4): Rid them out of the hand of the wicked. Avenge them of their adversary, Lu 18:3. These are clients whom there is nothing to be got by, no pay for serving them, no interest by obliging them; yet these are those whom judges and magistrates must concern themselves for, whose comfort they must consult and whose cause they must espouse.
III. A charge drawn up against bad magistrates, who neglect their duty and abuse their power, forgetting that God standeth among them, Ps 82:2,5. Observe, 1. What the sin is they are here charged with; they judge unjustly, contrary to the rules of equity and the dictates of their consciences, giving judgment against those who have right on their side, out of malice and ill-will, or for those who have an unrighteous cause, out of favour and partial affection. To do unjustly is bad, but to judge unjustly is much worse, because it is doing wrong under colour of right; against such acts of injustice there is least fence for the injured and by them encouragement is given to the injurious. It was as great an evil as any Solomon saw under the sun when he observed the place of judgment, that iniquity was there, Ec 3:16, Isa 5:7. They not only accepted the persons of the rich because they were rich, though that is bad enough, but (which is much worse) they accepted the persons of the wicked because they were wicked; they not only countenanced them in their wickedness, but loved them the better for it, and fell in with their interests. Woe unto thee, O land! when thy judges are such as these. 2. What was the cause of this sin. They were told plainly enough that it was their office and duty to protect and deliver the poor; it was many a time given them in charge; yet they judge unjustly, for they know not, neither will they understand. They do not care to hear their duty; they will not take pains to study it; they have no desire to take things right, but are governed by interest, not by reason or justice. A gift in secret blinds their eyes. They know not because they will not understand. None so blind as those that will not see. They have baffled their own consciences, and so they walk on in darkness, not knowing nor caring what they do nor whither they go. Those that walk on in darkness are walking on to everlasting darkness. 