Psalms 82:1

PSALM 82

A DENUNCIATION OF ISRAEL'S EVIL JUDGES

This psalm is misunderstood by some to be, "A denunciation of the angels whom God had put in charge of the earth,"[1] a position that was advocated by Professor Cheyne, who cited Daniel 10:13-21 and Daniel 12:1 as supporting the notion that angels have charge of earthly affairs. However, in the first reference, Michael the archangel is called, not a ruler, but "a helper"; and Daniel 12:1 says nothing that is inconsistent with the statement in Hebrews that all of God's angels are "ministering spirits," that is, serving spirits, "Sent forth to do service for them that shall inherit salvation" (Hebrews 1:14).

All authority in heaven and upon earth belongs to Jesus Christ (Matthew 28:18-20); and that leaves none at all for angels, except in a very limited and secondary sense, as they are assigned to do many things for the benefit of God's children. Our commentaries on Daniel and Hebrews, Under the references cited here, carry full discussions of all the questions raised by these passages.

The verse within this psalm which triggers such speculations as that of Cheyne is Psalms 82:6:

"I said, Ye are gods,

And all of you sons of the Most High." (Psalms 82:6)

The incorrect notion that "sons of God" is a reference to angels is based upon a misinterpretation of Genesis 6:2; but there are no less than seven reasons why the "sons of God," mentioned in Genesis 6:2 cannot possibly be "angels." An enumeration of these reasons is given in our commentary on Genesis (Vol. I of the Pentateuchal Series), pp. 98,99.

Could we be wrong about this? Absolutely not! For Christ himself told us who the "gods" and "sons of God" in Psalms 82:6 really were.

Jesus answered them, Is it not written ... I said, Ye are gods? If he called them gods unto whom the Word of God came (and the scripture cannot be broken), how say ye of him ... whom the Father sent into the world, Thou blasphemest, because I said, I am the Son of God? (John 10:34-36)

Christ in this passage quoted the 6th verse of this psalm (Psalms 82:6), identifying the "gods" and "sons of God" (the Most High) in our passage here as the persons who had received God's law. They were not angels, but human judges, whose wickedness is so severely denounced in this psalm.

Like Maclaren, we accept our Lord's reference to Psalms 82:6 in John 10:34ff "As authoritatively settling both the meaning and the ground of the remarkable name `gods' for human judges."[2] As McCaw stated it, "`Gods' here means, `you sit in God's place, exercising judgment.'"[3]

The gross error of some scholars in not catching on to what "gods" in Psalms 82:6 really means is due to only one thing, namely, their lack of knowledge of the New Testament. As we have frequently noted, nobody can really understand the Old Testament without a thorough knowledge of the New Testament. An apostle said as much in 2 Corinthians 3:12-16.

There are, to be sure, many suggestions as to the date; but Rawlinson's conclusion is as dependable as any that we know.

The writer of this psalm may well have been the Asaph of David's time. It consists of an exordium (Psalms 82:1), denunciations (Psalms 82:2-7), and a conclusion (Psalms 82:8).

Psalms 82:1

THE EXORDIUM

"God standeth in the congregation of God;

He judgeth among the gods."

"The gods" of this verse are the same as those of Psalms 82:6, below; and "God's standing in the congregation of God" is a reference to God's presence among his people on earth, that is, the Israelites, the special purpose of his presence among them being that of warning and denouncing the evil judges, upon whom so much of the blame for the tragedy of Israel rested.