Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 82:6
I have said, Ye [are] gods; and all of you [are] children of the most High.
6. I said, Te are gods,
And all of you sons of the Most High (R.V.).
I is emphatic. It is by God’s appointment that they have been invested with divine authority to execute judgement in His name. Cp. the language used of the king, Psa 2:7; Psa 89:27.
To the words of this verse our Lord appealed (Joh 10:34 ff.), when the Jews accused Him of blasphemy because He claimed to be one with God. In virtue of their call to a sacred office as representatives of God the judges of old time were called gods and sons of the Most High, and this in spite of their unworthiness. Was it then blasphemy, He asked, for one who had received a special consecration and commission as God’s representative, one whose life and work bore witness to that consecration, to call Himself the Son of God?
On the surface this may seem to be a verbal argument such as the Jews themselves would have used; but the real significance of the quotation lies deeper. The fact that it was possible for men so to represent God as to be called gods or divine was a foreshadowing of the Incarnation. “There lay already in the Law the germ of the truth which Christ announced, the union of God and man.” Bp Westcott.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
I have said, Ye are gods – See the notes at Psa 82:1. I have given you this title; I have conferred on you an appellation which indicates a greater nearness to God than any other which is bestowed on men – an appellation which implies that you are Gods representatives on earth, and that your decision is, in an important sense, to be regarded as his.
And all of you are children of the Most High – Sons of God. That is, You occupy a rank which makes it proper that you should be regarded as his sons.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Psa 82:6-7
I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the Most High.
Human rulers
I. Their official greatness.
1. They are here called gods. Ye are gods. In what sense are they gods?
(1) Not in the sense of mental superiority. There are some men, it is true, so far superior in mind to the average of their kind, that they move about like divinities. But human rulers are seldom found of that lofty type.
(2) Not in the sense of moral superiority. The highest greatness is moral. In every age men have appeared amongst their fellows as moral divinities, they have reflected the rays of Divine purity and beneficence. But human rulers have seldom been of this class.
(3) Not in the sense of their own estimation. It is very true that many worldly rulers have esteemed themselves as gods, and, like Herod of old, demanded the worship of their fellow-men. But in none of these senses does the psalmist say they are gods. His sense is an official sense. The powers that be are ordained of God.
2. They are here called, children of the Most High. The kingly office is a Divine creation. He is the minister of God, says Paul.
II. Their mortal doom. Ye shall die like men.
(1) The most illustrious must meet with a common event. They die like men. He who is chief in the most elevated ranks of life must die as the obscurest in lifes lowest grades. He bringeth the princes to nothing, he maketh the judges of the earth as vanity. Death mingles sceptres with spades.
(2) The most illustrious will meet with this common end in a way peculiar to themselves. Fall like one of the princes. There are feelings which a prince must have in dying, utterly unknown to the dying man in humbler life–feelings, methinks, that add agony and horror to the hour. Other things being equal, death would be easier in a hovel than in a palace. (Homilist.)
The magistrates Scripture
I may call this text the magistrates Scripture; considering the state of kings and governors, how much good they might do, and how little they perform, God becomes a remembrancer unto them. And first, shows what a high calling princes and rulers have, and then, lest they should be proud of it, and make their magistracy a chair of ease, he turns upon them again, as though he had another message unto them, and tells them, that though they be above others, yet they shall die like others; and though they judge here, yet they shall be judged hereafter. A good memorandum for all in authority, so to deal in this kingdom, that they lose not the kingdom to come.
1. I have said, Ye are gods, etc.
(1) This name informs us what kind of rulers and magistrates we should choose; those which excel all other men, like gods among men. For a king should he a man after Gods own heart, like David.
(2) This extolleth the calling of magistrates. There is a difference between kings and inferior magistrates; for the prince is like a great image of God, the magistrates are like little images of God, appointed to rule for God, to make laws for God, to reward for God, to punish for God, to speak for God, to fight for God, to reform for God, and therefore their battles are called The Lords battles; and their judgments, The Lords judgments; and their throne, The Lords throne; and the kings themselves, His kings, to show that they are all for God, like His hands. By some He teacheth mercy, by some justice, by some peace, by some counsel, as Christ distributed the loaves and the fishes by the hands of His disciples (Mat 14:18). This God requires of all when He calls them gods, to rule as He would rule, judge as He would judge, correct as He would correct, reward as He would reward, because it is said, that they are instead of the Lord God; that is, to do as He would do, as a scholar writes by a copy.
