John Calvin Commentary Psalms 82:3

"Judge the poor and fatherless: Do justice to the afflicted and destitute." — Psalms 82:3 (ASV)

Determine the cause of the poor and the orphan. We are briefly taught here that a just and well-regulated government will be distinguished by maintaining the rights of the poor and afflicted. Through synecdoche, one part of equitable administration stands for the whole, for it cannot be doubted that rulers are obligated to observe justice toward all people without distinction.

But the prophet, very appropriately, represents them as appointed defenders of the miserable and oppressed, both because such people need the assistance of others, and because they can only obtain this when rulers are free from greed, ambition, and other vices. The purpose, therefore, for which judges bear the sword is to restrain the wicked and thus prevent violence from prevailing among people, who are so inclined to become disorderly and outrageous.

As people increase in strength, they become proportionally more audacious in oppressing the weak; and therefore, rich people seldom resort to magistrates for help, except when they happen to quarrel among themselves. From these remarks, it is very obvious why the cause of the poor and needy is primarily commended to rulers here; for those who are exposed as easy prey to the cruelty and injustices of the rich need the assistance and protection of magistrates no less than the sick need the aid of a physician.

If the truth were deeply fixed in the minds of kings and other judges—that they are appointed as guardians of the poor, and that a special part of this duty involves resisting the wrongs done to them and repressing all unrighteous violence—perfect righteousness would become triumphant throughout the whole world.

Anyone who does not consider it beneath them to defend the poor, instead of allowing themselves to be swayed by favoritism, will focus only on what is right. We may further learn from this passage that although magistrates may not be asked for help, they are considered guilty of negligence before God if they do not, of their own accord, help those who need their intervention.

When iniquity openly prevails, and when, because of it, sighs and lamentations are heard everywhere, it is futile for them to pretend they cannot redress wrongs unless complaints are made to them. Oppression itself utters a sufficiently loud cry; and if the judge, sitting on a high watchtower, seems to take no notice of it, he is plainly warned here that such connivance will not go unpunished.