서론
无标题
繁體中文
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
繁體中文
官長的職責
亞薩的詩。
¹ 神站在有權力者的會中，在諸神中行審判。 ² 說：你們審判不秉公義，徇惡人的情麵，要到幾時呢？（細拉） ³ 你們當為貧寒的人和孤兒伸冤；當為困苦和窮乏的人施行公義。 ⁴ 當保護貧寒和窮乏的人，救他們脫離惡人的手。 ⁵ 你們仍不知道，也不明白，在黑暗中走來走去；地的根基都搖動了。
我們在此可以看到，
一、神在一切議會和法庭中至高的主持和權能被確立和陳明，作為一條為君王和百姓所當信的重大真理（詩 82:1）：「神站在有權力者的會中」——如同首席的引導者；他*「在諸神中行審判」——就是在下級的官長中。君王的立法權和執法權都在他的眼中、在他的手中。請留意此處：1. 官長的權能和尊榮：他們是「有權力者」。就權柄而言，他們為公益如此（他們所受託的是極大的權能），也當在智慧和勇氣上如此。在希伯來文的用法中，他們被稱為「神」——用在下級治理者身上的字，與用在世界的主權統治者身上的字相同。他們是「以羅欣」（elohim）。天使如此被稱呼，既因他們大有能力，也因為神樂意使用他們的服事來治理這下方的世界；官長在下級的地位上同樣是他護理之工的僕人，為要在人類社會中維持秩序與和平，並特別施行他的公義和良善——懲罰作惡的人、保護行善的人。盡職的好官長如同神一般；神部分的尊榮加在他們身上；他們是他的副手，是任何百姓的大福。「王的嘴中有神的斷言」（箴 16:10）。但正如「獅子吼叫、猛熊吞噬」一般，「暴虐的君王轄製貧民」也是如此（箴 28:15）。2. 此處暗示一種良好的政體和憲政形式，即如我國的混合君主製；這裏有那位有權能者、那位主權者，這裏又有他的會眾——他的樞密院、他的議會、他的法官席，他們被稱為「諸神」。3. 神在一切有權能者的會中、並在其上，那不可爭辯的主權得著維護。「神站立」——他「在他們中間行審判」；他們的權柄從他而來，也要向他交帳。「帝王藉我坐國位」。他在他們一切的辯論中臨在，鑒察他們所說所作的一切；凡說錯作錯的，都要再次被審問，他們也要為其失職受報。神掌握他們的心，也掌握他們的舌，並隨己意引導他們（箴 21:1）。因此他在他們一切決議中有否決之權，他的旨意必立定，無論人心中有甚麼計謀。他隨己意使用他們，並藉他們成就自己的旨意和計劃，雖然他們的心很少想到（賽 10:7）。願官長思想此事而敬畏；「神在審判之中與他們同在」（代下 19:6；申 1:17）。*願百姓思想此事而得安慰；因為善良的君王和法官——無論其動機如何良善——都在屬神的引導之下，而惡劣的——無論其動機如何邪惡——都在屬神的約束之下。
二、對一切官長的命令，要他們使用權柄行善，如同他們要向那託付他們權柄的主交帳一般（詩 82:3-4）。1. 他們當作那暴露於傷害之人的保護者，並作那缺乏指教和幫助之人的恩主：「當為貧寒的人和孤兒伸冤」——那些沒有錢結交朋友或聘請顧問的人，「當為……孤兒伸冤」——他們在年幼不能自立之時，便失去了本當作他們年少引導的人。官長既當作全國的父親，就特別當作國中孤兒的父親。他們被稱為*「神」嗎？他們在此必效法他——他們必作「孤兒的父親」。約伯便是如此（伯 29:12）。2. 他們當無私地施行公正，「為困苦和窮乏的人主持公道」——他們既軟弱無助，便常受冤屈；若官長不按職責出面救濟，便有失去一切的危險。窮人若有誠實的案件，他的貧窮不可成為他案件的妨礙，無論與他相爭的人何等偉大、何等有權勢。3. 他們當營救那已落在欺壓者手中的人，拯救他們（詩 82:4）：「救他們脫離惡人的手」——「為他向我對頭報仇」（路 18:3）。*這些當事人不能帶來任何利益——服事他們沒有酬報，幫助他們沒有好處；然而這正是法官和官長當關懷的人，當顧念他們的安慰，並支持他們的案件。
