Albert Barnes Commentary Psalms 82:8

"Arise, O God, judge the earth; For thou shalt inherit all the nations." — Psalms 82:8 (ASV)

Arise, O God, judge the earth - That is, since there is such a failure in the administration of justice by those to whom it pertains, and who are appointed to do it in your stead, you, O God, come forth yourself, and see that justice is executed among people. You take the matter into your own hands, and see that impartial justice is done everywhere among people. It pertains to you as the great Proprietor of the earth to exercise justice; and we have nowhere else to look when men fail to do their duty.

For you shall inherit all nations - Or rather, all nations belong to you as your inheritance; that is, as your own. The word “inherit” is used here, as it often is, merely to denote possession or proprietorship, without reference to the question of how the possession is obtained.

The word strictly refers to what has been received from parents, or what people are heirs to; and, in this sense, it is commonly applied to the land of Palestine, either as what was derived by the Jewish people from their ancestors the patriarchs, or as what they had received from God as a Father (Exodus 32:13; Deuteronomy 1:38; Deuteronomy 12:10). It is here used simply in the sense of possessing it. That is, the whole earth belonged to God, and the administration of its affairs pertained to him.

As those had failed who had been appointed under him to the office of judges—as they had not been faithful to their trust—as no confidence could be placed in them—the psalmist calls upon God to interfere, either by appointing other magistrates; or by leading those who were in office to just views of their duty; or by his own direct judgments, punishing the wicked, and rewarding the righteous, by the interpositions of his providence. From this we may learn:

1. That there are times on earth when wickedness is so prevalent, and when there is such a lack of faithfulness in civil rulers, that we have no other resource but to call upon God to interpose.

2. That it is right to call upon Him to see that justice should be done in the earth, even in the punishment of the guilty, since all the interests of society depend on the proper administration of justice.

3. For the same reason it is right to pray that God would judge the world, and that justice may be done on the human race.

It is desirable and proper that justice should be done; therefore, there is no malignity in desiring that there may be a universal judgment, and that the affairs of the universe should be placed on an equal and righteous foundation. It is possible that there may be a just and holy joy at the idea that justice is done, and that God shows himself the friend of truth, of order, and of law. Compare (Psalms 58:10, note; Revelation 19:1–3, notes).