Psalms 82:2
How long will ye judge unjustly, and accept the persons of the wicked? Selah.
Original Language Analysis
עַד
H5704
עַד
Strong's:
H5704
Word #:
1 of 8
as far (or long, or much) as, whether of space (even unto) or time (during, while, until) or degree (equally with)
מָתַ֥י
H4970
מָתַ֥י
Strong's:
H4970
Word #:
2 of 8
properly, extent (of time); but used only adverbially (especially with other particle prefixes), when (either relative or interrogative)
תִּשְׁפְּטוּ
How long will ye judge
H8199
תִּשְׁפְּטוּ
How long will ye judge
Strong's:
H8199
Word #:
3 of 8
to judge, i.e., pronounce sentence (for or against); by implication, to vindicate or punish; by extenssion, to govern; passively, to litigate (literal
וּפְנֵ֥י
the persons
H6440
וּפְנֵ֥י
the persons
Strong's:
H6440
Word #:
5 of 8
the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposi
רְ֝שָׁעִ֗ים
of the wicked
H7563
רְ֝שָׁעִ֗ים
of the wicked
Strong's:
H7563
Word #:
6 of 8
morally wrong; concretely, an (actively) bad person
Cross References
Deuteronomy 1:17Ye shall not respect persons in judgment; but ye shall hear the small as well as the great; ye shall not be afraid of the face of man; for the judgment is God's: and the cause that is too hard for you, bring it unto me, and I will hear it.Proverbs 18:5It is not good to accept the person of the wicked, to overthrow the righteous in judgment.Galatians 2:6But of these who seemed to be somewhat, (whatsoever they were, it maketh no matter to me: God accepteth no man's person:) for they who seemed to be somewhat in conference added nothing to me:
Historical Context
Psalm 82 depicts God presiding over a divine council, judging those appointed to judge (whether human magistrates or angelic beings delegated authority—scholarly debate continues). Throughout Israel's history, judicial corruption plagued society. Prophets repeatedly condemned judges who took bribes, favored the rich, and oppressed the poor (Isaiah 1:23, 10:1-2; Micah 3:11; Amos 5:12). The psalm reflects covenant lawsuit (riv) tradition where God prosecutes His people's leaders for covenant violations.
Questions for Reflection
- What modern forms of 'accepting persons'—showing favoritism—do you witness or participate in, and how can these be confronted?
- How should the certainty of divine judgment over human judges inform Christian engagement with legal and political systems?
- In what ways might you be guilty of 'judging unjustly' in your own sphere of influence or authority?
Analysis & Commentary
How long will ye judge unjustly, and accept the persons of the wicked? Selah. God's rhetorical question indicts corrupt judges with devastating directness. "How long" (עַד־מָתַי/ad-matai) expresses divine patience approaching its limit. God has endured injustice, giving opportunity for repentance, but judgment draws near. This echoes prophetic refrains (Habakkuk 1:2, Revelation 6:10) crying out against prolonged wickedness.
"Judge unjustly" (תִּשְׁפְּטוּ־עָוֶל/tishpetu-avel) contradicts the fundamental purpose of judges. Avel denotes perversion, injustice, unrighteousness—judging becomes its opposite when personal gain or favoritism corrupts verdicts. Judges called to execute God's justice instead perpetrate injustice, a damnable inversion.
"Accept the persons of the wicked" (פְּנֵי־רְשָׁעִים תִּשְׂאוּ/penei-resha'im tis'u) means showing partiality based on status rather than truth. Literally "lifting up the face," this phrase denotes favoring certain parties—the wealthy, powerful, or connected—while denying justice to the poor and powerless. Deuteronomy 1:17 and 16:19 explicitly forbid such partiality. "Selah" punctuates this damning question, demanding contemplation of judicial corruption's gravity.