Psalms 82

1 — A Psalm of Asaph. God hath stood in the company of God, In the midst God doth judge.

God presides in the great assembly. He judges among the deities.

2 Till when do ye judge perversely? And the face of the wicked lift up? (Selah)

“How long will you judge unjustly, and show partiality to the wicked?” (Selah) ·contemplation with musical interlude·.

3 Judge ye the weak and fatherless, The afflicted and the poor declare righteous.

“Defend the weak, the poor, and the fatherless. Maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed.

4 Let the weak and needy escape, From the hand of the wicked deliver them.

Rescue the weak and needy. Deliver them out of the hand of the wicked.”

5 They knew not, nor do they understand, In darkness they walk habitually, Moved are all the foundations of earth.

They don’t know, neither do they understand. They walk back and forth in darkness. All the foundations of the earth are shaken.

6 I — I have said, 'Gods ye [are], And sons of the Most High — all of you,

I said, “You are elohim ·judges, gods·, all of you are sons of haElyon [the Most High].

7 But as man ye die, and as one of the heads ye fall,

Nevertheless you shall die like men, and fall like one of the rulers.”

8 Rise, O God, judge the earth, For Thou hast inheritance among all the nations!

Arise, God, judge the earth, for you inherit all of the nations.