Psalm 82. In this Psalm of Asaph, we have God judging in the assembly of Israel, examining those He set up to judge His people. The review shows that, while the judges were invested with the authority and name of God, they judged unrighteously. As a result, even though given an exalted place, the magistrates would “die like men”. But in the end, God will arise and judge righteously, and this will be manifest in the Millennium. Prophetically, this would be part of the review that God will make with Israel before they enter the Millennium. Antichrist would be the epitome of a corrupt judge of Israel.

 

 

v.1 Elohim judging the elohim. In the first verse we have the introduction, which gives the theme of the Psalm. God (Elohim) is standing in the assembly of Israel, judging the magistrates that He set up to judge Israel. This is a similar thought to Rev. 1:13, where “in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, etc.”, and He is judging the angel (responsible elements) in each assembly. Authority delegated by God is always coupled with a responsibility, which will inevitably be reviewed (Heb. 13:17). It is interesting that the Spirit of God led Asaph to use the word “elohim” in reference to the judges of Israel. The word simply means “mighty one”, or “endued with power”. The Lord Himself quoted this Psalm in John 10:34-36 (see comments on v.6), and the contrast there is between God (Elohim with a capital ‘E’) and the judges (elohim with a lowercase ‘e’). In this Psalm it is shows that the only competent judge is the true Elohim!

 

 

vv.2-4 The Corruption of Israel’s Judges. Rather than represent God in their conduct, Israel’s judges behaved in a most incorrigible manner. They judged unrighteously and showed favoritism and privilege to the wicked. Rather than show privileges to the wealthy and oppressors, they ought to have done justice for the poor, fatherless, afflicted, and destitute. Sadly, the authority given by God to Israel’s judges was used corruptly.

 

  

vv.5-6 The Results of the Corruption of Judges. The result of the corruption of Israel’s judges is threefold: (1) the judges lost their moral discernment, “they know not, neither do they understand; they walk on in darkness”, (2) the moral fabric of the nation was destroyed, “all the foundations of the earth are moved”, and (3) they would fall under the judgment of God, “ye shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes”. This fall was paricialrly sad because of the honored place that God had given the judges; “I have said, Ye are gods, and all of you are children of the Most High”. Their great privilege did not exempt them from accountability.

 

I have said, Ye are gods. Notice that v.6 is quoted by our Lord in John 10:34-36; “Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, “I said, Ye are gods?” If he called them gods to whom the word of God came (and the scripture cannot be broken), do ye say of him whom the Father has sanctified and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest, because I said, I am Son of God?” The Lord was defending His claim to deity from the Old Testament scriptures. God calls the judges of Israel “elohim”, (lower case “e”) or, “gods” (lowercase “g”), because these men were commissioned by God and responsible to judge in God’s name. We have this word applied to man in a number of cases in the Old Testament (e.g. Exodus 21:6). If such a title could be used by God for a mere magistrate in Scripture, how unreasonable to brand as blasphemy Jesus’ statement that He was God’s Son, when the Father had sanctified and sent Him into the world. The Lord is using Argumentum a fortiori, which is a common logical construct in the doctrinal progressions of the New Testament (e.g. Eph. 6:3; 1 Cor. 9:11), in which a stronger argument with lesser consequences is given to strengthen the preceding argument. The Lord was claiming far more than what was said of the judges. He was not exactly declaring the fullness of His personal glory, but merely applying the scripture to convict them of their willful opposition and resistance to the truth. If God called the judges by His name as being His representatives, how much more was it due to Jesus, who was the Sent One of God?

 

v.8 God Called to Arise and Judge the Earth. In light of the failure of human judges in Israel, God is called on to “Arise” and “judge the earth”. This God will do in the Millennium, in the Person of the Messiah, who will not only judge Israel righteously, but “all the nations”.