Psalm 82: A Walkthrough

First let's look at the text of the Psalm in its entirety:

מִזְמ֗וֹר לְאָ֫סָ֥ף אֱֽלֹהִ֗ים נִצָּ֥ב בַּעֲדַת־אֵ֑ל בְּקֶ֖רֶב אֱלֹהִ֣ים יִשְׁפֹּֽט׃ עַד־מָתַ֥י תִּשְׁפְּטוּ־עָ֑וֶל וּפְנֵ֥י רְ֝שָׁעִ֗ים תִּשְׂאוּ־סֶֽלָה׃ שִׁפְטוּ־דַ֥ל וְיָת֑וֹם עָנִ֖י וָרָ֣שׁ הַצְדִּֽיקוּ׃ פַּלְּטוּ־דַ֥ל וְאֶבְי֑וֹן מִיַּ֖ד רְשָׁעִ֣ים הַצִּֽילוּ׃ לֹ֤א יָדְע֨וּ ׀ וְלֹ֥א יָבִ֗ינוּ בַּחֲשֵׁכָ֥ה יִתְהַלָּ֑כוּ יִ֝מּ֗וֹטוּ כׇּל־מ֥וֹסְדֵי אָֽרֶץ׃ אֲֽנִי־אָ֭מַרְתִּי אֱלֹהִ֣ים אַתֶּ֑ם וּבְנֵ֖י עֶלְי֣וֹן כֻּלְּכֶֽם׃ אָ֭כֵן כְּאָדָ֣ם תְּמוּת֑וּן וּכְאַחַ֖ד הַשָּׂרִ֣ים תִּפֹּֽלוּ׃ קוּמָ֣ה אֱ֭לֹהִים שׇׁפְטָ֣ה הָאָ֑רֶץ כִּֽי־אַתָּ֥ה תִ֝נְחַ֗ל בְּכׇל־הַגּוֹיִֽם׃ {פ}

Psalms 82:1-8

A Psalm of Asaf.

God stands in the congregation of God; he judges among the judges.
How long will you judge unjustly, and respect the persons of the wicked? (Sela.)
Judge the cause of the poor and fatherless: vindicate the afflicted and needy.
Deliver the poor and destitute: rescue them out of the hand of the wicked.
They know not, nor do they understand; they walk on in darkness: all the foundations of the earth are shaken.
I had said, You are angels, all of you sons of the most High;
Nevertheless, you shall die like a man, and fall as one man, O princes.
Arise, O God, judge the earth: for Thou shalt possess all the nations.

Verse-by-verse walkthrough:

תהילים פ״ב:א׳

מִזְמ֗וֹר לְאָ֫סָ֥ף אֱֽלֹהִ֗ים נִצָּ֥ב בַּעֲדַת־אֵ֑ל בְּקֶ֖רֶב אֱלֹהִ֣ים יִשְׁפֹּֽט׃

Psalms 82:1

A psalm of Asaph.

God stands in the divine assembly;
among the divine beings He pronounces judgment.

In this verse it uses the same word 'elohim' for the one who stands (prevails) in judgement over the other group of 'elohim'. One way to understand this word is as residents of heaven (as opposed to residents of earth). We understand this singular Elohim who prevails to be Adonay, and those being judged as heavenly creatures.

תהילים פ״ב:ב׳

עַד־מָתַ֥י תִּשְׁפְּטוּ־עָ֑וֶל וּפְנֵ֥י רְ֝שָׁעִ֗ים תִּשְׂאוּ־סֶֽלָה׃

Psalms 82:2

How long will you judge perversely,
showing favor to the wicked? Selah.

Here we have a charge against the heavenly creatures, they have judged wickedly and favoured evildoers.

תהילים פ״ב:ג׳-ד׳

שִׁפְטוּ־דַ֥ל וְיָת֑וֹם עָנִ֖י וָרָ֣שׁ הַצְדִּֽיקוּ׃ (ד) פַּלְּטוּ־דַ֥ל וְאֶבְי֑וֹן מִיַּ֖ד רְשָׁעִ֣ים הַצִּֽילוּ׃

Psalms 82:3-4

Judge the wretched and the orphan,
vindicate the lowly and the poor, (4) rescue the wretched and the needy;
save them from the hand of the wicked.

This sounds like their original job description that they failed to do: to take care of people and rescue from evildoers.

תהילים פ״ב:ה׳

לֹ֤א יָדְע֨וּ ׀ וְלֹ֥א יָבִ֗ינוּ בַּחֲשֵׁכָ֥ה יִתְהַלָּ֑כוּ יִ֝מּ֗וֹטוּ כׇּל־מ֥וֹסְדֵי אָֽרֶץ׃

Psalms 82:5

They neither know nor understand,
they go about in darkness;
all the foundations of the earth totter.

