The Belt of Truth: Psalm 82

Psalm 82 is a curious Psalm. The reference to God sitting on the divine council reminds of Job and 2 Kings where God has his angelic council cooperate with his will. 

Some take Psalm 82 as referring to that. And it certainly might be. 

Others see Psalm 82 talking to those who have divine authority and act in the place of God. So rulers and governments. God tells Moses that he shall make Moses god to Pharaoh. Romans 13 says that all authority is created by God. And Jesus in John 10:35 quotes psalm 82 to refer to the leaders of his day being “gods” and so shouldn’t be surprised that the Father has sent his Divine Son to earth. 

With it leaning in this direction, we see that these authorities have abused their places by taking advantage of people they were supposed to serve. So God promises to act and judge by darkness and earthquake. 

The final verse asks God to arise and judge the earth. 

So in the death and resurrection of Jesus, God is judging the earth. As Jesus says in John 12 and as Paul makes note of in Colossians 1. 

This psalm is a psalm that is also read on the Great Vigil of Easter.