Embrace the Word for Friday, June 26, 2026

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Psalm 82 pertains to judgment. While the superscription simply states that it is, “A Psalm of Asaph,” the placement of Psalm 82 within the Psalter suggests that the judgment addresses what the LORD will do to His enemies in light of their attack upon Jerusalem and the destruction of the Temple. In Psalm 80, Israel cried out to the LORD for restoration. In Psalm 81, the LORD addressed one factor that led to Israel’s demise—they did not listen to the LORD. Now in Psalm 82, the LORD speaks again and declares that He will judge those who oppose and oppress Israel. Psalm 82 shares an interesting link with Psalm 58, as both Psalms concern the rebuking of the “gods.” Psalm 82 begins and ends with statements about the judgment of God (82:1,8), while the body of the Psalm identifies the causes behind judgment (82:2-5), as well as the certainty of judgment (82:6-7).

Psalm 82 opens with a description of God holding court: “God has taken his place in the divine council; in the midst of the gods he holds judgment” (82:1). The One True God is standing to judge “the gods.” This opening statement is not complicated, but determining exactly who “the gods” are is complex. The issue is determining if these “gods” are human rulers in appointed places of authority or are they spiritual beings in heavenly places who exercise power on the earth. Perhaps the solution is to acknowledge that both descriptions are in play. Human rulers misusing power for an agenda of injustice are in cahoots with dark spiritual forces that add a further dimension to what lies behind their wickedness. Whenever a human ruler does not use their authority for godly purposes, an evil being is at work (See Daniel 10:13,20; 12:1). So “the gods” may, at the same time, be spiritual beings in the heavenly places and powerful human beings on earth in whom evil works in and through. The prophet Isaiah declares judgment on each level: “On that day the LORD will punish the host of heaven, in heaven, and the kings of the earth, on the earth” (See Isaiah 24:21).

Asaph records the LORD’s indicting question: “How long will you judge unjustly and show partiality to the wicked? Selah” (82:2). “The gods” have been unjust in how they have used their power, using their place in the world to harm the righteous and enhance the wicked. In fact, these “gods” have favored the wicked. Most likely, “the gods” have shown partiality to the wicked through their dishonesty, perversity, and hatred of the righteous. The results of such injustice is great harm to the weak and the fatherless: “Give justice to the weak and the fatherless” (82:3a) Those who are already least able to fend for themselves and most likely to be oppressed further are the objects of injustice. “The gods” essentially allowed the wicked to have free reign on the  vulnerable. What “the gods” should have done was basically the opposite of what they actually did: “maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked” (82:3b-4). The Davidic kings had a clear grasp of their calling: “May he judge your people with righteousness, and your poor with justice! May he defend the cause of the poor of the people, give deliverance to the children of the needy, and crush the oppressor!” (See Psalm 72:2,4). God gives power to “the gods” to help, not harm, especially those who are not in a place to defend themselves. “The gods” should have defended the victims and gone forcibly after the wicked. By failing to do just that, “the gods” were complicit in evil. Tragically, “the gods” lack a foundation of moral knowledge, desire, and practice: “They have neither knowledge nor understanding, they walk about in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are shaken” (82:5). Truly, when nations are governed by these “gods” that nation lacks a stable foundation.

Asaph also records the LORD’s sentence of judgment: “I said, “You are gods, sons of the Most High, all of you; nevertheless, like men you shall die, and fall like any prince” (82:6-7). God’s declaration is emphatic: “I said.” But God’s declaration also displays extraordinary dignity to the ones whom He sentenced: “You are gods, sons of the Most High, all of you.” God had given great dignity to mankind: “what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him? Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor” (See Psalm 8:4-5). Man was made in the image of God (See Genesis 1:26-27), which connotes the imagery of sonship and all the glory that comes with that status. Yet with such great privilege comes great responsibility as well as accountability. The consequences of rebellion would be severe: “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die” (See Genesis 2:16b-17). Thus, God invokes Adam in Psalm 82 as the term “man” in verse 7 is literally “Adam.” Therefore, like Adam, the son of God, died when he sinned, so too would “the gods” die, due to their disobedience. From lofty glory of “prince” to lowly agony of punishment, justice will be upheld. 

Asaph’s response to the LORD’s accusations and sentencing is clear: “Arise, O God, judge the earth; for you shall inherit all the nations!” (82:8). All that the LORD declared in this Psalm, Asaph caps off with his own declaration—Do it God! Do it all! Asaph desires to see the LORD bring justice to all the earth, for Asaph confesses that when the LORD implements His justice, He will be the rightful Lord of all the nations. Years later, the Apostle John, after receiving his vision of Christ returning to judge the nations and establish His rule, simply restates Asaph’s prayer with the words: “Come, Lord Jesus” (See Revelation 22:20b).

As we reflect on Psalm 82 we can consider how Jesus used this Psalm to respond to charges of blasphemy from the Jewish religious leadership: “The Jews answered him, “It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you but for blasphemy, because you, being a man, make yourself God.” Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, I said, you are gods’? If he called them gods to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be broken— do you say of him whom the Father consecrated and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’?” (See John 10:33-36, quoting Psalm 82:6). What Jesus is claiming in this interchange is astonishing. Jesus is declaring that when the Father spoke the words of judgment on “the gods,” He was there with the Father in that Divine council. The Father was addressing “the gods” with the One who is “the Son of God.” It was Jesus’ statement, “I and the Father are one” (See John 10:30b), which got Him in trouble with the religious leaders. Jesus did not back down, He doubled down. God gave “the gods” the authority to rule the nations. But in their failure, their judgment awaits. The Father has given to His Son the authority to inherit the nations: “I will tell of the decree: The LORD said to me, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you. Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession” (See Psalm 2:7-8). In the end, it will not be “the gods” charges of blasphemy against Jesus that will stick; it will be His judgments that are carried out: “Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end” (See Revelation 22:12-13). But before He returns, amnesty is now being offered: “Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates” (See Revelation 22:14).

That’s all for Embrace the Word for Friday, June 26, 2026. I look forward to being back with you for the Monday, June 29, 2026 episode of Embrace the Word as we take a look at Psalm 83.