Instead they have failed to do their job and the whole earth is shaking from their actions.

תהילים פ״ב:ו׳-ז׳

אֲֽנִי־אָ֭מַרְתִּי אֱלֹהִ֣ים אַתֶּ֑ם וּבְנֵ֖י עֶלְי֣וֹן כֻּלְּכֶֽם׃ (ז) אָ֭כֵן כְּאָדָ֣ם תְּמוּת֑וּן וּכְאַחַ֖ד הַשָּׂרִ֣ים תִּפֹּֽלוּ׃

Psalms 82:6-7

I had taken you for divine beings,
sons of the Most High, all of you; (7) but you shall die as men do,
fall like any prince.

The sentence for their failure is death - though they were Sons of Elyon in heaven, they will join humanity in death, united in the same fate as some of those evildoers they helped.

תהילים פ״ב:ח׳

קוּמָ֣ה אֱ֭לֹהִים שׇׁפְטָ֣ה הָאָ֑רֶץ כִּֽי־אַתָּ֥ה תִ֝נְחַ֗ל בְּכׇל־הַגּוֹיִֽם׃

Psalms 82:8

Arise, O God, judge the earth,
for all the nations are Your possession.

Then, after this judgement, the risen Elohim inherits the whole world, and unites all humanity under his rule.

Interpretation (paraphrase):

Adonay prevails in the Council of El,
amidst heavenly creatures He renders judgement.

“Until when will you keep perverting justice
to favor evildoers? Forever?”

“Defend the poor and fatherless,
do justice by the afflicted and needy.”

They either didn't know—or didn't understand,
but stumbled around in darkness
until the foundations of the earth were shaking.

I, God, said “You are all Sons of the Most High,
however you will die like humans,
and fall united with the princes.”

Rise, God, judge the land,
for You will inherit all nations!

Related texts:

תהילים ב׳:א׳-י״ב

לָ֭מָּה רָגְשׁ֣וּ גוֹיִ֑ם וּ֝לְאֻמִּ֗ים יֶהְגּוּ־רִֽיק׃ יִ֥תְיַצְּב֨וּ ׀ מַלְכֵי־אֶ֗רֶץ וְרוֹזְנִ֥ים נֽוֹסְדוּ־יָ֑חַד עַל־יְ֝הֹוָ֗ה וְעַל־מְשִׁיחֽוֹ׃ נְֽ֭נַתְּקָה אֶת־מֽוֹסְרוֹתֵ֑ימוֹ וְנַשְׁלִ֖יכָה מִמֶּ֣נּוּ עֲבֹתֵֽימוֹ׃ יוֹשֵׁ֣ב בַּשָּׁמַ֣יִם יִשְׂחָ֑ק אֲ֝דֹנָ֗י יִלְעַג־לָֽמוֹ׃ אָ֤ז יְדַבֵּ֣ר אֵלֵ֣ימוֹ בְאַפּ֑וֹ וּֽבַחֲרוֹנ֥וֹ יְבַהֲלֵֽמוֹ׃ וַ֭אֲנִי נָסַ֣כְתִּי מַלְכִּ֑י עַל־צִ֝יּ֗וֹן הַר־קׇדְשִֽׁי׃ אֲסַפְּרָ֗ה אֶֽ֫ל־חֹ֥ק יְֽהֹוָ֗ה אָמַ֘ר אֵלַ֥י בְּנִ֥י אַ֑תָּה אֲ֝נִ֗י הַיּ֥וֹם יְלִדְתִּֽיךָ׃ שְׁאַ֤ל מִמֶּ֗נִּי וְאֶתְּנָ֣ה ג֭וֹיִם נַחֲלָתֶ֑ךָ וַ֝אֲחֻזָּתְךָ֗ אַפְסֵי־אָֽרֶץ׃ תְּ֭רֹעֵם בְּשֵׁ֣בֶט בַּרְזֶ֑ל כִּכְלִ֖י יוֹצֵ֣ר תְּנַפְּצֵֽם׃ וְ֭עַתָּה מְלָכִ֣ים הַשְׂכִּ֑ילוּ הִ֝וָּסְר֗וּ שֹׁ֣פְטֵי אָֽרֶץ׃ עִבְד֣וּ אֶת־יְהֹוָ֣ה בְּיִרְאָ֑ה וְ֝גִ֗ילוּ בִּרְעָדָֽה׃ נַשְּׁקוּ־בַ֡ר פֶּן־יֶאֱנַ֤ף ׀ וְתֹ֬אבְדוּ דֶ֗רֶךְ כִּֽי־יִבְעַ֣ר כִּמְעַ֣ט אַפּ֑וֹ אַ֝שְׁרֵ֗י כׇּל־ח֥וֹסֵי בֽוֹ׃ {פ}

