A look at the compelling Psalm 82

What is a psalm anyway ,in Hebrew the word T’hilim the name of the book of Psalms, which means praises or sometimes the word mizmor meaning a song sung in a chorus.The word psalm itself comes from Greek psalmos meaning to pluck so meaning a song sung to a lyre or harp.So a psalm is a song of praise but they can also have philosophical meaning and well or in the case of Psalm 82 even prophetic meaning.

Psalm 82:1

מִזְמ֗וֹר לְאָ֫סָ֥ף אֱלֹהִ֗ים נִצָּ֥ב בַּֽעֲדַת־אֵ֑ל בְּקֶ֖רֶב אֱלֹהִ֣ים יִשְׁפֹּֽט:

It first says “mizmor of Asaf” like as a I said before mizmor a song ,first it says “song of Asaf” Asaf was likely a muse in the court of David.And then it says:

“God was stationed in the community of God among gods he will judge”

82 God standeth in the congregation of the mighty; he judgeth among the gods(King James)

This is in modern times interpreted as that there is a “divine council” that God and his highest angels convene as discuss the univserse and such.The King James and most other translations drop the reference to it being a “song of Asaf”

A lot of people connect this to Deut 32:8 and that God disinherited the nations and put them under the tutelage of sort of divine babysitters.(Differing opinions as whether they are angelic or demonic)

Divine Council theory is getting popular and the ESV version of the Bible already says “divine council” in Psalm 82:1 and the JPS(Jewish publication society) uses the term “divine assembly” in Psalm 82:1.

One thing often discussed is whether the fallen or adversarial forces(demons) are invited to the Divine Council.However to look at this passage the most literally which I like like to do does not give that away.However verse 2 next in discussion does imply that.

Psalm 82:2

עַד־מָתַ֣י תִּשְׁפְּטוּ־עָ֑וֶל וּפְנֵ֥י רְ֜שָׁעִ֗ים תִּשְׂאוּ־סֶֽלָה:

“Until how long will you judge wrongly and carry the face of the wicked forever”

² How long will ye judge unjustly, and accept the persons of the wicked? Selah(selah means forever)KJV

A decree to the divine judges and earthly judges ,to stop judging wrongly promoting the agenda of the wicked forever(or that God won’t let you promote the wicked’s agenda forever).It is interesting here how God uses a double meaning to convey both the impropriety of the fallen divine along with the abuses of the human worldly powerful.This is remarkable supernatural stuff.

Psalm 82:3

שִׁפְטוּ־דָ֥ל וְיָת֑וֹם עָנִ֖י וָרָ֣שׁ הַצְדִּֽיקוּ:

“Judge the poor,the orphan,and give justice to the poor and the beggar”

“Give justice to the poor and fatherless.
Be just to the afflicted and destitute” (Tree of Life version)

I think the meaning id seld evident.

Psalm 82:4 Again so obvious I will give a quick English translation

“Rescue the weak and needy.
Deliver them out of the hand of the wicked” (tree of Life version)

Psalm 82:5

לֹ֚א יָֽדְע֨וּ | וְלֹ֬א יָבִ֗ינוּ בַּֽחֲשֵׁכָ֥ה יִתְהַלָּ֑כוּ יִ֜מּ֗וֹטוּ

כָּל־מ֥וֹסְדֵי אָֽרֶץ:

“They do not know and do not undstand (that) they walk in darkness.All the earth’s insitutions will decline in entropy”

This one is misinterpreted and so I’m not offering a Eng. trans. because I find them inaccurate.It often read “they do not know and they do not understand and they walk in darkness.Three different statements where it is one statement”They do not know and do not understand the fact that they walk (or will) walk in darkness.It’s a single statement.I believe the use of the word “yimotu” rooted in “mot” meaning shake or tremble.I think yimotu is a prophectic reference to the concept of entropy.Literally yimotu means shaky or unstable but in this context I feel means “entropy”.The world is in slow decline untill it’s renewal in Gods Kingdom.

Psalm 82:6

אֲֽנִ֣י אָ֖מַרְתִּי אֱלֹהִ֣ים אַתֶּ֑ם וּבְנֵ֖י עֶלְי֣וֹן כֻּלְּכֶֽם

“I have said:You are gods,children of the highest”

⁶ I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High”(KJV)

Sort of saying ,you are divine but still subordinate to the Lord!

Psalm 82:7-8

אָכֵ֥ן כְּאָדָ֣ם תְּמוּת֑וּן וּכְאַחַ֖ד הַשָּׂרִ֣ים תִּפֹּֽלוּ:

קוּמָ֣ה אֱ֖לֹהִים שָׁפְטָ֣ה הָאָ֑רֶץ כִּֽי־אַתָּ֥ה תִ֜נְחַ֗ל בְּכָל־הַגּוֹיִֽם:

7“Indeed, as man, you will die, and as one of the princes, you will fall.

Arise, O God, judge the earth, for You inherit all the nations”

In other words the mighty of the earthly and supernatural world will pass away and fall and the Lords endowment shall be all the world,fully resolving Deut 32:8.

This Psalm shows the complexity of angelic life and how it is not all that different from ours.That some angels may be more dedicated than others and some rebel and fall and that in first Temple era Judaism and Israel the line between God,gods,angels and demons was more blurry than today where such things are so clear cut.