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Matthew Henry<BR><I>Commentary on the Whole Bible</I> (1710)
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+3><B>P S A L M S</B></FONT>
<BR>
<BR><FONT SIZE=+2>PSALM LXXXII.</FONT>
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<P> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
This psalm is calculated for the meridian of princes' courts and courts
of justice, not in Israel only, but in other nations; yet it was
probably penned primarily for the use of the magistrates of Israel, the
great Sanhedrim, and their other elders who were in places of power,
and perhaps by David's direction. This psalm is designed to make kings
wise, and "to instruct the judges of the earth" (as
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+82:2,10">2 and 10</A>),
to tell them their duty as
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Sa+23:3">2 Sam. xxiii. 3</A>),
and to tell them of their faults as
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+58:1">Ps. lviii. 1</A>.
We have here,
I. The dignity of magistracy and its dependence upon God,
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+82:1">ver. 1</A>.
II. The duty of magistrates,
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+82:3,4">ver. 3, 4</A>.
III. The degeneracy of bad magistrates and the mischief they do,
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+82:2,5">ver. 2, 5</A>.
IV. Their doom read,
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+82:6,7">ver. 6, 7</A>.
V. The desire and prayer of all good people that the kingdom of God may
be set up more and more,
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+82:8">ver. 8</A>.
Though magistrates may most closely apply this psalm to themselves, yet
we may any of us sing it with understanding when we give glory to God,
in singing it, as presiding in all public affairs, providing for the
protection of injured innocency, and ready to punish the most powerful
injustice, and when we comfort ourselves with a belief of his present
government and with the hopes of his future judgment.</P>
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<A NAME="Sec1"> </A>
<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER=0>
<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>The Duty of Magistrates.</I></FONT></TD>
<TD ALIGN=RIGHT><FONT SIZE=-1> <! -- Date --> </FONT></TD></TR>
<TR><TD COLSPAN=2><HR SIZE=1></TD></TR>
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<CENTER>
<P>A psalm of Asaph.</P>
</CENTER>
<P> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
<FONT SIZE=+1>1 God standeth in the congregation of the
mighty; he judgeth among the gods.
&nbsp; 2 How long will ye judge unjustly, and accept the persons of
the wicked? Selah.
&nbsp; 3 Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted
and needy.
&nbsp; 4 Deliver the poor and needy: rid <I>them</I> out of the hand of the
wicked.
&nbsp; 5 They know not, neither will they understand; they walk on in
darkness: all the foundations of the earth are out of course.
</FONT></P>
<P> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
We have here,</P>
<P> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
I. God's supreme presidency and power in all councils and courts
asserted and laid down, as a great truth necessary to be believed both
by princes and subjects
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+82:1"><I>v.</I> 1</A>):
<I>God stands,</I> as chief director, <I>in the congregation of the
mighty,</I> the mighty One, <I>in coetu fortis--in the councils of the
prince,</I> the supreme magistrate, and he judges among the gods, the
inferior magistrates; both the legislative and the executive power of
princes is under his eye and his hand. Observe here,
1. The power and honour of magistrates; they are the <I>mighty.</I>
They are so in authority, for the public good (it is a great power that
they are entrusted with), and they ought to be so in wisdom and
courage. They are, in the Hebrew dialect, called <I>gods;</I> the same
word is used for these subordinate governors that is used for the
sovereign ruler of the world. They are <I>elohim.</I> Angels are so
called both because they are great in power and might and because God
is pleased to make use of their service in the government of this lower
world; and magistrates in an inferior capacity are likewise the
ministers of his providence in general, for the keeping up of order and
peace in human societies, and particularly of his justice and goodness
in punishing evil-doers and protecting those that do well. Good
magistrates, who answer the ends of magistracy, are as God; some of his
honour is put upon them; they are his vicegerents, and great blessings
to any people. <I>A divine sentence is in the lips of the king,</I>
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Pr+16:10">Prov. xvi. 10</A>.
But, as <I>roaring lions and ranging bears,</I> so are <I>wicked rulers
over the poor people,</I>
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Pr+28:15">Prov. xxviii. 15</A>.
2. A good form and constitution of government intimated, and that is a
mixed monarchy like ours; here is the might one, the sovereign, and
here is his congregation, his privy-council, his parliament, his bench
of judges, who are called the <I>gods.</I>
3. God's incontestable sovereignty maintained in and over all the
congregations of the mighty. <I>God stands,</I> he <I>judges among
them;</I> they have their power from him and are accountable to him.
<I>By him kings reign.</I> He is present at all their debates, and
inspects all they say and do, and what is said and done amiss will be
called over again, and they reckoned with for their
mal-administrations. God has their hearts in his hands, and their
tongues too, and he directs them <I>which way soever he will,</I>
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Pr+21:1">Prov. xxi. 1</A>.
So that he has a negative voice in all their resolves, and his counsels
shall stand, whatever devices are in men's hearts. He makes what use he
pleases of them, and serves his own purposes and designs by them;
though their hearts little think so,
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Isa+10:7">Isa. x. 7</A>.
