Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary
Psalms 82:6

Clarke's Commentary

Verse Psalms 82:6. Ye are gods — Or, with the prefix of כ ke, the particle of similitude, כאלהים keelohim, "like God." Ye are my representatives, and are clothed with my power and authority to dispense judgment and justice, therefore all of them are said to be children of the Most High.

Bridgeway Bible Commentary

Psalms Opposition to God’s just rule

Psalms 82:0 is written against all those who act unjustly in their position as God’s representatives in administering justice. They are even called gods (v. 1,6; cf. John 10:34; Romans 13:1,Romans 13:4,Romans 13:6). However, instead of rescuing the helpless poor from the powerful rich who enslave them, they show favour to those with influence and money (82:1-4). Because they are blind to all justice, truth and mercy, there is no stability in society (5). They may have high rank, but it will not save them on the day when they themselves are judged. They will be destroyed along with other wicked people (6-8).

Another picture of opposition to God concerns an attack on Israel by enemy nations whose hatred of Israel results from their hatred of God (83:1-4). On all sides enemies gather to fight against God and his people (5-8). But just as God defeated Sisera and Jabin in the time of Deborah, and defeated the Midianites in the time of Gideon, so may he defeat the gathered armies again (9-12; see Judges 4:1-31, Judges 6:1-28). The psalmist prays that their destruction will be complete (13-15), so that people will acknow ledge God’s sovereign power and praise his holy name (16-18).

Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible

THE DENUNCIATIONS AND WARNINGS

“How long will ye judge unjustly, And respect the persons of the wicked? (Selah) Judge the poor and fatherless: Do justice to the afflicted and destitute. Rescue the poor and needy: Deliver them out of the hand of the wicked. They know not, neither do they understand; They walk to and fro in darkness: All the foundations of the earth are shaken. I said, Ye are gods, And all of you sons of the Most High. Nevertheless, ye shall die like men, And fall like one of the princes.”

“How long will ye judge unjustly” “These judges are not evil angels, who in later Judaism were regarded as guardians of the nations.”International Critical Commentary, Vol. II, p. 215. Who were they? They were the ones to whom God gave the Law of Moses, i.e. the Israelites (See John 10:34 ff), particularly the wicked judges upon whom this chapter is focused.

“Judge the poor… fatherless… afflicted… destitute, and deliver them out of the hand of the wicked” Many are the Biblical denunciations of Israel’s wicked judges. Zephaniah 3:3 refers to those judges as “evening wolves”; and Amos repeatedly stated that they would sell the poor “for a pair of shoes” (Amos 2:6; Amos 8:6). Furthermore, those prophets were not speaking of “angels” but of the corrupt judges of the chosen people. Those who are familiar with the sordid record cannot be surprised that Jesus founded one of his parables upon the “Unjust Judge.”

“They know not… neither understand… but walk in darkness” This is the statement of God regarding the scandalous judges of Israel. Their ignorance and lack of understanding in view here were in no sense innocent, but willful. As Christ himself explained it, “Their eyes they have closed and their ears they have stopped, lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears and understand with their hearts, and should turn again and I should heal them” (Acts 18:26-27).

“All the foundations of the earth are shaken” This simply means that with a corrupt judiciary, Israel’s foundation as a nation was already in a very precarious condition. No nation can long survive when the judiciary becomes corrupt.

See the chapter introduction for a full discussion of Psalms 82:6.

“Nevertheless, ye shall die like men, And fall like one of the princes.” (Psalms 82:7)

“Ye shall die like men.” This is an unfortunate rendition, because it seems to say that “the angels” alleged to be spoken of here shall even die like human beings die. “The death here is evidently a penalty impending upon these unjust judges from God himself. Though exalted in their position, they were not divine, but human.”Ibid., p. 216.

To paraphrase this verse, “You shall certainly die just like all other mortals die.”

“This verse contrasts the purely human fate of the unjust judges with the superhuman dignity of their calling.”J. R. Dummelow’s Commentary, p. 362.

This mention of death to the unjust judges forbids the notion that angels are addressed; because, the angels of God are not subject to death, except in the case of the fallen angels who followed Satan; and that death will be eternal punishment, not ordinary death.

Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

I have said, Ye are gods - See the notes at Psalms 82:1. I have given you this title; I have conferred on you an appellation which indicates a greater nearness to God than any other which is bestowed on men - an appellation which implies that you are God’s representatives on earth, and that your decision is, in an important sense, to be regarded as his.

