Psalms 82

1 “A psalm of Asaph.” God standeth in God's assembly, He judgeth in the midst of the gods.

A Melody of Asaph. God, hath taken his place in the august assembly, In the midst of the gods, will he judge.

2 “How long will ye judge unjustly, And favor the cause of the wicked? (Pause)

How long will ye judge perversely, And, the countenances of the lawless, uplift? (Selah)

3 Defend the poor and the fatherless; Do justice to the wretched and the needy!

Vindicate the weak and the fatherless, The oppressed and the poor, see righted;

4 Deliver the poor and the destitute; Save them from the hand of the wicked!

Deliver the weak and the needy, Out of the hand of the lawless, make rescue.

5 They are without knowledge and without understanding; They walk in darkness: Therefore all the foundations of the land are shaken.

They know not, neither can they perceive, In darkness, they wander, All the foundations of the earth do shake.

6 I have said, Ye are gods, And all of you children of the Most High;

I, said, Gods, ye are, Yea, sons of the Highest, are ye all;

7 But ye shall die like men, And fall like the rest of the princes.”

But indeed, like the earth-born, shall ye die! And, like one of the princes, shall ye fall!

8 Arise, O God! judge the earth! For all the nations are thy possession.

Arise! O God, judge thou the earth, For, thou, wilt inherit all the nations.