The “gods” of Psalm 82

Someone asked me to help them understand Psalm 82 this past Sunday. They had been told that Psalm 82 shows that God is one of many other smaller gods. They knew that’s not right biblically, but they didn’t know how to respond to the claim.

I thought it would be helpful to write about this on here so it might be instructive to others.

Let’s start by looking at the Psalm:

God has taken his place in the divine council;
in the midst of the gods he holds judgment:
2  “How long will you judge unjustly
and show partiality to the wicked? Selah
3  Give justice to the weak and the fatherless;
maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute.
4  Rescue the weak and the needy;
deliver them from the hand of the wicked.”
5  They have neither knowledge nor understanding,
they walk about in darkness;
all the foundations of the earth are shaken.
6  I said, “You are gods,
sons of the Most High, all of you;
7  nevertheless, like men you shall die,
and fall like any prince.”
8  Arise, O God, judge the earth;
for you shall inherit all the nations!

What is this “divine council” that God is taking his place among? And who are these “gods” that God is in the midst of?

Observations

Let’s make a few observations about the Psalm together. This will help us identify who these “gods” are.

1. The “gods” are under judgment from God. Notice in verse 2 where God accuses them of judging unjustly and showing “partiality to the wicked.”
2. The “gods” obviously have some kind of authority over human beings. God tells them to “rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.”
3. The psalmist claims, in verse 5, that these “gods” don’t have knowledge or understanding. It’s as if they are blind.
4. The psalmist condemns them and foretells the fate of these “gods” in verses 6-7. They are “gods, sons of the Most High.” But, they will die “like men,” “and fall like any prince.”

Who Are These “Gods”?

It seems best to understand the term “gods” as a metaphor for human rulers. The rulers were mistreating the weak and fatherless. They were showing partiality to the wicked. Every human authority has been put there by God (Romans 13:1). So in a sense they are all “sons of the Most High.”

Jesus had something to say about this. He quoted Psalm 82:6 in John 10:34. He was defending himself against the Jews who were trying to stone him for blasphemy. Notice what Jesus said,

³⁴ Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I said, you are gods’? ³⁵ If he called them gods to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be broken—

Jesus pointed out in verse 35 that the psalmist called someone “gods.” But notice particularly on what He said next, “If he called them gods to whom the word of God came.” So, the ones the psalmist called “gods” are the ones to whom God’s Word came.

What part of God’s Word is He referring to? Well, Psalm 82 of course!

Are you following this?

Psalm 82 can’t be referring to literal gods who have period board meetings with God. Because, according to Jesus, these “gods” are the recipients of Psalm 82. Who is the psalm talking about? Human rulers or leaders during the time of the psalmist that had been put in place by God.

And in case that wasn’t convincing enough, I’ll just leave it into the hands of the prophet Isaiah from Isaiah 45:5:

I am the Lord, and there is no other, besides me there is no God;