Psa 82:7 | KingComments | STEP | The judges are fools who neither know nor understand the will of God ( ). This is not because of God, but because of their rejection of Him and His righteous government. “They walk about in darkness”, that is not the darkness of the night as opposed to the light of the day, but the darkness within them. It is a darkness resulting from their ignorance of the law and the facts of a case. They have no understanding or insight into what is right and wrong in God’s eyes, but on the contrary, turn the matter around (cf. ). Because there is no longer righteous justice because of spiritual darkness, “all the foundations of the earth are shaken” (cf. ). Law and order are undermined. God has given the family and family life as the most important foundation for life on earth. Spiritual darkness overthrows this foundation, causing everything to waver and soon to collapse ( ). The entire social and civic life is disrupted. God has given judges a high position. “I” has emphasis. ”I”, ‘none other than I’, “said, “You are gods”“ ( ). God has said this because their authority is derived from Him. As to their function, He calls all of them “sons of the Most High”. They represent Him in His jurisdiction and position of authority on earth. This creates a special responsibility to act according to His example of absolute righteousness. Because the gods, the judges, do not reckon with God, they “will die like men” ( ). God ‘dethrones’ them. He will judge them for their abuse of authority and unjust judgments. They have a position as princes, but will die as ordinary people despite their high position, just as it happens to every other prince (cf. ; ; .) The Lord Jesus quotes in one of His disputes with the Jews, in which they accuse Him of blasphemy ( ). He makes it clear that the “gods” are men of some responsibility, yet ordinary mortal men. They are not Divine persons, but they have received Divine authority. He, the Lord Jesus, is no ordinary mortal man. He knows the Father and, as the Son, fulfills the Father’s commission. He is the One “whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world” ( ). His authority as the Son of God is eternal and thus surpasses the authority of the judges who are called gods, sons of the Most High, in this psalm. He comes with Divine authority and in a known relation to His Father. He came into the world as a Man, while His relationship with the Father as the Son of the Father is unchanging. How could He cease to be the Son of the Father? How can they reasonably accuse Him of blasphemy when He only points to the fact that He is God’s Son?

‏ Psalms 82:7

God Judges Unjust Judges

The judges are fools who neither know nor understand the will of God (Psa 82:5). This is not because of God, but because of their rejection of Him and His righteous government. “They walk about in darkness”, that is not the darkness of the night as opposed to the light of the day, but the darkness within them. It is a darkness resulting from their ignorance of the law and the facts of a case. They have no understanding or insight into what is right and wrong in God’s eyes, but on the contrary, turn the matter around (cf. Mic 3:2).

Because there is no longer righteous justice because of spiritual darkness, “all the foundations of the earth are shaken” (cf. Psa 11:2-3). Law and order are undermined. God has given the family and family life as the most important foundation for life on earth. Spiritual darkness overthrows this foundation, causing everything to waver and soon to collapse (Mt 10:21). The entire social and civic life is disrupted.

God has given judges a high position. “I” has emphasis. ”I”, ‘none other than I’, “said, “You are gods”“ (Psa 82:6). God has said this because their authority is derived from Him. As to their function, He calls all of them “sons of the Most High”. They represent Him in His jurisdiction and position of authority on earth. This creates a special responsibility to act according to His example of absolute righteousness.

Because the gods, the judges, do not reckon with God, they “will die like men” (Psa 82:7). God ‘dethrones’ them. He will judge them for their abuse of authority and unjust judgments. They have a position as princes, but will die as ordinary people despite their high position, just as it happens to every other prince (cf. Isa 14:10 ; 12; Eze 31:12-14; Psa 49:12.)

The Lord Jesus quotes Psa 82:6 in one of His disputes with the Jews, in which they accuse Him of blasphemy (Jn 10:33-36). He makes it clear that the “gods” are men of some responsibility, yet ordinary mortal men. They are not Divine persons, but they have received Divine authority.

He, the Lord Jesus, is no ordinary mortal man. He knows the Father and, as the Son, fulfills the Father’s commission. He is the One “whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world” (Jn 10:36). His authority as the Son of God is eternal and thus surpasses the authority of the judges who are called gods, sons of the Most High, in this psalm.

He comes with Divine authority and in a known relation to His Father. He came into the world as a Man, while His relationship with the Father as the Son of the Father is unchanging. How could He cease to be the Son of the Father? How can they reasonably accuse Him of blasphemy when He only points to the fact that He is God’s Son?