Charles Ellicott Commentary Psalms 82

Stands. —In the Hebrew a participle, with an official ring about it. (See Isaiah 3:13.) It is used to designate departmental officers (1 Kings 4:5; 1 Kings 4:7; 1 Kings 4:27; 1 Kings 9:23. Compare to 1 Samuel 22:9; Ruth 2:5–6). Thus the psalm opens with the solemn statement that God had taken His official place as president of the bench of judges.

Congregation of the mighty. —Rather, assembly of God, or divine assembly; elsewhere, the congregation of Jehovah (Numbers 27:17; Numbers 31:16; Joshua 22:16–18), i.e., “Israel in its religious character.”

He judges among the gods — i.e., He is among the judges as presiding judge. For gods, applied to men delegated with office from God, see Exodus 21:6, and, possibly, Exodus 22:8–9. (See also Note, Psalms 8:5, and compare to Exodus 4:16; Exodus 7:1.) The custom of designating God’s vicegerents by the Divine name was a very natural one. The whole point of Psalm 82:6 lies in the double meaning the word can bear. (See Note.)

How long? —What a terrible severity in this Divine Quousque tandem!

“The gods
Grow angry with your patience; this their care,
And must be yours, that guilty men escape not;
As crimes do grow, justice should rouse itself.”

BEN JONSON.

Judge unjustly. —Literally, judge iniquity. For the opposite expression, see Psalms 58:1. Leviticus 19:15, which lays down the great principle of strictly fair and unbribable justice, was evidently in the poet’s mind, as the use of the next clause shows.

Accept the persons. —Literally, lift up the faces. An expression arising from the Eastern custom of prostration before a king or judge. The accepted suitor is commanded to “lift up his face,” i.e., to arise. (Compare Proverbs 18:5, and Jehoshaphat’s address to the judges, 2 Chronicles 19:7.) This fine sense of the majesty of incorruptible justice attended Israel throughout its history. (See Sirach 7:6.)

These verses contain the rebuke addressed by the supreme judge to those abusing the judicial office and function.

Poor. —Rather, miserable . This verse recalls the solemn curse in Deuteronomy 27:19.

The poor and needy. —Better, The miserable and poor, a different word from “needy” in Psalm 82:3.