三、對惡劣官長的控告——他們疏忽職責、濫用權柄，忘記神在他們中間站立（詩 82:2、5）。請注意：1. 此處所控告的罪是甚麼：他們*「審判不秉公義」——違背公平的規則和自己良心的指示，或出於惡意和惡感而判那些有理的人敗訴，或出於偏袒和私情而判那些理虧的人勝訴。行得不義固為惡，審判不公更為惡，因為這是在公義的幌子下作惡；對於這樣的不公之舉，受害的人最沒有防護，藉此行惡的人反倒得著鼓勵。所羅門在日光之下所見的大惡之一，便是「審判之處有奸惡」（傳 3:16；賽 5:7）。他們不僅因富人富足而徇其情麵——那固然已是不好——更是（這尤其更壞）「徇惡人的情麵」，因為他們惡；他們不僅在他們的惡行上予以姑息，更因此越發愛他們，並附和他們的利益。「禍哉，這國！」當你的法官如此之時。2. 這罪的因由是甚麼。他們已明明被告知，保護和拯救窮人是他們的職責和本分；這已屢次託付於他們；然而他們審判不公，因為「他們仍不知道，也不明白」。他們不願聽自己的本分；他們不肯費心去研究它；他們不願按正理判斷，乃是被利益所支配，不被理性和公正所管。「暗中的賄賂蒙蔽他們的眼。」他們不知道，因為他們不肯明白。沒有比那不願看見的人更瞎的了。他們已經使自己的良心失效，所以他們「在黑暗中走來走去」——既不知道也不在乎自己所作的是甚麼、要往哪裏去。那些在黑暗中行走的人，乃是走向永遠的黑暗。3. 這罪的後果是甚麼：「地的根基都搖動了」（或作「這地的根基」）。公義既被顛倒，還能指望甚麼好處呢？正如詩人在類似的情形中所說：「地和其上的居民都消化了」（詩 75:3）。*公眾人物的失職，便是公眾的禍患。
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
繁體中文
審判官的本分
⁶ 我曾說：你們是神；你們都是至高者的兒子。 ⁷ 然而你們要死與世人一樣；要仆倒像任何一個王子一般。 ⁸ 神啊，求你起來，審判全地；因為你必得萬邦為業。
此處我們看見：
一、 屬地的神明被貶抑降卑，詩 82:6,7。他們身分的尊嚴被承認（詩 82:6）：我曾說：你們是神。 他們曾蒙賜神的名號與稱號。神自己在論及叛逆之言之律例中也如此稱呼他們，出 22:28：不可毀謗神。 若是從尊榮之源得此稱呼，誰還能爭辯呢？但人是甚麼，竟被如此高抬？祂稱他們為神，是因為神的道臨到他們——我們的主如此解釋（約 10:35）；他們從神受了委任，被祂差派設立，作全地的盾牌、公共和平的維護者，並作為報復者，向擾亂和平的人施行刑罰，羅 13:4。從這個意義上說，他們都是至高者的兒子。神已將祂的一些尊榮加在他們身上，並在他們身上使用他們於祂對世界的護理治理中，正如大衛立他的眾子作首領一樣。或說：「因為我曾說：你們是神，你們便把這尊榮過分延伸，竟幻想自己是至高者的兒子」——正如巴比倫王（賽 14:14）：我要與至高者同等；又如推羅王（結 28:2）：你雖居心比作神的心。 人因神的手得着如此大的尊榮，又因着人的兒女當歸給他們的尊榮而得着如此大的尊崇，卻不因此驕傲自大，不因此自視過高——這實在是一件難事。然而此處跟着一個叫人謙卑的考量：然而你們要死與世人一樣。 