Let magistrates consider this and be awed by it; God is with them in
the judgment,
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ch+19:6,De+1:17">2 Chron. xix. 6; Deut. i. 17</A>.
Let subjects consider this and be comforted with it; for good princes
and good judges, who mean well, are under a divine direction, and bad
ones, who mean ever so ill, are under a divine restraint.</P>
<P> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
II. A charge given to all magistrates to do good with their power, as
they will answer it to him by whom they are entrusted with it,
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+82:3,4"><I>v.</I> 3, 4</A>.
1. They are to be the protectors of those who lie exposed to injury and
the patrons of those who want advice and assistance: <I>Defend the
poor,</I> who have no money wherewith to make friends or fee counsel,
<I>and the fatherless,</I> who, while they are young and unable to help
themselves, have lost those who would have been the guides of their
youth. Magistrates, as they must be fathers to their country in
general, so particularly to those in it who are fatherless. Are they
called <I>gods?</I> Herein they must be followers of him, they must be
<I>fathers of the fatherless.</I> Job was so,
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Job+29:12">Job xxix. 12</A>.
2. They are to administer justice impartially, and do <I>right to the
afflicted and needy,</I> who, being weak and helpless, have often
wrongs done them; and will be in danger of losing all if magistrates do
not, <I>ex officio--officially,</I> interpose for their relief. If a
poor man has an honest cause, his poverty must be no prejudice to his
cause, how great and powerful soever those are that contend with him.
3. They are to rescue those who have already fallen into the hands of
oppressors and deliver them.
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+82:4"><I>v.</I> 4</A>):
<I>Rid them out of the hand of the wicked. Avenge them of their
adversary,</I>
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Lu+18:3">Luke xviii. 3</A>.
These are clients whom there is nothing to be got by, no pay for
serving them, no interest by obliging them; yet these are those whom
judges and magistrates must concern themselves for, whose comfort they
must consult and whose cause they must espouse.</P>
<P> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
III. A charge drawn up against bad magistrates, who neglect their duty
and abuse their power, forgetting that God standeth among them,
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+82:2,5"><I>v.</I> 2, 5</A>.
Observe,
1. What the sin is they are here charged with; they <I>judge
unjustly,</I> contrary to the rules of equity and the dictates of their
consciences, giving judgment against those who have right on their
side, out of malice and ill-will, or for those who have an unrighteous
cause, out of favour and partial affection. To do unjustly is bad, but
to judge unjustly is much worse, because it is doing wrong under colour
of right; against such acts of injustice there is least fence for the
injured and by them encouragement is given to the injurious. It was as
great an evil as any Solomon saw under the sun when he observed <I>the
place of judgment, that iniquity was there,</I>
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ec+3:16,Isa+5:7">Eccl. iii. 16; Isa. v. 7</A>.
They not only accepted the persons of the rich because they were rich,
though that is bad enough, but (which is much worse) they <I>accepted
the persons of the wicked</I> because they were wicked; they not only
countenanced them in their wickedness, but loved them the better for
it, and fell in with their interests. Woe unto thee, O land! when thy
judges are such as these.
2. What was the cause of this sin. They were told plainly enough that
it was their office and duty to protect and deliver the poor; it was
many a time given them in charge; yet they judge unjustly, for <I>they
know not, neither will they understand.</I> They do not care to hear
their duty; they will not take pains to study it; they have no desire
to take things right, but are governed by interest, not by reason or
justice. <I>A gift in secret blinds their eyes.</I> They know not
because they will not understand. None so blind as those that will not
see. They have baffled their own consciences, and so they walk on in
darkness, not knowing nor caring what they do nor whither they go.
Those that walk on in darkness are walking on to everlasting darkness.
3. What were the consequences of this sin: <I>All the foundations of
the earth</I> (or <I>of the land) are out of course.</I> When justice
is perverted what good can be expected? <I>The earth and all the
inhabitants thereof are dissolved,</I> as the psalmist speaks in a like
case,
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+75:3">Ps. lxxv. 3</A>.
The miscarriages of public persons are public mischiefs.</P>
<A NAME="Ps82_6"> </A>
<A NAME="Ps82_7"> </A>
<A NAME="Ps82_8"> </A>
<A NAME="Sec2"> </A>
<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER=0>
<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>The Duty of Magistrates.</I></FONT></TD>
<TD ALIGN=RIGHT><FONT SIZE=-1> <! -- Date --> </FONT></TD></TR>
<TR><TD COLSPAN=2><HR SIZE=1></TD></TR>
</TABLE>
<P> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
<FONT SIZE=+1>6 I have said, Ye <I>are</I> gods; and all of you <I>are</I> children of
the most High.
&nbsp; 7 But ye shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes.
&nbsp; 8 Arise, O God, judge the earth: for thou shalt inherit all
nations.
</FONT></P>
<P> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
We have here,</P>
<P> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
I. Earthly gods abased and brought down,
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+82:6,7"><I>v.</I> 6, 7</A>.
