Psalm 82

Read Psalm 82

“God has taken His place in the divine council; in the midst of the gods He holds judgment.” The Lord is not alone in the heavens. He is surrounded by holy angels. Even Satan, according to Job 1, has heard the voice of the Lord above. God is over all angelic beings. He is also above all the human judges who are called to execute justice as “gods” upon the earth. The Almighty will not allow injustice to prevail among the nations of the world forever.

God demands that human judges rule according to the truth. They must not favor the wicked, no matter what the unrighteous can do for them. Someone may be powerless in his community, with no living relative who will protect him in his hour of need, yet God expects all judges and rulers to give even that weak person a fair hearing.

When powerful people abuse systems of governance, the Lord is displeased. He can make the earth shake. There are many ways that He is able to remind the hardhearted that He is very aware of their dishonesty. Such powerful citizens may be godlike as Jesus acknowledged in John 10:34, but the God over all gods will surely show them that they are not beyond His oversight. Like all people on the earth, they will one day die. Like Satan and the fallen angels, they may yet face the second death of the lake of fire.

The Lord of all, who will one day come to judge the earth, is well aware of the demands of His own Law. When He suffered in our place, He took His stand for truth as no one before Him ever could have done. When He returns to judge the nations, He will bring forth a new world of sincerity and love. Never again will the poor man fall victim to the lies of the powerful. The same Jesus who demonstrated His victory over death in His own resurrection, will reign over all.

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

Father God, what must it be like to be in the divine counsel above? You have an instruction for us here below. We must care for those in our charge. Come soon, O Lord. Rescue the weak from their foes.