(3) They are called gods, to teach them how they should govern, Howsoever other care for the glory of God, the performance of His will, the reformation of His Church, princes and rulers, which are gods themselves, are to do the business of God as their own business, Gods law is their law, Gods honour is their honour.
(4) They are called gods, to encourage them in their office, and to teach them that they need not dread the persons of men; but as God doth that which is just and good without the jealousy of men, so they, upon the bench, and in all causes of justice, should forget themselves to be men, which are led by the arms between favour and fear, and think themselves gods, which fear nothing.
2. It followeth, but ye shall die as a man. Here he distinguisheth between mortal gods and the immortal God. Ye have seen their glory; now behold their end. As if he would prevent some conceit that they would take of tim words which he east out before, he cools them quickly before they swell, and defers not to another time; but where he calls them gods, there he calls them worms meat, lest they should crow between the praise and the check, I have said that ye are gods, but ye shall die like other men. But for this, many would live a merry life, and feast, and sport, and let the world slide; but the remembrance of death is like a damp, which puts out all the lights of pleasure, and makes him frown and whine which thinks upon it, as if a mote were in his eye. (Henry Smith.)
The dignity of magistracy, and the duty of the magistrate
I. The dignity of magistracy.
1. In receiving honour from others.
2. In giving laws to others.
3. In executing the law, punishing the guilty and acquitting the innocent.
II. The duty of magistrates. They ought to resemble God in their execution of justice amongst men.
1. In not favouring any for their nearness. Pompey, aspiring to the Roman empire, and perceiving that Cato was against him, sent his friend Minucius to Cato to demand his two nieces, one for himself, the other for his son. But when the messenger had delivered his errand, Cato gave him this answer: Go, tell Pompey, Cato is not to be won by women. As long as Pompey shall deal uprightly, I shall be his friend, and in a greater degree than any marriage can ever make me. Surely this moralist will condemn many Christian rulers, of whom it is said that the sun might as soon be hindered from running his race, as he from doing what was just and upright.
2. In not sparing or fearing any for their greatness. Papinianus is worthy of eternal memory, who chose rather to die than justify or excuse the fratricide of Bossianus the emperor. (G. Swinnock, M. A.)
Magistracy is of Divine authority
1. Their commission is from God (Pro 8:15; Rom 13:1).
2. Their command to govern is from God (Deu 17:1-20.).
3. Their protection is from God. As a king defendeth his inferior officers in the execution of their offices, so the King of kings defendeth magistrates in the discharge of their trusts. God standeth in the congregation among the gods (Psa 82:1), not only to observe whether they offer injuries to others, but also to take care that they receive no injuries from others.
4. The subjection of their people to them is from God. If He that ruleth the boisterous waves of the sea, and shutteth them up with bars and doors (Psa 65:7), did not put forth the same almighty power in quieting the spirits, and stilling the tumults of the people, it could never be done. Well might David say, It is God that subdueth my people under me (Psa 144:1-2). (G. Swinnock, M. A.)
Exhortation to magistrates
If the God of heaven have appointed you to be gods on earth, then it may exhort you to walk as gods, and to work as gods amongst men.
1. Walk as gods among men; your calling is high, and therefore your carriage should be holy. The greater your privileges are, the more gracious your practices should be. Remember whose livery you wear, whose image you bear, whose person you represent, whose place you stand in, and walk worthy of that calling whereunto you are called (Eph 4:1). Whether, saith one, a gangrene begin at the head or the heel, it will kill; but a gangrene in the head will kill sooner than one in the heel. Even so will the sins or great ones overthrow a State sooner than the sins of small ones; therefore the advice of Sigismund the emperor, when a motion was made for reformation, was, Let us begin at the minorities, saith one. No: rather, saith he, let us begin at the majorities; for if the great ones be good, the meaner cannot easily be evil.
2. Work as gods.
(1) Execute justice impartially. It is a principle in moral policy, that an ill executor of the laws is worse in a State than a great breaker of them; and the Egyptian kings presented the oath to their judges, not to swerve from their consciences, though they received a command from themselves to the contrary. A magistrate should be a heart without affection, an eye without lust, a mind without passion, or otherwise his hand wilt do unrighteous actions. The Grecians placed Justice betwixt Leo and Libra, thereby signifying that there ought to be both magnanimity in executing and indifferency in determining.