3. What were the consequences of this sin: All the foundations of the earth (or of the land) are out of course. When justice is perverted what good can be expected? The earth and all the inhabitants thereof are dissolved, as the psalmist speaks in a like case, Ps 75:3. The miscarriages of public persons are public mischiefs.
6-8
The Duty of Magistrates
治理者的本分
⁶ 我曾说：你们是神，全都是至高者的儿子。
⁷ 然而你们要死，与世人一样；要仆倒，与任何王子一样。
⁸ 神啊，求你起来审判这地，因为你要得万邦为业。
此处我们有：
一、属地之神的被贬抑与降卑（诗82:6-7）。其职分的尊严被承认（诗82:6）：「我曾说：你们是神。」他们曾被冠以神的名号与称呼而得尊荣。 神自己在论及叛逆之言的律例中也如此称呼他们（出22:28）：「不可毁谤神。」若这称呼是从那赐尊荣的源头而有的，谁能反驳呢？但人算什么，竟被如此高举？他称他们为「神」，是因为「神的道曾临到他们」——我们的救主如此解释（约10:35）；他们受了 神的差派，被他委派设立，作地上的盾牌，作公众平安的守护者，又作报应者，向扰乱平安的人施行忿怒（罗13:4）。从这个意义说，他们都是「至高者的儿子」。 神将自己的一份尊荣放在他们身上，并在他治理世界的护理中任用他们，正如大卫立自己的众子作首领。或者：「因为我说『你们是神』，你们便把尊荣推得过了本意，自以为是『至高者的儿子』」，正如巴比伦王所言（赛14:14）：「我要与至高者同等」，又如推罗王（结28:2）：「你虽然居心自比 神。」人从 神手中得着如此大的尊荣，又从世人当得的尊敬中得着如此大的尊崇，却不因此骄傲、不自高自大、不以为自己过于所当想的，实在艰难。然而接下来是一个叫人谦卑的思念：「然而你们要死。」这话可视为：1. 对恶化的官长——就是那些审判不公、以恶政使「地的根基动摇」之人——的刑罚。 神必与他们算账，要在他们盛极一时的繁华之中把他们剪除；他们必如别的恶人一样死去，「仆倒，与任何王子一样」（而他们是以色列人这事并不能保全他们，正如他们是士师一事不能保全他们一样）；或如犯罪的天使一样，又如古世代的巨人一样。试将这与以利户论到他那世代强暴压迫者所观察的相比：伯34:26，「他在众人眼前击打他们，如同击打恶人。」愿那滥用权柄的人知道， 神必将权柄和性命从他们夺去；因为他在他们骄傲行事的事上，必「向他们显为至高」。或：2. 这话指世上一切官长荣耀的结局。愿他们不要因尊荣而自高，也不要忽略自己的职事，反倒要借着思念必死这一事实，既叫自己的骄傲受挫，也叫自己的本分得激励。「你们被称为神，却没有不死的特权；『你们要死』，像普通人一样；『你们仆倒』，你们这些王子啊，要像他们中的一位一样仆倒。」请注意，君王与王子、地上一切审判官，虽然对我们而言如神明，对 神而言却不过是人，必如人一样死去，他们一切的尊荣都必归于尘土。「死亡使权杖与铲子同列。」
二、天上的 神被尊崇、被高举（诗82:8）。诗人发觉与这些骄傲的压迫者辩论无济于事；他们对所说的一切充耳不闻，仍在黑暗中行事；于是他仰望 神，向他申诉，并求他「以大能掌权」：「 神啊，求你起来审判这地」；他既求 神如此行，便信 神必如此行：「你要得万邦为业。」这话有如下含义：1. 关乎护理的国度。 神治理世界，随意立人、废人；他「得万邦为业」，对他们拥有绝对的主权，可如人处置自己的产业一般处置他们。我们当信这话，并以此自慰：地并未如我们易于以为的那样「交在恶人手中」——交在恶化的官长手中（伯9:24）。 神却把权柄留给自己，并在他们之上统管万有。我们当在这信心里祷告：「 神啊，求你起来审判这地」，向那些审判不公的人显出你自己，并照你自己的心赐牧者给你的百姓。有一位公义的 神，我们可以投靠他，并可倚靠他为一切自觉受不义审判之冤屈者施行有效的救助。2. 关乎弥赛亚的国度。这是为这国度的速速成就而发的祷告，求基督——他将要审判这地——快来，并求告那应许： 神必将「列国赐他为产业」。基督啊！「你要得万邦为业」，并作他们的治理者（诗2:8，22:28）。愿基督的再来，使这一切的紊乱归正。有两句话，我们可在人滥用权力之事上，借以安慰自己、彼此安慰：一句是启19:6，「哈利路亚！因为主我们的 神、全能者作王了」；另一句是启22:20，「我必快来」。
英文原文
The Duty of Magistrates
⁶ I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High.
⁷ But ye shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes.
⁸ Arise, O God, judge the earth: for thou shalt inherit all nations.
