I’ll be away for a while, so I’ve posted devotions ahead of time. Be sure to find where you currently are reading.
January 23
Reading: Psalm 82
A Psalm of Asaph.
1 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!
Psalm 82 is another psalm of Asaph and a bit of a mystery. Some scholars take this as a psalm about the accountability of powerful earthly kings, people. The NASB translates “elohim” in verse 1 as “rulers.” That is a stretch. This is largely because of verse 7. But why translate “elohim” as “rulers” in verse 1 and then as “gods” in verse 6?
Others understand this psalm to be a statement of judgment upon the demons, idols worshipped by ungodly nations. This is the straightforward reading of “elohim” in verses 1 and 6. But then we must ask in what sense can the Lord expect these demons to “do justice” as we read in verses 2-4? Or are these “gods” demonic beings that stand behind or inhabit earthly rulers, as may be the case in Genesis 6 where the “sons of God” come down to the daughters of men?
Jesus settles the question in John 10:31-38. Jesus is identifying Himself as a divine being. This is why they want to kill Him. But his argument is that He is truly the Son of God. They ought to be able to tell because He, in contrast to the corrupt beings of Psalm 82, does the works of His Father. Jesus “gives justice to the weak and afflicted.” He “rescues the needy from the hand of the wicked.” (vss. 3-4) If God refers to these illegitimate gods as His offspring (vs. 6), how much more should Jesus be understood as the Son of God?
Whether these “gods” control earthly kings or not, Psalm 82 depicts God standing in the council of the gods, the moment of judgment upon all the demons and spiritual beings that oppose God and ruin His world. We get a glimpse into the fate of idols. They will “die like men.” They will not go on forever, whatever they may think. They have all failed in their assigned duties as God servants. Jesus is the only “God” who does the works of His Father. These others are not gods at all.