Psalm 82:1-8 “A Psalm by Asaph. God presides in the great assembly. He judges amongst the gods. ‘How long will you judge unjustly, and show partiality to the wicked?’ Selah. ‘Defend the weak, the poor, and the fatherless. Maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed. Rescue the weak and needy. Deliver them out of the hand of the wicked.’ They don’t know, neither do they understand. They walk back and forth in darkness. All the foundations of the earth are shaken. I said, ‘You are gods, all of you are sons of the Most High. Nevertheless you shall die like men, and fall like one of the rulers.’ Arise, God, judge the earth, for you inherit all of the nations.”

Human authorities can seem like gods, especially in certain types of government. Asaph envisions God telling these “gods” to do what is right and defend the poor and oppressed. However, they ignore His injunction, and the Psalmist warns them that they are in danger. Even though they have privilege and power, they will die, and Asaph calls for God’s judgment to fall.

All who are in authority would do well to remember that God has placed them there, they are His representatives, and they are in danger if they don’t judge and rule properly. Further, we should understand that, while human government can and does fail us, there is a government and a judge coming who will not!

Daniel 2:44 “In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed, nor will its sovereignty be left to another people; but it will break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it will stand forever.”

Note: Jesus quoted from this Psalm in one of His confrontations with the Jewish authorities. His point was that, if human authorities can be called “gods,” then how much more so the one who is the Son of God!

Jonn 10:34-38 “Jesus answered them, ‘Isn’t it written in your law, “I said, you are gods?” If he called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture can’t be broken), do you say of him whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, “You blaspheme,” because I said, “I am the Son of God?” If I don’t do the works of my Father, don’t believe me. But if I do them, though you don’t believe me, believe the works, that you may know and believe that the Father is in me, and I in the Father.’ ”

For additional worship: The Lord Will Come and Not be Slow (Haven)