這話可理解為：1。 作為壞審判官的刑罰——他們審判不公，因着亂政使地的根基偏離常軌。神必與他們算帳，並在他們榮華興盛之時將他們剪除；他們要如同別的惡人一樣死去，像外邦的王子一樣仆倒（他們是以色列人這事實並不能保全他們，正如他們是審判官這身分一樣），或如犯罪的天使，或如古世界的巨人。請將此與以利戶論到他那時代強橫的欺壓者所觀察的相比：伯 34:26，他在眾人眼前當面打擊他們，如同打擊惡人。 願那些濫用權柄的人知道，神必將權柄和性命從他們奪去；因為他們在哪裏狂傲，祂必在那裏顯出自己超乎他們之上。或 2。 作為一切審判官在世上之榮耀的盡頭。他們不要因自己的尊榮而自負，也不要忽略自己的本分；當以必死的考量既使自己的驕傲受挫，又激發自己的本分。「你們稱為神，卻沒有不死的特許；你們要死與世人一樣——如普通的人一樣；王子啊，你們要像他們中間的一個仆倒。」須知，君王和王子，地上一切審判官，雖然對我們而言是神，對神卻是人，必如人一樣死去，他們一切的尊榮都要歸於塵土。Mors sceptra ligonibus æquat——死亡使權杖與鐵鍬同列。
二、 天上的神被高舉升高，詩 82:8。詩人發覺與這些驕傲的欺壓者講理無濟於事；他們對他所說的一切充耳不聞，仍行在黑暗中；所以他舉目仰望神，向祂申訴，並求祂執掌大權作王：神啊，求你起來，審判全地；他求神如此行之時，也信神必如此行：你必得萬邦為業。 這話關乎：1。 護理的國度。神治理世界，憑己意設立廢黜；祂得萬邦為業，對他們有絕對的主權，如同人對自己的產業隨意處置一般。我們當信這事，並從中得安慰：地並非如我們所受試探以為的那樣——交在惡人（惡意的統治者）手中，伯 9:24。神為自己保留了權柄，並統管他們。我們當存這信心禱告：「神啊，求你起來，審判全地」——向那些審判不公的人顯現，並按你自己的心為你的百姓設立牧者。我們有一位公義的神可以投靠，凡自覺被不義的審判官冤屈的人，都可倚靠祂得着有效的救助。2。 彌賽亞的國度。這是為催促那國度而發的禱告——願基督快來，那位要審判全地的；所求的應許是：神必將外邦賜給祂為業。基督啊！你必得萬邦為業，作他們的治理者，詩 2:8、22:28。願基督的第二次來臨將這一切失序撥亂反正。我們在人間權力被誤用之時，可用兩句話來彼此安慰：一句是啟 19:6：哈利路亞！主我們的神，全能者作王了；另一句是啟 22:20：我必快來。
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.
本詩是為君王宮廷與審判法庭的子午線而作的，不僅是在以色列，也在列國之中；然而它大概最初是為以色列的官長、大公會、以及其他在位掌權的長老而寫，也許是在大衛的指示之下。
本詩旨在使君王有智慧，並「教訓地上的審判官」（如詩八二2,10），告訴他們的本分（如撒下二三3），也指出他們的過失（如詩五八1）。
此處我們看到：一、官長職分的尊嚴以及它對神的依賴（詩八二1）。二、官長的本分（詩八二3,4）。三、不良官長的墮落與他們所造成的禍害（詩八二2,5）。四、向他們宣讀的判決（詩八二6,7）。五、一切屬神之人對神的國越久越建立起來的渴望與禱告（詩八二8）。
官長固然可以最貼切地將這詩應用到自己身上，但我們每個人也可以有知識地唱這詩——當我們在唱的時候，將榮耀歸與神，承認祂在一切公眾事務中掌權，為受傷的無辜者預備保護，並準備懲罰最有權勢的不義；又當我們以相信祂現今的治理、並盼望祂將來的審判來安慰自己。