And all of you are children of the Most High - Sons of God. That is, You occupy a rank which makes it proper that you should be regarded as his sons.

Calvin's Commentary on the Bible

6I have said, ye are gods. God has invested judges with a sacred character and title. This the prophet concedes; but he, at the same time, shows that this will afford no support and protection to wicked judges. He does not introduce them as speaking of the dignity of their office; but anticipating the style of reasoning which they would be disposed to adopt, he replies, “If you appeal to your dignity as an argument to shield you, this boasting will avail you nothing; yea, rather you are deceiving yourselves by your foolish confidence; for God, in appointing you his substitutes, has not divested himself of his own sovereignty as supreme ruler. Again, he would have you to remember your own frailty as a means of stirring you up to execute with fear and trembling the office intrusted to you.” This verse may also be viewed as addressed by God himself to rulers, and as intimating, that, in addition to his clothing them with authority, he has bestowed upon them his name. This interpretation seems to agree with the language of Christ in John 10:34, where he speaks of those as called gods to whom the word of God came. The passage, however, may be appropriately resolved thus: I grant that ye are gods, and the sons of the Most High ⁽⁴²⁷⁾ But this does not materially alter the meaning. The object is simply to teach that the dignity with which judges are invested can form no excuse or plea why they should escape the punishment which their wickedness deserves. The government of the world has been committed to them upon the distinct understanding that they themselves also must one day appear at the judgment-seat of heaven to render up an account. The dignity, therefore, with which they are clothed is only temporary, and will pass away with the fashion of the world. Accordingly, it is added in the 7^th verse, But ye shall die as men. You are armed with power, as if he had said, to govern the world; but you have not on that account ceased to be men, so as to be no longer subject to mortality. The last clause of the verse is translated by some expositors, Ye shall fall like one of the princes; ⁽⁴²⁸⁾ but in my opinion improperly. They think that it contains a threatening of the violent death which would befall these unrighteous judges, corresponding to the sentiment of these lines of a heathen poet: —

“Ad generum Cereris sine caede et sanguine pauci,
Descendunt reges, et sicca morte tyranni.”

“Few kings and tyrants go down to Pluto, the son-in-law of Ceres, without being put to a violent death, before they have completed the ordinary term allotted to the life of mortal man.” ⁽⁴²⁹⁾ That translation being forced, and not such as the words naturally suggest, I have no doubt that princes are here compared to the obscure and common class of mankind. The word one signifies any of the common people. Forgetting themselves to be men, the great ones of the earth may flatter themselves with visionary hopes of immortality; but they are here taught that they will be compelled to encounter death as well as other men. Christ, with the view of rebutting the calumny with which the Pharisees loaded him, quoted this text, John 10:34, “Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods? If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the Scripture cannot be broken; say ye of him whom the Father hath sanctified and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God?” By these words Christ did not mean to place himself among the order of judges; but he argues from the less to the greater, that if the name of God is applied to God’s officers, it with much more propriety belongs to his only begotten Son, who is the express image of the Father, in whom the Father’s majesty shines forth, and in whom the whole fullness of the Godhead dwells.

(427) “Ye are all the children of the Most High, an Hebrew idiom, signifying men of the highest rank and power. Comp. Psalms 29:1.” — Cresswell.

(428) This is the reading in our English Bible, on which Archbishop Secker remarks, “It seems needless to say that these princes shall fall like one of the princes.” He thinks with Bishop Hare that the true reading is not השרים, hassarim, the princes, as in our present copies, but הרשים, harsaim, the poor The translation, however, given by Calvin, who takes השרים in the vocative case, O ye princes ! and who, after the word כאחד, cheachad, for as one of, supplies the people, makes any alteration of the text unnecessary. Gataker also considers השרים, to be in the vocative case, which is approved by Horsley, Berlin, and others. Dathe takes השרים in the sense of tyrants, but brings no authority to prove that the word has this sense. Le Clerc, in the latter part of the verse, after like one of, supplies the many, reading, “And fall, O ye princes! like one of the many.”

(429) This is the translation given of these lines in the French version.

Smith's Bible Commentary

Psalms 82:1-8 is a psalm that is directed to judges. And it is a very solemn psalm that God directs to judges, and basically God declares that He is not happy or satisfied with men's judgment.

God standeth in the congregation of the mighty; and he judges among the gods ( Psalms 82:1 ).

