“GOD JUDGES HUMAN JUDGES” PSALM 82:1-8

This wonderful psalm by Asaph teaches that the human judges, as representatives of God, had an awesome responsibility to execute justice aright.  What an important position the judges held.  Judges were those who stood in God’s place as defenders of the truth.  To defend the truth, they had to know the truth!   Therefore, in defense of the truth, every judge would have to give an account of how he executed justice.  Again, every judge had an awesome responsibility to mete justice accurately for all people, regardless of their nationality or status in life.

The psalmist begins verse 1 by citing that God stands authoritatively over human judges as he states, “God standeth in the congregation of the mighty; He judgeth among gods.”  God is calling the human judges “gods.”  They have been given delegated authority from God to execute justice accurately.  Because these judges have been given delegated authority, they are to defend the poor, fatherless, and the needy (vv. 2-4).  The world was in great turmoil and confusion, and the unrighteous dealings of some of the judges of the land was the cause as verse 5 states, “They know not, neither will they understand; they walk on in darkness: all the foundations of the earth are out of course.”

In verse 6, our Lord Jesus Christ quoted this verse, “I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High” when the religious leaders accused Him of blasphemy in St. John 10:33-37.  Psalm 82:6 is a potent verse that declares that these judges are representatives of God to mankind, and that they are responsible to God to execute justice in an equitable manner.  Looking again at St. John 10, with particular interest in verse 34, Christ’s claim was that if the judges are referred to as “gods” or sons of God, then why would the religious leaders question Jesus’ deity because He called Himself the Son of God.  Our Lord had a powerful argument going.

In verse 7, these same judges will one day perish from the scene.  However, Asaph calls upon the righteous Judge to judge this earth (v. 8).  Our righteous Judge will judge this earth because it belongs to Him, for Psalm 24:1 states – “The earth is the Lord’s; and the fullness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.”  In Psalm 24, it speaks of the coming of the Lord.  How will you receive Him?  Will you receive Him as your Judge or as your Saviour?

May God Bless!