mh_parser/vol_split/19 - Psalms/Chapter 82.xml

<div2 id="Ps.lxxxiii" n="lxxxiii" next="Ps.lxxxiv" prev="Ps.lxxxii" progress="50.43%" title="Chapter LXXXII">
<h2 id="Ps.lxxxiii-p0.1">P S A L M S</h2>
<h3 id="Ps.lxxxiii-p0.2">PSALM LXXXII.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Ps.lxxxiii-p1">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 <scripRef id="Ps.lxxxiii-p1.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.82.2 Bible:Ps.82.10" parsed="|Ps|82|2|0|0;|Ps|82|10|0|0" passage="Ps 82:2,10">2 and 10</scripRef>), to tell them their duty as
(<scripRef id="Ps.lxxxiii-p1.2" osisRef="Bible:2Sam.23.3" parsed="|2Sam|23|3|0|0" passage="2Sa 23:3">2 Sam. xxiii. 3</scripRef>), and to
tell them of their faults as <scripRef id="Ps.lxxxiii-p1.3" osisRef="Bible:Ps.58.1" parsed="|Ps|58|1|0|0" passage="Ps 58:1">Ps. lviii.
1</scripRef>. We have here, I. The dignity of magistracy and its
dependence upon God, <scripRef id="Ps.lxxxiii-p1.4" osisRef="Bible:Ps.82.1" parsed="|Ps|82|1|0|0" passage="Ps 82:1">ver. 1</scripRef>.
II. The duty of magistrates, <scripRef id="Ps.lxxxiii-p1.5" osisRef="Bible:Ps.82.3-Ps.82.4" parsed="|Ps|82|3|82|4" passage="Ps 82:3,4">ver. 3,
4</scripRef>. III. The degeneracy of bad magistrates and the
mischief they do, <scripRef id="Ps.lxxxiii-p1.6" osisRef="Bible:Ps.82.2 Bible:Ps.82.5" parsed="|Ps|82|2|0|0;|Ps|82|5|0|0" passage="Ps 82:2,5">ver. 2,
5</scripRef>. IV. Their doom read, <scripRef id="Ps.lxxxiii-p1.7" osisRef="Bible:Ps.82.6-Ps.82.7" parsed="|Ps|82|6|82|7" passage="Ps 82:6,7">ver. 6, 7</scripRef>. V. The desire and prayer of all
good people that the kingdom of God may be set up more and more,
<scripRef id="Ps.lxxxiii-p1.8" osisRef="Bible:Ps.82.8" parsed="|Ps|82|8|0|0" passage="Ps 82:8">ver. 8</scripRef>. 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>
<scripCom id="Ps.lxxxiii-p1.9" osisRef="Bible:Ps.82" parsed="|Ps|82|0|0|0" passage="Ps 82" type="Commentary"/>
<scripCom id="Ps.lxxxiii-p1.10" osisRef="Bible:Ps.82.1-Ps.82.5" parsed="|Ps|82|1|82|5" passage="Ps 82:1-5" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.82.1-Ps.82.5">
<h4 id="Ps.lxxxiii-p1.11">The Duty of Magistrates.</h4>
<div class="Center" id="Ps.lxxxiii-p1.12">
<p id="Ps.lxxxiii-p2">A psalm of Asaph.</p>
</div>
<p class="passage" id="Ps.lxxxiii-p3">1 God standeth in the congregation of the
mighty; he judgeth among the gods.   2 How long will ye judge
unjustly, and accept the persons of the wicked? Selah.   3
Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and
needy.   4 Deliver the poor and needy: rid <i>them</i> out of
the hand of the wicked.   5 They know not, neither will they
understand; they walk on in darkness: all the foundations of the
earth are out of course.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.lxxxiii-p4">We have here,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.lxxxiii-p5">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 (<scripRef id="Ps.lxxxiii-p5.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.82.1" parsed="|Ps|82|1|0|0" passage="Ps 82:1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>): <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> <scripRef id="Ps.lxxxiii-p5.2" osisRef="Bible:Prov.16.10" parsed="|Prov|16|10|0|0" passage="Pr 16:10">Prov. xvi. 10</scripRef>. But, as <i>roaring lions and
ranging bears,</i> so are <i>wicked rulers over the poor
people,</i> <scripRef id="Ps.lxxxiii-p5.3" osisRef="Bible:Prov.28.15" parsed="|Prov|28|15|0|0" passage="Pr 28:15">Prov. xxviii.
15</scripRef>. 2. A good form and constitution of government
intimated, and that is a mixed monarchy like ours; here is the
mighty 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> <scripRef id="Ps.lxxxiii-p5.4" osisRef="Bible:Prov.21.1" parsed="|Prov|21|1|0|0" passage="Pr 21:1">Prov. xxi. 1</scripRef>. 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, <scripRef id="Ps.lxxxiii-p5.5" osisRef="Bible:Isa.10.7" parsed="|Isa|10|7|0|0" passage="Isa 10:7">Isa. x. 7</scripRef>. Let magistrates consider
this and be awed by it; God is with them in the judgment, <scripRef id="Ps.lxxxiii-p5.6" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.19.6 Bible:Deut.1.17" parsed="|2Chr|19|6|0|0;|Deut|1|17|0|0" passage="2Ch 19:6,De 1:17">2 Chron. xix. 6; Deut. i. 17</scripRef>.