(2) As you should work like gods amongst men in executing justice impartially, so likewise in showing mercy: God is the:Father of mercies (1Co 1:8); rich in mercy (Eph 2:4); He hath multitudes of tender mercies (Psa 51:1); He is abundant in mercy (1Pe 1:3); His mercy is free (Rom 9:15); great (Psa 57:10); matchless (Jer 3:1); sure (Isa 55:1).
(3) Work as Gods in promoting piety to your power. Oh, consider, is it not reasonable as well as religious that you who rule by God should rule for God? that that power which you have received from Him should be improved mostly for Him? (G. Swinnock, M. A.)
Magistrates are mortal
Death is to every man a fall, from everything but God and godliness. Ye that are magistrates fall more stairs, yea, more storeys, than others. The higher your standing while ye live, the lower your falling when ye die. If magistrates are mortal, observe hence deaths prevalency and power above all the privileges and prerogatives of nature. It is a memorable speech of Sir Walter Raleigh, Though God, who loveth men, is not regarded, yet death, which hateth men, is quickly obeyed. O mighty death! O eloquent death! whom no man could advise or persuade, Thou canst prevail with. Take notice from hence, that nothing in this world can privilege a man against the arrest of death Are magistrates mortal? Let me then, in the fear of the Lord, beseech you that are magistrates, now presently to make preparation for the hour of your dissolutions. My counsel shall be, with a little alteration, in the words of the prophet Isaiah to King Hezekiah, Now set your house in order, for you must die (Isa 38:6). I must tell you, all the time ye have is little enough for a work of this weight. In reference to this great duty of preparing for your dying day, I shall commend six particulars to your most serious thoughts.
1. Discharge your trust faithfully. The way to have great confidence when ye die, is to keep a good conscience whilst ye live.
2. Live among men exemplarily. Ye are the nurses of the people (Isa 49:23), and our naturalists observe that what disease nurses have, the children will partake of. Now, how will it gall your consciences, when ye come to die, if ye have been ringleaders in iniquity, and not patterns of piety.
3. Walk humbly with God. I have read of Agathocles, king of Sicily, that being a potters son, he would be always served in earthen vessels, to mind him of his original. Some write of a bird so light and feathery, that it is forced to fly with a stone in its mouth, lest the wind should carry it away. The truth is, men that are high in place, are apt to be carried away with the wind of high-mindedness; they had need, therefore, to have earth in their minds, I mean their frailty, and it may prove, through the blessing of Heaven, a singular preservative.
4. Must ye die, and would ye prepare for it, then be active for God whilst ye live; the serious thought of death in your hearts will put life into your hands. This life is all your day of working, death is the night of resting.
5. Labour to find some inward work of grace wrought upon your hearts; be not contented with forms, but mind the power of godliness. A man may live by a form, but he cannot die by a form; when death cometh, when that damp ariseth, the candle of profession, separated from the power of religion, will first burn blue, and then go out; the bellows of death will blow the spark of sincerity into a flame, and the blaze of hypocrisy into nothing.
6. Make sure of an interest in Christ, in the death of the Lord Jesus. There is no shroud to this–namely, to be wrapt in the winding-sheet of Christs righteousness. (G. Swinnock, M. A.)
And fall like one of the princes.
On the death of a king
Death is the most awful of earthly things to all persons of all ranks; but there is something in the death of a king peculiarly solemn and instructive to all who are willing to consider matters with the fear of God before their eyes. It is a bad sign when people listen eagerly to the accounts of our Kings sickness, death, and funeral, merely as to something new, and there an end.
1. First, a man must be cold hearted indeed, not to feel in such an event the touch of an Almighty hand, awakening him to consider the utter vanity and worthlessness of this life, considered in itself.
2. But, secondly, although the sight of a kings death is naturally apt to make us all have sad thoughts of our common mortality, yet the Scripture warns us that we think not rudely on it, as if it proved kings, while they lived, to be no more than other men. You perceive, that in this same place where kings are warned that they shall die like men, they are nevertheless called gods, and are said to be all of them the children of the Most Highest. Wherefore the death of one sovereign, and succession of another, may well cause us to have serious thoughts of the high and sacred office of our King; and to remember that he is the minister of God; a minister in somewhat of the same sense as bishops and priests are ministers. Fear God, honour the King.
