◄ Psalm 82 ►
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God Presides in the Divine Assembly

A Psalm of Asaph.

1 God presides in the divine assembly;

He renders judgment among the gods:

2“How long will you judge unjustlya

and show partiality to the wicked?

Selah

3Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless;

uphold the rights of the afflicted and oppressed.

4Rescue the weak and needy;

save them from the hand of the wicked.

5They do not know or understand;

they wander in the darkness;

all the foundations of the earth are shaken.

6I have said, ‘You are gods;

you are all sons of the Most High.’b

7But like mortals you will die,

and like rulers you will fall.”

8Arise, O God, judge the earth,

for all the nations are Your inheritance.

Berean Standard Bible (BSB) printed 2016, 2020, 2022, 2025 by Bible Hub and Berean.Bible. Produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, unfoldingWord, Bible Aquifer, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee. This text of God's Word has been dedicated to the public domain. Free downloads and unlimited usage available. See also the Berean Literal Bible and Berean Interlinear Bible.

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Psalm 82 Summary
God Presides in the Divine Assembly

Verses 1–2 – God Takes His Stand Against Unjust Judges
The psalm opens with a courtroom scene. “God presides in the divine assembly; He renders judgment among the gods”. The Lord steps in as Chief Judge, calling human rulers and judges to account for showing favor to the wicked. Their partiality has warped society.

Verses 3–4 – The Mandate to Protect the Helpless
God spells out what true justice looks like: “Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; uphold the rights of the afflicted and oppressed. Rescue the weak and needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.” Mercy for the most vulnerable is non-negotiable.

Verse 5 – The Blindness of Corrupted Authorities
“They neither know nor understand; they wander in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are shaken.” Spiritual and moral blindness in leadership destabilizes everything, cracking the very pillars that hold society together.

Verses 6–7 – Divine Sentence on Unfaithful Rulers
“I have said, ‘You are gods; you are all sons of the Most High.’ But like mortals you will die, and like rulers you will fall.” Elevated titles will not save corrupt leaders. Their end will be the same as any other person who resists God’s ways.

Verse 8 – A Cry for Universal Justice
“Asaph” closes with a plea: “Rise up, O God, judge the earth, for all the nations are Your inheritance.” The psalmist looks beyond Israel, yearning for the day when God’s just rule embraces the entire world.

Psalm 82 is a powerful chapter from the book of Psalms, written as a psalm of Asaph. This chapter serves as a divine courtroom drama, where God stands as the Supreme Judge over earthly judges who have failed to uphold justice and righteousness. It is a potent reminder of God’s ultimate authority and the human responsibility to serve justice.

Historical Setting

Psalm 82 is attributed to Asaph or his descendants, musicians who served in Solomon’s temple (1 Chronicles 25:1). Israel’s courts sat at city gates, where elders settled disputes (Deuteronomy 16:18; Ruth 4:1). The psalm pictures God entering that familiar scene to confront leaders who abandoned their duty.

Literary Snapshot

• Courtroom atmosphere: God as Judge, rulers as defendants

• Sharp dialogue (vv. 2–4) followed by divine verdict (vv. 6–7) and closing prayer (v. 8)

• Repetition of “gods” (Hebrew elohim) both for the LORD (v. 1) and for human judges (vv. 1, 6) highlights the contrast between perfect and flawed justice.

Who Are the “gods” in Psalm 82?

• In Exodus 22:28 the same word refers to human judges.

• Jesus cites Psalm 82:6 in