Now the word gods there is the same word Eloihim translated gods, but it is also translated judges. In Exodus, chapter 22, verses Exodus 22:8 , and Exodus 22:9 , as God is giving instructions in the law for how the judges are to determine certain cases, and God calls the judges gods because a judge has such authority over a person's destiny. And because he holds the power of a person's life and destiny, God called judges gods. So, "God stands in the congregation of the mighty. He judges among the judges." Or, God will be judging the judges.

I'm glad for that. I'll be glad to see a few of the judges judged. Not that I have ever gotten a bad deal from a judge. Fortunately, I haven't had to face them. But I do not believe that justice has prevailed always in our courts. I think that our judicial system is at times a disgrace.

Now God, judging among the judges, said,

How long will you judge unjustly, and you accept the persons of the wicked? ( Psalms 82:2 )

In other words, he's a famous person, he's a wealthy person, or he's a powerful person, he's a Mafioso, so they judge unjustly because they accept the persons of the wicked. To be true in judgment, you'd have to look at every man alike, rich and poor. You couldn't have any respect to a person's past or anything else. You'd have to be judging simply on the basis of the charges that are brought against him as he stands there just like he was anybody. But yet, judges were judging unjustly because they were accepting the persons. God said to the judges,

[Hey,] defend the poor and the fatherless ( Psalms 82:3 ):

One of the problems with our judicial system today is is the fact that money really is the thing that counts, it seems. If you're poor, then you can't afford a good attorney and you can't afford to put up a good defense. But if you're rich, then you can afford to put all kinds of delays and appeals and on and on and on, and justice doesn't prevail on an equal basis throughout our whole society. And that isn't true justice. And God is saying to the judges, "Now look, don't accept a person just because he's wealthy. You take care of the poor; you take care of the fatherless."

do justice to the afflicted and to the needy. Deliver the poor and the needy: rid them out of the hand of the wicked. They know not, neither will they understand; they walk on in darkness: and all of the foundations of the earth are out of course. I have said that, [Ye are judges or] ye are gods; and all of you are the children of the Most High ( Psalms 82:3-6 ).

So this is, of course, "I have said, 'Ye are gods.'" This is a direct reference to Exodus, chapter 22, where God does refer to them as Eloihim, which is translated, as I said, judges, but it is the Hebrew Eloihim, gods. Now Jesus quoted this in the gospel of John when the Pharisees were getting ready to stone Him. He said, "I've done a lot of good things among you, for which of these things are you going to stone Me?" And they said, "Not for the good things, but we're stoning You because You being a man are continually making Yourself the Son of God." And He said, "Well, I said that ye are gods. Why should you stone Me because I say I'm a Son of God?"

Now He said, "Ye are gods," here in Exodus 22:1-31 , as He is speaking to the judges. He's speaking to men that He appoints, or that were to be appointed, who have the power over a person's life. And that's what your god is. Whatever it is that's holding power over your life is your God. So if this man sitting on the bench has your life in his power, the control of your life in his hand, then he is a god; he's controlling your destiny.

And so the Mormons, of course, have taken this up and they've made a whole fanciful doctrine out of it, the idea that ye are gods. And they say, "Well, if you are a good Mormon, and if your marriage is sealed in the temple, and if you'll wear the proper underwear to ward off the evil and all, and if you are faithful to Mormonism, and if you remain faithful to Mormonism, then you and your wife when you die ascend into the god level. And you and your wife can go off to some planet in the universe and you can bear children there, and you will be god over that planet. And you can watch your children grow and develop. And you can you can have, you'll be god over the whole scene and watching over them and caring for them." And people like you and I who haven't followed the teachings of Joseph Smith or the angel Moroni, we become your angels if we're good people and all. We don't get cast out completely, but we'll become the angels, and we'll be there to serve the good Mormons and to run the errands for them and all when they are operating their planets.

Now I guess if you are gods you can create whatever kind of people you want to exist in any kind of an environment, and from the recent fly-by of Saturn, that wouldn't be such a bad planet. It'd be very beautiful sitting there looking at rings. But they base this doctrine of ascending into a god status to this one scripture where God is referring to judges.