3. Thirdly, we learn to have duo thoughts of the great anxiety of His Majestys office, and the especial dangers, spiritual and temporal, which must needs wait upon so high a trust in this bad and unquiet world. Ye shall fall like one of the princes; evidently meaning that princes, as such, were in more than common danger of falling; their life, as it were, hung by a thread, so many and so restless were their enemies, and so wearisome their heavy duties. In our time, and in our part of the world, the personal danger of a sovereign may be much diminished; though many who now live may remember a King of France murdered publicly by his own subjects; a sad proof that good and great kings are not yet exempt from violent deaths. Let us, then, remember to join most earnestly in the Churchs prayers for the sovereign; and lot us learn to be more and more contented with our own condition. (Plain Sermons by Contributors to the Tracts for the Times,)
The glory and the vanity of earthly greatness
I. The picture.
1. Earthly greatness at its highest elevation. The persons addressed were the judges, rulers, princes of Israel, and they are entitled gods, sons of the Most High, as being, in the office they held, in the authority which clothed them, and in the powers they wielded, representatives of God among their brethren. The title bespeaks for them nothing of Divinity, or infallibility, or even personal goodness. It simply claims for their position authority and power as of God.
2. Earthly greatness in its vanity and failure. Each setting sun flames out in warning colours, that lifes sunset is also at hand. Each autumns decay, shedding leaves, and flowers, and fruit into a wintry grave, is a type to our saddened eye of the parallel scene, when all our honours shall be gathered into dust. Each night that receives us into its soft slumber, pictures the dreamless sleep that comes after the fatigue of lifes battles and burdens.
II. The lessons.
1. The insignificance of all earthly distinctions. There is no sounder part of true wisdom than a just sense of the difference between the littleness of time and the magnitude of eternity. The deep, habitual sense of this difference is the necessary ballast of the ship that would safely navigate the perilous sea of life, swept by terrible tempests.
2. To cease from man whose breath is in his nostrils. What multitudes of the greatest have risen and fallen, and Gods work has gone on as before. What a blow to the Church when Joseph, Moses, David, Paul, Luther died; yet the Church was blessed not only by their lives but by their deaths, as much by their deaths as by their lives. By the very force of affection with which the Church clung to them while living, was she constrained, when they died, to grasp with a mightier faith the living Redeemer.
3. To lead us to prepare for eternity–not only because we have no other time than the present should this be done, but because the only preparation is life-preparation. (J. Riddell.)
Mortality mocking earthly majesty
This is a short psalm, little quoted, and seldom used. Jesus quoted this psalm, and, in doing so, showed its meaning and reference. When the Jews pronounced Him a blasphemer, because He made Himself the Son of God, in condemnation of them, and in defence of Himself, He quoted this Scripture of their own, in which earthly rulers were called gods, and all of them children of the Most High, in the authorized, unobjectionable language of inspiration. The Saviours argument was this, that if the powers that be, as ordained of God, might be so named, much more might He call Himself the Son of God, who, the Fathers equal, came on His errand to put an end to sin, and to bring in an everlasting righteousness. In this way there is no doubt that these words call us to think of earthly kings and princes, judges and rulers of this world, and the great ones among men.
I. Our tendency to exaggerate earthly greatness. Even to this hour, some among ourselves, contemplating those who bask in the sunshine of worldly prosperity–those who tower far above other men in the dignity, grandeur and influence of earthly station, so exaggerate the position, that if not applying to them the words of our text, and saying, ye are gods, and all of you are children of the Most High, withal imagine that these are the special favourites of heaven, and that blessed of God, they are to be admired, if not envied of men! Let us beware of all such thoughts. Admitting the value of earthly greatness, and the worth of worldly glory in their own place–and to question either were to belie nature, and to contradict Scripture–there are better things than earthly greatness in its most attractive type; better things than worldly glory in its most fascinating form. It is only by faith in Jesus name that either king or subject, potentate or pauper, can choose the good part which shall never be taken from them.
