Tehillim 82 | Human Justice vs. God’s Justice

This psalm, that we say every Tuesday as part of Shir Shel Yom, expresses profound disappointment in the justice dispensed by human judges. The poet appeals to the judges to uphold justice— “Rescue the weak and needy; save them from the hand of the wicked” (verse 4) — but quickly becomes disillusioned with their inability to do so: “They do not know, nor do they understand.”

The psalm highlights the gap between the lofty expectations of judges and the disappointing reality, using a wordplay centered on the term "אלוהים", which can mean judges, exalted beings, or God. The poet once thought these human judges were lofty and divine: “I once thought, ‘You are divine beings; all of you are children of the Most High’” (verse 6). But he has come to see that they fail and perish like ordinary mortals: “But you shall die like mere men; you will fall like any prince” (verse 7). His hope for justice from human judges has faded.

As a result, the poet calls on God to be the one to bring justice to the world: “Arise, O God; judge the earth, for all the nations are Your possession” (verse 8).