Now Brigham Young carried that idea back one step. The Mormons all carry it forward one step and they look forward to their chance in their celestial kingdoms, take their wives and have their children and spiritual children or whatever on this planet and be their gods. Brigham Young took it back one step, and he said Adam came to the earth with one of his celestial wives, Eve. And they began populating the earth. And therefore, Adam is our god and the only god with whom we have to do, because he was the one that started procreation here on the planet. That makes him a good Mormon in some other planet somewhere back. And so he came with one of his celestial wives, Eve, and it's all a progression into godhood. Brigham Young carried it back one step and, of course, that upsets the Mormons completely that he would carry it back one step. But it's only a logical perception that he had. If logically you have the capacity to be god and you're going to go have your planet, then why do we think that this is the only step? You see, no doubt back on other planets and all, and so Adam was just a good Mormon somewhere and came to the earth with one of his celestial wives, Eve, and they started the whole thing, and they're overseeing it now and watching it. And he is our god, the only god with whom we have to do, and one day the whole world will realize that your salvation depends upon your believing this fact, according to Brigham Young. Not according to the Word of God.

Except that they are bound to accept the statements of Brigham Young as the Word of God because he was speaking as a prophet of God, and when their prophets speak what they say is on equal par with the written word. So they really dug themselves a hole, and it's really... they dug a pit and fallen into it.

But anyhow, God is addressing Himself here even in this chapter to judges where He makes reference, "Ye are gods." You are judges.

But ye shall die like men ( Psalms 82:7 ),

Now they just didn't go on far enough in the verse. God said, "I said ye are gods, but you're going to die like men."

and you're going to fall like the princes ( Psalms 82:7 ).

You may have a lot of authority and power. You may have the control of people's lives, but you're going to die just like any man. And so the cry of the psalmist,

Arise, O God, judge the eaRuth ( Psalms 82:8 ):

The only true justice that shall ever arise is when God judges the earth, for God will judge the earth in righteousness.

for thou shalt inherit all nations ( Psalms 82:8 ). "

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

Psalms 82

In this psalm, Asaph warned Israel’s judges to judge justly. [Note: For further discussion, see Chisholm, "A Theology . . .," pp. 275-76.]

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

2. The indictment of the judges 82:2-7

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

God warned the unjust judges that they themselves would suffer judgment for their injustice. God had appointed them as "gods" (i.e., individuals with power by God’s authority). He had made them His sons in the sense of His representatives on earth (cf. 2 Samuel 7:14). Nevertheless because they had not behaved as God, who judges justly, they would die as mere men without honor as God’s sons. They would die as all the other Israelites would. "Men" and "rulers" (Psalms 82:7) is a merism that signifies all mortals. [Note: Dahood, 2:270.]

Jesus’ accusers charged Him with blasphemy when He claimed to be the Son of God (John 10:33). In replying to their accusation, Jesus quoted Psalms 82:6 to remind them that God called Israel’s judges His sons. His point was that it was not inappropriate for Him to call Himself the Son of God. Jesus, of course, is God’s ultimate Judge of all humankind, so it was especially appropriate for Him to call Himself the Son of God.

Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

I have said, ye are gods,.... In the law, Exodus 21:6 or they were so by his appointment and commission; he constituted them judges and magistrates, invested them with such an office, by which they came to have this title; see Romans 13:1, and so our Lord interprets these words, that they were gods "to whom" the word of God came, which gave them a commission and authority to exercise their office,

John 10:35, or rather "against whom" it came, pronouncing the sentence of death on them, as in Psalms 82:7, to which the reference is; declaring, that though they were gods by office, yet were mortal men, and should die. The Targum is, "I said, as angels are ye accounted"; and so judges and civil magistrates had need to be as angels, and to have the wisdom of them; see 2 Samuel 14:20. Jarchi interprets it of angels, but magistrates are undoubtedly meant:

and all of you are children of the most High; the Targum here again renders it,

"the angels of the most High:''

and so Aben Ezra explains it of them who are called the sons of God,

Job 38:7 but men in power are meant, who, because of their eminency and dignity, their high office, post, and place, are so called; see Genesis 6:2.

Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible

      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, Psalms 82:6; Psalms 82:7. The dignity of their character is acknowledged (Psalms 82:6; Psalms 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 Exodus 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 (John 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, Romans 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 (Isaiah 14:14), I will be like the Most High, and the king of Tyre (Ezekiel 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, Psalms 82:8; Psalms 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, Psalms 2:8; Psalms 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 Revelation 19:6, Hallelujah, the Lord God omnipotent reigneth; the other is Revelation 22:20, Surely, I come quickly.