II. The cure for the error of exaggerating earthly greatness in the fact of universal mortality. Suffer me to handle in your presence those things which are the recognized emblems of earthly greatness and of worldly glory,–the crown, the coronet, the throne and the like. Shall I speak of them as baubles, toys, trifles? No; nature does not so regard them, nor do I find such names for them in the Word of God. Still–Be wise, ye kings; be taught, ye judges of the earth. The throne I–it must be left for the tomb. So perish the things which are seen–for the things which are seen are temporal. But faith, hope, and charity, these three–the faith of Jesus name; the hope which maketh not ashamed; charity, which is the bond of perfectness–there abideth these three. And, through grace, be these the heritage of kings and princes; and when their crowns and coronets fade and fail, these shall be for them in heaven a better and enduring substance. These, through grace, be the heritage of the poor of this world; and they, chosen rich in faith, shall inherit a kingdom that fadeth not away, and that cannot be shaken or removed. (John Smart, D. D.)
How some princes have died
Caesar was cruelly assassinated in the zenith of his glory. Casimir, King of Poland, died in the act of raising a jewelled cup to his lips. The Emperor Celsus was put to death seven days after his election. Charles XII. descended from the position of a conqueror to that of a forlorn exile. On the 24th of February, 1848, Louis Philippe rose in the Tuileries the King of the French; before midday he was a fugitive. Napoleon is one day the arbiter of the destinies of Europe, and the next a forlorn exile on St. Helena.
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 6. Ye are gods] Or, with the prefix of ke, the particle of similitude, keelohim, “like God.” Ye are my representatives, and are clothed with my power and authority to dispense judgment and justice, therefore all of them are said to be children of the Most High.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
I have said, Ye are gods; I have given you my name and power to rule your people in my stead.
All of you; not only the rulers of Israel, but of all other nations; for all powers are ordained by God, Rom 13:1.
Children of the Most High; representing my person, and bearing both my name and lively characters of my majesty and authority, as children bear the name and image of their parents.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
6, 7. Though God admitted theirofficial dignity (Joh 10:34),He reminds them of their mortality.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
I have said, ye are gods,…. In the law, Ex 21:6 or they were so by his appointment and commission; he constituted them judges and magistrates, invested them with such an office, by which they came to have this title; see Ro 13:1, and so our Lord interprets these words, that they were gods “to whom” the word of God came, which gave them a commission and authority to exercise their office,
Joh 10:35, or rather “against whom” it came, pronouncing the sentence of death on them, as in Ps 82:7, to which the reference is; declaring, that though they were gods by office, yet were mortal men, and should die. The Targum is, “I said, as angels are ye accounted”; and so judges and civil magistrates had need to be as angels, and to have the wisdom of them; see 2Sa 14:20. Jarchi interprets it of angels, but magistrates are undoubtedly meant:
and all of you are children of the most High; the Targum here again renders it,
“the angels of the most High:”
and so Aben Ezra explains it of them who are called the sons of God,
Job 38:7 but men in power are meant, who, because of their eminency and dignity, their high office, post, and place, are so called; see Ge 6:2.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
| The Duty of Magistrates. | |
6 I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High. 7 But ye shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes. 8 Arise, O God, judge the earth: for thou shalt inherit all nations.
We have here,
I. Earthly gods abased and brought down, Psa 82:6; Psa 82:7. The dignity of their character is acknowledged (v. 6): I have said, You are gods. They have been honoured with the name and title of gods. God himself called them so in the statute against treasonable words Exod. xxii. 28, Thou shalt not revile the gods. And, if they have this style from the fountain of honour, who can dispute it? But what is man, that he should be thus magnified? He called them gods because unto them the word of God came, so our Saviour expounds it (John x. 35); they had a commission from God, and were delegated and appointed by him to be the shields of the earth, the conservators of the public peace, and revengers to execute wrath upon those that disturb it, Rom. xiii. 4. All of them are in this sense children of the Most High. God has put some of his honour upon them, and employs them in his providential government of the world, as David made his sons chief rulers. Or, “Because I said, You are gods, you have carried the honour further than was intended and have imagined yourselves to be the children of the Most High,” as the king of Babylon (Isa. xiv. 14), I will be like the Most High, and the king of Tyre (Ezek. xxviii. 2), Thou hast set thy heart as the heart of God. It is a hard thing for men to have so much honour put upon them by the hand of God, and so much honour paid them, as ought to be by the children of men, and not to be proud of it and puffed up with it, and so to think of themselves above what is meet. But here follows a mortifying consideration: You shall die like men. This may be taken either, 1. As the punishment of bad magistrates, such as judged unjustly, and by their misrule put the foundations of the earth out of course. God will reckon with them, and will cut them off in the midst of their pomp and prosperity; they shall die like other wicked men, and fall like one of the heathen princes (and their being Israelites shall not secure them anymore than their being judges) or like one of the angels that sinned, or like one of the giants of the old world. Compare this with that which Elihu observed concerning the mighty oppressors in his time. Job xxxiv. 26, He striketh them as wicked men in the open sight of others. Let those that abuse their power know that God will take both it and their lives from them; for wherein they deal proudly he will show himself above them. Or, 2. As the period of the glory of all magistrates in this world. Let them not be puffed up with their honour nor neglect their work, but let the consideration of their mortality be both mortifying to their pride and quickening to their duty. “You are called gods, but you have no patent for immortality; you shall die like men, like common men; and like one of them, you, O princes! shall fall.” Note, Kings and princes, all the judges of the earth, though they are gods to us, are men to God, and shall die like men, and all their honour shall be laid in the dust. Mors sceptra ligonibus quat–Death mingles sceptres with spades.
