John Calvin Commentary Psalms 82:2

"How long will ye judge unjustly, And respect the persons of the wicked? Selah" — Psalms 82:2 (ASV)

How long will you judge unjustly? Many suppose that God is introduced here as speaking, and that these are the words he utters from his throne of judgment. But I would rather consider the prophet himself as the speaker, who, to prepare for administering a rebuke, had spoken as he did in the first verse.

Kings may lift up their heads above the clouds, but they, like the rest of mankind, are under the government of God. Since this is the case, it is futile for them to arrogantly struggle for exemption from the obligations of reason. Yet this is what they do.

Although tyrants are among the most base of men and occupy their exalted station by detestable treason, yet if any servant of God has the courage to speak out against them, they immediately attempt to shelter themselves by appealing to the sacred name of God, as if a great wrong had been done to them.

Thus, while they persuade themselves that they are privileged with exemption from the law to which the rest of mankind is subject, they endeavor to deprive the common people of divine truth and its ministers. In short, they think that there can be no sovereignty unless uncontrolled license is enjoyed.

But once this principle is established, "That God rules among them," then a way is opened for the admission of divine truth. Accordingly, the prophet, after thus laying a foundation for his authority, freely denounces princes. He reproves the very gross vice of selling themselves to those who unrighteously oppress the poor and of being gained by bribes to pervert every principle of justice in their administration. He expressly names the wicked; for good men will never attempt to corrupt judges.

Moreover, there is a certain devilish frenzy that infatuates the princes of the world, leading them voluntarily to pay greater respect to wicked men than to the simple and innocent. Even supposing that the wicked remain inactive and make no effort to gain favor for themselves by flattery, fraud, bribery, or other artifices, yet those who rule are, for the most part, inclined by their own nature to the bad side. The reason the prophet upbraids them is that wicked men find more favor from them than the good and conscientious.