We have here,
I. Earthly gods abased and brought down, Ps 82:6,7. The dignity of their character is acknowledged (Ps 82:6): I have said, You are gods. They have been honoured with the name and title of gods. God himself called them so in the statute against treasonable words Ex 22:28, Thou shalt not revile the gods. And, if they have this style from the fountain of honour, who can dispute it? But what is man, that he should be thus magnified? He called them gods because unto them the word of God came, so our Saviour expounds it (Joh 10:35); they had a commission from God, and were delegated and appointed by him to be the shields of the earth, the conservators of the public peace, and revengers to execute wrath upon those that disturb it, Ro 13:4. All of them are in this sense children of the Most High. God has put some of his honour upon them, and employs them in his providential government of the world, as David made his sons chief rulers. Or, "Because I said, You are gods, you have carried the honour further than was intended and have imagined yourselves to be the children of the Most High," as the king of Babylon (Isa 14:14), I will be like the Most High, and the king of Tyre (Eze 28:2), Thou hast set thy heart as the heart of God. It is a hard thing for men to have so much honour put upon them by the hand of God, and so much honour paid them, as ought to be by the children of men, and not to be proud of it and puffed up with it, and so to think of themselves above what is meet. But here follows a mortifying consideration: You shall die like men. This may be taken either, 1. As the punishment of bad magistrates, such as judged unjustly, and by their misrule put the foundations of the earth out of course. God will reckon with them, and will cut them off in the midst of their pomp and prosperity; they shall die like other wicked men, and fall like one of the heathen princes (and their being Israelites shall not secure them anymore than their being judges) or like one of the angels that sinned, or like one of the giants of the old world. Compare this with that which Elihu observed concerning the mighty oppressors in his time. Job 34:26, He striketh them as wicked men in the open sight of others. Let those that abuse their power know that God will take both it and their lives from them; for wherein they deal proudly he will show himself above them. Or, 2. As the period of the glory of all magistrates in this world. Let them not be puffed up with their honour nor neglect their work, but let the consideration of their mortality be both mortifying to their pride and quickening to their duty. "You are called gods, but you have no patent for immortality; you shall die like men, like common men; and like one of them, you, O princes! shall fall." Note, Kings and princes, all the judges of the earth, though they are gods to us, are men to God, and shall die like men, and all their honour shall be laid in the dust. Mors sceptra ligonibus æquat—Death mingles sceptres with spades.
II. The God of heaven exalted and raised high, Ps 82:8. The psalmist finds it to little purpose to reason with these proud oppressors; they turned a deaf ear to all he said and walked on in darkness; and therefore he looks up to God, appeals to him, and begs of him to take unto himself his great power: Arise, O God! judge the earth; and, when he prays that he would do it, he believes that he will do it: Thou shalt inherit all nations. This has respect, 1. To the kingdom of providence. God governs the world, sets up and puts down whom he pleases; he inherits all nations, has an absolute dominion over them, to dispose of them as a man does of his inheritance. This we are to believe and to comfort ourselves with, that the earth is not given so much into the hands of the wicked, the wicked rulers, as we are tempted to think it is, Job 9:24. But God has reserved the power to himself and overrules them. In this faith we must pray, "Arise, O God! judge the earth, appear against those that judge unjustly, and set shepherds over thy people after thy own heart." There is a righteous God to whom we may have recourse, and on whom we may depend for the effectual relief of all that find themselves aggrieved by unjust judges. 2. To the kingdom of the Messiah. It is a prayer for the hastening of that, that Christ would come, who is to judge the earth, and that promise is pleaded, that God shall give him the heathen for his inheritance. Thou, O Christ! shalt inherit all nations, and be the governor over them, Ps 2:8,22:28. Let the second coming of Christ set to-rights all these disorders. There are two words with which we may comfort ourselves and one another in reference to the mismanagements of power among men: one is Re 19:6, Hallelujah, the Lord God omnipotent reigneth; the other is Re 22:20, Surely, I come quickly.
本篇是为君王宫廷与法庭之中午所设——不仅以色列,亦及他国;然而大概最初是为以色列的官长——大公会与居权位的长老——而作,或许是出于大卫的指示。本篇意在使君王有智慧、「教训地上的审判官」(如诗82:2,10),告诉他们的本分(如撒下23:3),也指出他们的过失(如诗58:1)。本篇内容如下:一、官长职分的尊荣及其对神的倚靠(诗82:1);二、官长的本分(诗82:3,4);三、坏官长的败坏与他们所行的祸害(诗82:2,5);四、他们结局的宣判(诗82:6,7);五、一切善人所愿望并祈求的——愿神的国愈发设立(诗82:8)。官长们虽最能将本诗应用于己,我们众人却也能以悟性歌唱——当我们在唱中以荣耀归给神,因他统管一切公众事务、为受屈的无辜者预备保护、并准备刑罚最有权势的不义;又当我们以他现今治理的信念自慰、并以他将来审判的盼望自慰。