The dignity of their character is acknowledged
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+82:6"><I>v.</I> 6</A>):
<I>I have said, You are gods.</I> They have been honoured with the name
and title of gods. God himself called them so in the statute against
treasonable words
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ex+22:28">Exod. xxii. 28</A>,
<I>Thou shalt not revile the gods.</I> And, if they have this style
from the fountain of honour, who can dispute it? But what is man, that
he should be thus magnified? He called them <I>gods</I> because <I>unto
them the word of God came,</I> so our Saviour expounds it
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Joh+10:35">John x. 35</A>);
they had a commission from God, and were delegated and appointed by him
to be the shields of the earth, the conservators of the public peace,
and revengers to execute wrath upon those that disturb it,
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ro+13:4">Rom. xiii. 4</A>.
All of them are in this sense <I>children of the Most High.</I> God has
put some of his honour upon them, and employs them in his providential
government of the world, as David made his sons chief rulers. Or,
"Because <I>I said, You are gods,</I> you have carried the honour
further than was intended and have imagined yourselves to be <I>the
children of the Most High,</I>" as the king of Babylon
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Isa+14:14">Isa. xiv. 14</A>),
<I>I will be like the Most High,</I> and the king of Tyre
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Eze+28:2">Ezek. xxviii. 2</A>),
<I>Thou hast set thy heart as the heart of God.</I> It is a hard thing
for men to have so much honour put upon them by the hand of God, and so
much honour paid them, as ought to be by the children of men, and not
to be proud of it and puffed up with it, and so to think of themselves
above what is meet. But here follows a mortifying consideration: <I>You
shall die like men.</I> This may be taken either,
1. As the punishment of bad magistrates, such as judged unjustly, and
by their misrule put the <I>foundations of the earth out of course.</I>
God will reckon with them, and will cut them off in the midst of their
pomp and prosperity; they shall die like other wicked men, <I>and fall
like one of the</I> heathen <I>princes</I> (and their being Israelites
shall not secure them anymore than their being judges) or like one of
the angels that sinned, or like one of the giants of the old world.
Compare this with that which Elihu observed concerning the mighty
oppressors in his time.
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Job+34:26">Job xxxiv. 26</A>,
<I>He striketh them as wicked men in the open sight of others.</I> Let
those that abuse their power know that God will take both it and their
lives from them; for wherein they deal proudly he will <I>show himself
above them.</I> Or,
2. As the period of the glory of all magistrates in this world. Let
them not be puffed up with their honour nor neglect their work, but let
the consideration of their mortality be both mortifying to their pride
and quickening to their duty. "You are called gods, but you have no
patent for immortality; <I>you shall die like men,</I> like common men;
and <I>like one of them, you, O princes! shall fall.</I>" Note, Kings
and princes, all the judges of the earth, though they are gods to us,
are men to God, and shall die like men, and all their honour shall be
laid in the dust. <I>Mors sceptra ligonibus &aelig;quat--Death mingles
sceptres with spades.</I></P>
<P> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
II. The God of heaven exalted and raised high,
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+82:8"><I>v.</I> 8</A>.
The psalmist finds it to little purpose to reason with these proud
oppressors; they turned a deaf ear to all he said and walked on in
darkness; and therefore he looks up to God, appeals to him, and begs of
him <I>to take unto himself his great power: Arise, O God! judge the
earth;</I> and, when he prays that he would do it, he believes that he
will do it: <I>Thou shalt inherit all nations.</I> This has respect,
1. To the kingdom of providence. God governs the world, sets up and
puts down whom he pleases; he inherits all nations, has an absolute
dominion over them, to dispose of them as a man does of his
inheritance. This we are to believe and to comfort ourselves with, that
the earth is not given so much <I>into the hands of the wicked,</I> the
wicked rulers, as we are tempted to think it is,
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Job+9:24">Job ix. 24</A>.
But God has reserved the power to himself and overrules them. In this
faith we must pray, "<I>Arise, O God! judge the earth,</I> appear
against those that judge unjustly, and set shepherds over thy people
after thy own heart." There is a righteous God to whom we may have
recourse, and on whom we may depend for the effectual relief of all
that find themselves aggrieved by unjust judges.
2. To the kingdom of the Messiah. It is a prayer for the hastening of
that, that Christ would come, who is to judge the earth, and that
promise is pleaded, that God shall <I>give him the heathen for his
inheritance.</I> Thou, O Christ! shalt <I>inherit all nations,</I> and
be the governor over them,
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+2:8,22:28">Ps. ii. 8; xxii. 28</A>.
Let the second coming of Christ set to-rights all these disorders.
There are two words with which we may comfort ourselves and one another
in reference to the mismanagements of power among men: one is
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Re+19:6">Rev. xix. 6</A>,
<I>Hallelujah, the Lord God omnipotent reigneth;</I> the other is
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Re+22:20">Rev. xxii. 20</A>,
<I>Surely, I come quickly.</I></P>
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