II. The God of heaven exalted and raised high, v. 8. The psalmist finds it to little purpose to reason with these proud oppressors; they turned a deaf ear to all he said and walked on in darkness; and therefore he looks up to God, appeals to him, and begs of him to take unto himself his great power: Arise, O God! judge the earth; and, when he prays that he would do it, he believes that he will do it: Thou shalt inherit all nations. This has respect, 1. To the kingdom of providence. God governs the world, sets up and puts down whom he pleases; he inherits all nations, has an absolute dominion over them, to dispose of them as a man does of his inheritance. This we are to believe and to comfort ourselves with, that the earth is not given so much into the hands of the wicked, the wicked rulers, as we are tempted to think it is, Job ix. 24. But God has reserved the power to himself and overrules them. In this faith we must pray, “Arise, O God! judge the earth, appear against those that judge unjustly, and set shepherds over thy people after thy own heart.” There is a righteous God to whom we may have recourse, and on whom we may depend for the effectual relief of all that find themselves aggrieved by unjust judges. 2. To the kingdom of the Messiah. It is a prayer for the hastening of that, that Christ would come, who is to judge the earth, and that promise is pleaded, that God shall give him the heathen for his inheritance. Thou, O Christ! shalt inherit all nations, and be the governor over them, Psa 2:8; Psa 22:28. Let the second coming of Christ set to-rights all these disorders. There are two words with which we may comfort ourselves and one another in reference to the mismanagements of power among men: one is Rev. xix. 6, Hallelujah, the Lord God omnipotent reigneth; the other is Rev. xxii. 20, Surely, I come quickly.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
6 I have said, ye are gods. God has invested judges with a sacred character and title. This the prophet concedes; but he, at the same time, shows that this will afford no support and protection to wicked judges. He does not introduce them as speaking of the dignity of their office; but anticipating the style of reasoning which they would be disposed to adopt, he replies, “If you appeal to your dignity as an argument to shield you, this boasting will avail you nothing; yea, rather you are deceiving yourselves by your foolish confidence; for God, in appointing you his substitutes, has not divested himself of his own sovereignty as supreme ruler. Again, he would have you to remember your own frailty as a means of stirring you up to execute with fear and trembling the office intrusted to you.” This verse may also be viewed as addressed by God himself to rulers, and as intimating, that, in addition to his clothing them with authority, he has bestowed upon them his name. This interpretation seems to agree with the language of Christ in Joh 10:34, where he speaks of those as called gods to whom the word of God came. The passage, however, may be appropriately resolved thus: I grant that ye are gods, and the sons of the Most High (427) But this does not materially alter the meaning. The object is simply to teach that the dignity with which judges are invested can form no excuse or plea why they should escape the punishment which their wickedness deserves. The government of the world has been committed to them upon the distinct understanding that they themselves also must one day appear at the judgment-seat of heaven to render up an account. The dignity, therefore, with which they are clothed is only temporary, and will pass away with the fashion of the world. Accordingly, it is added in the 7 verse, But ye shall die as men. You are armed with power, as if he had said, to govern the world; but you have not on that account ceased to be men, so as to be no longer subject to mortality. The last clause of the verse is translated by some expositors, Ye shall fall like one of the princes; (428) but in my opinion improperly. They think that it contains a threatening of the violent death which would befall these unrighteous judges, corresponding to the sentiment of these lines of a heathen poet: —
“
Ad generum Cereris sine caede et sanguine pauci, Descendunt reges, et sicca morte tyranni.”