Psalms 2:1-12

Why do nations assemble,
and peoples plot vain things; kings of the earth take their stand,
and regents intrigue together
against the LORD and against His anointed? “Let us break the cords of their yoke,
shake off their ropes from us!” He who is enthroned in heaven laughs;
the Lord mocks at them. Then He speaks to them in anger,
terrifying them in His rage, “But I have installed My king
on Zion, My holy mountain!” Let me tell of the decree:
the LORD said to me,
“You are My son,
I have fathered you this day.^-b Ask it of Me,
and I will make the nations your domain;
your estate, the limits of the earth. You can smash them with an iron mace,
shatter them like potter’s ware.”
So now, O kings, be prudent;
accept discipline, you rulers of the earth! Serve the LORD in awe;
tremble with fright,^-c pay homage in good faith,^-d
lest He be angered, and your way be doomed
in the mere flash of His anger.
Happy are all who take refuge in Him.

תרגום תהלים ב׳:א׳-י״ב

לְמָה מִתְרַגְשִׁין עַמְמַיָא וְאוּמַיָא מְרַנְנִין סְרִיקוּתָא: קָיְמִין מַלְכֵי אַרְעָא וְשִׁלְטוֹנַיָא יִתְחַבְּרוּן כַּחֲדָא לְמָרָדָא קֳדָם יְיָ וּלְמִנְצֵי עַל מְשִׁיחֵיהּ: נִתְרַע יַת אֱסָרָתֵיהוֹן וְנִטְלוֹק מִנָנָא שַׁלְשְׁלָוָתֵהוֹן: דְיָתֵיב בִּשְׁמַיָא יִגְחַךְ מֵימְרָא דַייָ יִדְהַךְ לְהוֹן: חֵידֵין יְמַלֵל לְהוֹן בְּתוּקְפֵיהּ וּבְרוּגְזֵיהּ יְבַהַלְאִנוּן: וַאֲנָא רַבִּיתִי מַלְכִּי וּמַנִיתֵיהּ עַל טוּר מַקְדְשִׁי: אֶשְׁתְּעֵי קְיָמָא דַייָ אֲמַר חֲבִיב כְּבַר לְאַבָּא לִי אַנְתְּ זַכָּאָה כְּאִלוּ יוֹמָא דֵין בְּרֵיתָךְ: בְעֵי מִנִי וְאֶתֵּן נִכְסֵי עַמְמַיָא אַחְסַנְתָּךְ וַאֲחוּדָתָךְ שִׁלְטוֹנֵי סְיָפֵי אַרְעָא: תְּתַבְּרִנוּן הֵיךְ בְּחוּטְרָא דְפַרְזְלָא הֵיךְ מָאן דִפְחַר תִּתְרְעִנוּן: וּכְדֵין מַלְכַיָא אַשְׂכִּלוּ קַבִּילוּ מַרְדוּתָא נְגִידֵי אַרְעָא: פְּלָחוּ קֳדָם יְיָ בְּדַחֲלָא וְצַלוּ בִּרְתִיתָא: קַבִּילוּ אוּלְפָנָא דִלְמָא יִרְגֵיז וּתְהוֹבְדוּן אוּרְחָא מְטוּל דְיֵיחוֹר כִּזְעֵר רוּגְזֵיהּ טוּבֵיהּ לְכָל דְסָבְרִין בְּמֵימְרֵיהּ:

Aramaic Targum to Psalms 2:1-12

Why are the nations disturbed, and murmuring vanity? The kings of the earth arise and the rulers will join together to rebel in the Lord’s presence, and to strive against His Anointed. They say, “Let us break their bonds, and let us throw off their chains from us.” The One Who sits in Heaven will laugh; the word of the Lord will mock at them. Then He will speak to them in His strength, and in His wrath He will frighten them. "And I have anointed My king, and appointed him over My Sanctuary." I will tell of the covenant of the Lord. He said: “You are as dear to Me as a son to a father, pure as if this day I had created you.” "Ask Me and I will give the spoils of nations as your inheritance, the rulers of the ends of the earth as your holding." "You will shatter them as with a rod of iron, like a potter’s vessel you will break them." And now, O kings, grow wise; accept discipline, O princes of the earth. Worship in the presence of the Lord with fear, and pray with trembling. Accept instruction lest He be angry, and you lose your way; for His wrath will tarry a little. Happy all who trust in His Word!