Psalms 82:1

God standeth in the congregation of the mighty,.... The Syriac version renders it, "in the congregation of angels"; they are mighty, and excel in strength, and there is a large company of them, even

God standeth in the congregation of the mighty; he judgeth among the gods.

Psalms 82 THE This Psalm contains an admonition, either, 1. To the chief rulers of Israel, whether judges or kings, or their great council called the Sanhedrim. Or rather, 2. To all the rulers of the several nations of the world, to whom this word might come; as may be gathered, partly from the expressions here used, which are general, and not peculiar to the governors of Israel, and therefore not rashly and unnecessarily to be restrained; and partly from the last verse, where he mentions the whole earth and all nations as concerned in the contents of this Psalm. The psalmist, exhorting and expostulating with the judges, , reproveth their want of judgment and negligence, , and prayeth the Lord to judge, . Standeth, as a judge, diligently to observe all that is said or done there; and to give sentence accordingly. The judge sits when he heareth causes, but standeth up when he giveth sentence. Or standing doth not note the posture, but only the being or presence of a person, as ; whence this Hebrew word is by some learned interpreters rendered is present, and by others, presideth, as this word is used, 22:9. Of the mighty; or, of the gods, as it is explained and expressed in the next clause; the singular number being here, as it is frequently elsewhere, put for the plural. By gods, or the mighty, he understands kings, or other chief rulers, who are so called, because they have their power and commission from God, and act as his deputies, in his name and stead, and must give an account to him of all their actions. And by their congregation he understands not a convention or assembly of such persons which seldom meet together, but either, 1. All congregations or assemblies of people in which magistrates sit to execute justice. Or, 2. All persons whatsoever of this high and sacred order or number; for the Hebrew word here rendered congregation doth not always signify an assembly of persons met together in one place, but sometimes notes all the particular persons of or belonging to such a sort and body of men, though dispersed in divers places, as , I have hated the congregation of evil-doers, i.e. all evil-doers; , he shall remain in the congregation of the dead, i.e. shall be one of that number and state. See also . Some render it as it is in the Hebrew, in the congregation of God, in his own congregation, the noun being put for the pronoun, as is usual in the Hebrew text, i.e. in the conventions or tribunals of princes or rulers, which he rightly calls his, because their authority is wholly derived from him. But the former exposition seems more agreeable, both to the following words, and to the scope and whole body of the Psalm. Judgeth; accurately observeth all their carriages, and passeth sentence upon them accordingly. Gods, i.e. judges and magistrates, who are called gods, below, 12:28, compared with , and of whom this is expounded, ,35.

Psalms 82:1 « A Psalm of Asaph. » God standeth in the congregation of the mighty; he judgeth among the gods.Ver. 1. God standeth in the congregation of the mighty] There God is present and president by a particular providence, as Lord paramount, Ut praeses Synodi, and chief magistrate, higher than the highest, Ecclesiastes 5:8 Job 31:14 Ephesians 6:9. The Ethiopian judges, they say, do ever leave the chief seat of judicature empty for him, Locus praesidis est medius locus in ccetibus; and Solomon, for like reason, calleth that seat the holy place, Ecclesiastes 8:10. There Elohim (that is, the judge and avenger) standeth, or setteth himself, to behold the actions and affections of judges, and to pass a censure upon their sentences. Good, therefore, was the counsel of Jehoshaphat to his judges when to ride circuit, 2 Chronicles 19:6, "Take heed what ye do: for ye judge not for man, but for the Lord, who is with you in the judgment. Wherefore now let the fear of the Lord your God be upon you; take heed and do it," &c. Judges should sit in as great, though not so slavish, a fear of offending as Olanes, in the history, did upon the flayed skin of his father Silannes, nailed by Cambyses on the tribunal; or as a Russian judge, that feareth the boiling caldron or open battocking; or the Turkish Senate, when they think the Great Turk to stand behind the arras at the dangerous door. He judgeth among the gods] i.e. Among the magistrates (as our Saviour interpreteth it, John 10:34-35), who are called gods. First, By analogy, tanquam Deum imitantes, saith Theodoret, as resembling God, by having the power of life and death. Secondly, By participation, tanquam lumina illuminata, saith Austin; as stars participate their light from the sun, so do rulers their authority from the supreme Majesty. Thirdly, By deputation from God, whose viceregents they are, and to whom they must be accountable for their mal-administration.

(1) Standeth.—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. Comp. 1 Samuel 22:9; Rth 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 judgeth 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 comp. 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 Psa 82:6 lies in the double meaning the word can bear. (See Note.)

PSALM LXXXII A warning to corrupt judges, 1, 2; an exhortation to them to dispense justice without respect of person, 3-5; they are threatened with the judgments of the Lord, 6-8. NOTES ON PSALM LXXXII This Psalm, which, in the title, is attributed to Asaph, was probably composed in the time when Jehoshaphat reformed the courts of justice throughout his states; see 2 Chronicles 19:6-7, where he uses nearly the same words as in the beginning of this Psalm. Verse 1. God standeth in the congregation of the mighty] The Hebrew should be translated, "God standeth in the assembly of God." God is among his people; and he presides especially in those courts of justice which himself has established. The Court of King's Bench is properly the place where the king presides, and where he is supposed to be always present. But the kings of England seldom make their appearance there. King James I. sometimes attended: at such times it might be said, "The king is in the king's court." I believe the case above to be similar. Judges! beware what you do! God is in his court, and in the midst (of the assembly) God will judge. See Parkhurst under אלה.

1. A vision of God as the Judge of judges. God] Originally no doubt Jehovah, for which the Elohistic editor has substituted Elτhξm. standeth] Or, taketh his stand: solemnly takes His place as president. Cp. Isaiah 3:13 a; Amos 7:7; Amos 9:1. in the congregation of the mighty] I.e., as P.B.V., of princes. But we must rather render, in the assembly of God (El), i.e., not the congregation of Israel, though this is called the congregation of Jehovah (Numbers 27:17; cp. Psalms 74:2), but an assembly summoned and presided over by God in His capacity of Almighty Ruler. he judgeth &c.] In the midst of gods (Elτhξm) will he judge. According to the view adopted above, the judges and authorities of Israel are meant by gods. It might indeed be supposed that the poet intended to represent God as holding His court surrounded by angels, like an earthly king in the midst of his courtiers (cp. 1 Kings 22:19; Job 1:2); and so probably the Syriac translator understood the verse: “God standeth in the assembly of the angels, and in the midst of the angels will He judge.” But Elτhξm can hardly have a different meaning from that which it has in Psalms 82:6, where it clearly refers to the judges who are put on their trial; and the address in Psalms 82:2 would be unintelligible if the persons addressed had not already been mentioned.

God standeth in the congregation of the mighty - In the assembly of the rulers and judges; among those of most exalted rank and station. He is there to observe them; to give them law; to direct their decisions; to judge them.

1. God standeth in the congregation of the mighty—Literally, God is standing in the congregation of God, not only in the midst of the whole commonwealth of his people, (as Numbers 27:16-17,) but