“
Few kings and tyrants go down to Pluto, the son-in-law of Ceres, without being put to a violent death, before they have completed the ordinary term allotted to the life of mortal man.” (429) That translation being forced, and not such as the words naturally suggest, I have no doubt that princes are here compared to the obscure and common class of mankind. The word one signifies any of the common people. Forgetting themselves to be men, the great ones of the earth may flatter themselves with visionary hopes of immortality; but they are here taught that they will be compelled to encounter death as well as other men. Christ, with the view of rebutting the calumny with which the Pharisees loaded him, quoted this text, Joh 10:34, “Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods? If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the Scripture cannot be broken; say ye of him whom the Father hath sanctified and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God?” By these words Christ did not mean to place himself among the order of judges; but he argues from the less to the greater, that if the name of God is applied to God’s officers, it with much more propriety belongs to his only begotten Son, who is the express image of the Father, in whom the Father’s majesty shines forth, and in whom the whole fullness of the Godhead dwells.
(427) “ Ye are all the children of the Most High, an Hebrew idiom, signifying men of the highest rank and power. Comp. Psa 29:1.” — Cresswell.
(428) This is the reading in our English Bible, on which Archbishop Secker remarks, “It seems needless to say that these princes shall fall like one of the princes.” He thinks with Bishop Hare that the true reading is not השרים, hassarim, the princes, as in our present copies, but הרשים, harsaim, the poor The translation, however, given by Calvin, who takes השרים in the vocative case, O ye princes ! and who, after the word כאחד, cheachad, for as one of, supplies the people, makes any alteration of the text unnecessary. Gataker also considers השרים, to be in the vocative case, which is approved by Horsley, Berlin, and others. Dathe takes השרים in the sense of tyrants, but brings no authority to prove that the word has this sense. Le Clerc, in the latter part of the verse, after like one of, supplies the many, reading, “And fall, O ye princes! like one of the many.”
(429) This is the translation given of these lines in the French version.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(6) I have said.Again the Divine voice breaks the silence with an emphatic I. From me comes your office and your honoured title, gods; now from me hear your doom. Princes though ye be, ye will die as other men: yea, altogether will ye princes perish. (For the rendering altogether, literally, like one man, see Ezr. 2:64; Ezr. 3:9, &c.)
It is interesting to notice that Psa. 82:1; Psa. 82:6 were quoted by Constantine at the opening of the council of Nica, to remind the bishops that their high office should raise them above jealousy and party feeling. (For the interest gained by the passage from our Lords use of it to rebut the charge of blasphemy brought against Him by the scribes, see Note, New Testament Commentary, Joh. 10:34.)
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
6. I have said, Ye are gods God still speaks to the judges. He calls them back to the time when their office was instituted, and they were called “gods,” as officially representing the divine majesty and functions. Thus, in Exo 21:6; Exo 22:8-9, where “judges” occurs in the common version, it is God in the Hebrew. He had further guarded the dignity of this office by commanding the people, “Thou shalt not revile the gods,” where the same awful name, Eloheem, God, again occurs. Exo 22:28.
Children of the Most High Sons of the Most High, corresponding to gods in the preceding clause. The Saviour quoted this title as applied to men holding a divine commission, (Joh 10:34-36,) and contrasts his own claim, “whom the Father hath sanctified and sent into the world,” as incomparably greater, even on the principles which the Pharisees themselves admitted. His argument was simply ad hominem.
Psa 82:6. I have said, Ye are gods Dr. Wall, in his Critical Notes upon this passage, says, “The name aleim, which is the usual name for God Almighty, having been, in the Pentateuch and other holy books written before this psalm, given sometimes to magistrates, judges, princes, and any of the high powers on earth, (for the proper signification of the word is high powers,) this psalm teaches them in what sense, and with what limitation, this name is allowed them; namely, that though they are suffered to be called aleim, gods, yet they should die like Adam, man; and this verse instructs them, that when they sit in judgment, they should remember, that as they act as masters over other men, so God, their master, the true Aleim, stands over them, and rebukes them upon occasion, as in Psa 82:2.” Dr. Hammond observes, that when our Saviour cites these words, Joh 10:34 they are introduced thus: Is it not written in your law? Thence the conclusion is necessary, that this book of psalms was among the Jews looked upon as part of the divine law, in a more wide and diffuse notion of the word; i.e. as the writings of the prophets, and of all who were inspired by God, are styled law.