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 class="indent" id="Ps.lxxxiii-p6">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, <scripRef id="Ps.lxxxiii-p6.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.82.3-Ps.82.4" parsed="|Ps|82|3|82|4" passage="Ps 82:3,4"><i>v.</i> 3,
4</scripRef>. 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, <scripRef id="Ps.lxxxiii-p6.2" osisRef="Bible:Job.29.12" parsed="|Job|29|12|0|0" passage="Job 29:12">Job xxix.
12</scripRef>. 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. (<scripRef id="Ps.lxxxiii-p6.3" osisRef="Bible:Ps.82.4" parsed="|Ps|82|4|0|0" passage="Ps 82:4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>): <i>Rid
them out of the hand of the wicked. Avenge them of their
adversary,</i> <scripRef id="Ps.lxxxiii-p6.4" osisRef="Bible:Luke.18.3" parsed="|Luke|18|3|0|0" passage="Lu 18:3">Luke xviii.
3</scripRef>. 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 class="indent" id="Ps.lxxxiii-p7">III. A charge drawn up against bad
magistrates, who neglect their duty and abuse their power,
forgetting that God standeth among them, <scripRef id="Ps.lxxxiii-p7.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.82.2 Bible:Ps.82.5" parsed="|Ps|82|2|0|0;|Ps|82|5|0|0" passage="Ps 82:2,5"><i>v.</i> 2, 5</scripRef>. 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> <scripRef id="Ps.lxxxiii-p7.2" osisRef="Bible:Eccl.3.16 Bible:Isa.5.7" parsed="|Eccl|3|16|0|0;|Isa|5|7|0|0" passage="Ec 3:16,Isa 5:7">Eccl. iii. 16; Isa. v. 7</scripRef>. 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, <scripRef id="Ps.lxxxiii-p7.3" osisRef="Bible:Ps.75.3" parsed="|Ps|75|3|0|0" passage="Ps 75:3">Ps.
lxxv. 3</scripRef>. The miscarriages of public persons are public
mischiefs.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.lxxxiii-p7.4" osisRef="Bible:Ps.82.6-Ps.82.8" parsed="|Ps|82|6|82|8" passage="Ps 82:6-8" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.82.6-Ps.82.8">
<h4 id="Ps.lxxxiii-p7.5">The Duty of Magistrates.</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ps.lxxxiii-p8">6 I have said, Ye <i>are</i> gods; and all of
you <i>are</i> children of the most High.   7 But ye shall die
like men, and fall like one of the princes.   8 Arise, O God,
judge the earth: for thou shalt inherit all nations.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.lxxxiii-p9">We have here,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.lxxxiii-p10">I. Earthly gods abased and brought down,
<scripRef id="Ps.lxxxiii-p10.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.82.6-Ps.82.7" parsed="|Ps|82|6|82|7" passage="Ps 82:6,7"><i>v.</i> 6, 7</scripRef>. The
dignity of their character is acknowledged (<scripRef id="Ps.lxxxiii-p10.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.82.6" parsed="|Ps|82|6|0|0" passage="Ps 82:6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>): <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
<scripRef id="Ps.lxxxiii-p10.3" osisRef="Bible:Exod.22.28" parsed="|Exod|22|28|0|0" passage="Ex 22:28">Exod. xxii. 28</scripRef>, <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
(<scripRef id="Ps.lxxxiii-p10.4" osisRef="Bible:John.10.35" parsed="|John|10|35|0|0" passage="Joh 10:35">John x. 35</scripRef>); 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, <scripRef id="Ps.lxxxiii-p10.5" osisRef="Bible:Rom.13.4" parsed="|Rom|13|4|0|0" passage="Ro 13:4">Rom. xiii. 4</scripRef>. 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 (<scripRef id="Ps.lxxxiii-p10.6" osisRef="Bible:Isa.14.14" parsed="|Isa|14|14|0|0" passage="Isa 14:14">Isa. xiv. 14</scripRef>), <i>I will be like the
Most High,</i> and the king of Tyre (<scripRef id="Ps.lxxxiii-p10.7" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.28.2" parsed="|Ezek|28|2|0|0" passage="Eze 28:2">Ezek. xxviii. 2</scripRef>), <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. <scripRef id="Ps.lxxxiii-p10.8" osisRef="Bible:Job.34.26" parsed="|Job|34|26|0|0" passage="Job 34:26">Job
xxxiv. 26</scripRef>, <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
æquat—Death mingles sceptres with spades.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.lxxxiii-p11">II. The God of heaven exalted and raised
high, <scripRef id="Ps.lxxxiii-p11.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.82.8" parsed="|Ps|82|8|0|0" passage="Ps 82:8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>. 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, <scripRef id="Ps.lxxxiii-p11.2" osisRef="Bible:Job.9.24" parsed="|Job|9|24|0|0" passage="Job 9:24">Job ix. 24</scripRef>.
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, <scripRef id="Ps.lxxxiii-p11.3" osisRef="Bible:Ps.2.8 Bible:Ps.22.28" parsed="|Ps|2|8|0|0;|Ps|22|28|0|0" passage="Ps 2:8,22:28">Ps.
ii. 8; xxii. 28</scripRef>. 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 <scripRef id="Ps.lxxxiii-p11.4" osisRef="Bible:Rev.19.6" parsed="|Rev|19|6|0|0" passage="Re 19:6">Rev. xix. 6</scripRef>, <i>Hallelujah, the Lord God
omnipotent reigneth;</i> the other is <scripRef id="Ps.lxxxiii-p11.5" osisRef="Bible:Rev.22.20" parsed="|Rev|22|20|0|0" passage="Re 22:20">Rev. xxii. 20</scripRef>, <i>Surely, I come
quickly.</i></p>
</div></div2>