A Psalm by Asaph.
1God1 presides in the great assembly.
He judges among the gods.
2“How long will you judge unjustly,
And show partiality to the wicked?” Selah.
3“Defend the weak, the poor, and the fatherless.
Maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed.
4Rescue the weak and needy.
Deliver them out of the hand of the wicked.”
5They do not know, neither do they understand.
They walk back and forth in darkness.
All the foundations of the earth are shaken.
6I said, “You are gods,2
All of you are sons of the Most High.
7Nevertheless you shall die like men,
And fall like one of the rulers.”
8Arise, God, judge the earth,
For you inherit all of the nations.
- 82:1 God, in Hebrew elohim, which is etymologically related to the Arabic allah. Both words translate correctly as “God,” referring to the one true God. Even though elohim is a grammatically plural word in number, the verb (presides) attached to it is singular in number, indicating that the subject elohim is singular also. At the end of the verse, the gods, is also the plural word elohim in the Hebrew text, but clearly refers to human rulers, judges or men of power and influence (i.e. plural), by the fact that God speaks harsh words to them as a group in verse 2. ↩︎
- 82:6 Quoted by ‘ISA AL-MASIH in the Injil, John 10:34 during an argument with Jews who were ready to stone him for teaching that he was one with God. John 10:31-38 says, “Therefore Jews took up stones again to stone him. ‘ISA answered them, ‘I have shown you many good works from my Father. For which of those works do you stone me?’ The Jews answered him, ‘We do not stone you for a good work, but for blasphemy: because you, being a man, make yourself God.’ ‘ISA answered them, ‘Isn’t it written in your Taurat, “I said, you are gods?” If God called them gods, to whom the Word of God came (and Al-Kitab cannot be broken), why do you say of him whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, ‘You blaspheme,’ because I said, ‘I am God’s Son?’ If I do not do the works of my Father, do not believe me. But if I do them, though you do not believe me, believe the works; that you may know and believe that the Father is in me, and I in the Father.'” ↩︎