The sense in which magistrates and princes are said to be gods, our blessed Lord himself hath explained, when clearly proving, that it does not imply the smallest idea of anything exalted about them, but in office only, and thereby distinguishing between the sense in which Jesus is really and truly God, distinct from all his creatures; Joh 10:35-36 . But the prayer of the church to Jesus, in the last verse, decidedly proves that the consolation of the faithful, under all the oppressions of the world and unjust judgment, is the contemplation of Christ’s coming to judge the world in righteousness, and ministering true judgment unto the people. How earnestly the church longs for this second advent of Christ; and how sure is the promise of Christ’s coming, may be gathered from Christ’s promise to that effect, and the church’s echo to his promise in the close of scripture, Behold, I come quickly. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. Amen. Rev 22:20 .
Psa 82:6 I have said, Ye [are] gods; and all of you [are] children of the most High.
Ver. 6. I have said, Ye are gods ] As Psa 82:1 , but doubly so, if good too; if they excel both in virtue and power, as Aristotle joineth them, ; I have said, is vox potestatis constituentis, whence that of the apostle, All power is of God, Rom 13:1 .
And all of you are children of the most High I have said. Compare Exo 22:9, Exo 22:28. Joh 10:34, Joh 10:35.
children = sons. Compare Luk 6:35.
the MOST HIGH. Hebrew. Elyon. App-4.
Psa 82:1, Exo 22:9, Exo 22:28, Joh 10:34-36
Reciprocal: Gen 6:2 – the sons Exo 4:16 – General Exo 7:1 – a god Exo 12:12 – gods Deu 14:1 – the children Deu 32:8 – Most Deu 32:19 – of his sons 1Sa 28:13 – gods ascending 2Ch 24:23 – princes Psa 9:20 – may Psa 58:1 – O ye Psa 67:4 – govern Psa 92:1 – most Psa 138:1 – before Ecc 6:10 – and it Isa 14:10 – Art thou also Isa 36:13 – cried Isa 43:28 – princes Dan 8:8 – when Mat 5:9 – for Joh 10:33 – makest
Psa 82:6-7. I have said, Ye are gods I have given you my name and power to rule your people in my stead; and all of you Not only the rulers of Israel, but of all other nations; (for the powers that be are ordained of God, Rom 13:1;) are children of the Most High Representing my person, and bearing both my name and lively characters of my majesty and authority, as children bear the name and image of their parents. But ye shall die like men Like ordinary men. As if he had said, Let not either your honourable title or exalted station make you insolent or secure, for though you are gods by name and office, yet still you are mortal men; you must die, and give up your account to me your supreme Lord and Governor; and you shall die by the hands of my justice if you persist in your ungodly courses. And fall like one of the princes Like every, or any of the princes; that is, as other unrighteous or tyrannical rulers have done in all former ages, and still do, your eyes seeing it. Or, as the Hebrew may be rendered, and you, O ye princes, (or you that are princes, before termed gods,) shall fall like one, or like every, or any of them, that is of the ordinary men last mentioned. It is well observed by Dr. Hammond, that when our Lord cites these words, Joh 10:34, they are introduced thus: Is it not written in your law? From whence it is necessarily concluded that this book of Psalms was looked upon among the Jews as part of the divine law, that is, of Gods word, declaring his will to mankind as truly and authoritatively as the books of Moses themselves. In which light we are to view the writings of the prophets and of all who were inspired by God. They all reveal his will with authority from him.
God warned the unjust judges that they themselves would suffer judgment for their injustice. God had appointed them as "gods" (i.e., individuals with power by God’s authority). He had made them His sons in the sense of His representatives on earth (cf. 2Sa 7:14). Nevertheless because they had not behaved as God, who judges justly, they would die as mere men without honor as God’s sons. They would die as all the other Israelites would. "Men" and "rulers" (Psa 82:7) is a merism that signifies all mortals. [Note: Dahood, 2:270.]
Jesus’ accusers charged Him with blasphemy when He claimed to be the Son of God (Joh 10:33). In replying to their accusation, Jesus quoted Psa 82:6 to remind them that God called Israel’s judges His sons. His point was that it was not inappropriate for Him to call Himself the Son of God. Jesus, of course, is God’s ultimate Judge of all humankind, so it was especially appropriate for Him to call Himself the Son of God.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)