Psalms 82:3

Defend the poor and fatherless ,.... Or, judge F4 שפטו "judicate", V. L. Pagninus, Montanus, Musculus, Junius & Tremellius, Gejerus, Michaelis. them; such as have no money to enter and carry on a suit, and have no friends to assist and advise them, and abide by them; these should be taken under the care and wing of judges; their cause should be attended to, and justice done them; their persons should be protected, and their property defended and secured for, since they are called gods, they ought to imitate him whose name they bear, who is the Father of the fatherless, the Judge of the widows, and the helper of the poor that commit themselves to him, Psalm 10:14 , such a righteous judge and good magistrate was Job; see Job 29:12 ,

do justice to the afflicted and needy ; or "justify" F5 הצדיקו "justificate", V. L. Pagninus, Montanus, Vatablus, Musculus, Cocceius, &c.; them, pronounce them righteous, give the cause for them, not right or wrong, nor because they are poor and needy, but because they are in the right; for, if wicked, they are not to be justified, this is an abomination to the Lord; see Leviticus 19:15 .