In Psalm 82, God (Elohim, singular) stands in the divine assembly of elohim (plural)– lesser, created, divine/spiritual beings. At least some of these elohim are condemned by God for not exercising justice when governing the nations. They were supposed to govern justly concerning the poor, needy, fatherless, powerless – but they didn’t do their job. Therefore God says these disobedient elohim will die like mortals. Then the Psalmist prays that the LORD manifests His justice over all the nations – for they’re all, ultimately, the LORD’s inheritance.

1. OUR STRUGGLE IS NOT
AGAINST FLESH AND
BLOOD (PART I)
PSALM 82
BIBLE STUDY | ALPHA BAPTIST CHURCH | 6.12.19
DANNY SCOTTON JR.

2. WHAT ISTHE MEANING OFYOUR
NAME?
• Vision (from Avengers:Age of Ultron):“I AM”
• God’s covenantal name is YHWH (Yahweh,The LORD). Hebrew
verb ‫ָה‬‫ו‬ ָ‫ה‬ (hāwâ) = “be, become” (TWOT, 214).The LORD is the
great I AM (Ex 3:14-15)
• YHWH can be abbreviated as Yah (think Jah Bless)
• Isaiah (‫הוּ‬ָ֫‫י‬ ְ‫ﬠ‬ ַ‫ְשׁ‬‫י‬) = “salvation of Yah” (BDB, 447). ‫ע‬ ַ‫ָשׁ‬‫י‬ (yāšaʿ) = “be
saved, be delivered” (TWOT, 414)
• Jeremiah ( ‫ה‬ָ֫‫י‬ ְ‫מ‬ ְ‫ִר‬‫י‬)‫וּ‬( ) likely = “whom [YHWH] has appointed”
(GHCLOT, 369). ‫רוּם‬ (rum)= “raise up,”,“establish” (LBD)
• Micah (‫ָה‬‫כ‬‫י‬ ִ‫)מ‬ = “who is like unto [YHWH]?” (GHCLOT, 469). Who
is like the LORD?

3. WHAT’S THE MEANING OF JESUS’ NAME?
• Joshua (ַ‫ְהוֹשׁוּﬠ‬‫י‬) = [YHWH] is salvation (BDB, 221) or “The LORD saves” (cf.
Mt 1:21, NIV mg.). Greek form = Jesus
• 21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because
he will save his people from their sins.” (Mt 1:21, NIV)
• 57 “You are not yet fifty years old,” they said to him,“and you have seen
Abraham!” 58 “Very truly I tell you,” Jesus answered,“before Abraham was born,
I am!” 59 At this, they picked up stones to stone him… (Jn 8:57-59a, NIV)
• Jesus: I AM the Bread of Life (Jn 6:35, 48, 51), the Light of theWorld (Jn
8:12, 9:5), the Gate/Door (Jn 10:7, 9), the Good Shepherd (Jn 10:11, 14), the
Resurrection and the Life (Jn 11:25), the Way, the Truth, and the Life (Jn
14:6), the TrueVine (Jn 15:1, 5) (Carpenter and Comfort, 306)

4. WHAT ISTHE MEANING OF “GOD”?
• Daniel (‫ֵאל‬‫יּ‬ִ‫נ‬ ָ‫)דּ‬ = “‘God’s judge,’ i.e. who delivers judgment in the name of God” (GHCLOT, 204) or “[God] is
my judge” (BDB, 193). ‫ין‬ ִ‫דּ‬) (dîn I) = “judge, contend, govern…” (NIDOTTE, 938)
• Ezekiel (‫אל‬ ֵ‫ק‬ְ‫ז‬ ֶ‫ְח‬‫י‬)= “God strengtheneth” (BDB, 306) or ““may God strengthen” (HALOT, 406). (‫ַק‬‫ז‬ ָ‫|ח‬ ḥāzaq) =
“be(come) strong, strengthen” (TWOT, 276)
• Michael (‫ל‬ ֵ‫ָא‬‫כ‬‫י‬ ִ‫)מ‬ = “who is like unto God”?) (GHCLOT, 469). Immanuel (‫ל‬ ֵ‫נוּא‬ ָ‫מּ‬ ִ‫)ﬠ‬ = “with us is God” (BDB, 769)
or “God with us” (GHCLOT, 639)
• El (singular) = god. Elohim (plural) = gods or God ((almost always) when verbs are singular (cf. Heiser, SBL)).
• Ever count sheep? Sheep is either singular or plural depending upon verbs (Heiser, 26).The sheep is eating
grass (singular).The sheep are eating grass (plural). God (Elohim) almost always gets singular verbs
• elohim (plural) refer to “inhabitants of the spiritual world” – who don’t have all the same attributes (Heiser, 31
cf. Longman, 305;“anything that is not regular humanity” (Goldingay, 561))

5. PSALM 82 (NIV)
1 God presides in the great assembly;
he renders judgment among the “gods”:
2 “How long will you defend the unjust
and show partiality to the wicked? s
3 Defend the weak and the fatherless;
uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed.
4 Rescue the weak and the needy;
deliver them from the hand of the wicked.
5 “The ‘gods’ know nothing, they understand nothing.
They walk about in darkness;
all the foundations of the earth are shaken.
6 “I said,‘You are “gods”;
you are all sons of the Most High.’
7 But you will die like mere mortals;
you will fall like every other ruler.”
8 Rise up, O God, judge the earth,
for all the nations are your inheritance.

6. PSALM 82:1
THE ASSEMBLY OF GOD
• God [Elohim, singular] presides in the divine assembly | among the gods [elohim, plural] He judges: (Ps 82:1,AT)
• God presides: more lit. take one’s stand as “one who is in charge” (NIDOTTE, 134 cf.TWOT, 591; HALOT, 715;
BDB, 662 cf. Goldingay, 562)
• Among (‫ב‬ ֶ‫ר‬ ֶ‫ק‬ | qereb) = “midst…” (TWOT, 813). In the midst implies plural elohim (Heiser, 26; Goldingay, 561)
• Over the assembly of el a.k.a.“heavenly council” (NIDOTTE, 135, cf. 327) or “heavenly assembly” (HALOT,
790),“officers of God” (TWOT, 388) a.k.a.“company of angels” (BDB, 417) or “host of heaven” (1 Ki 22:19;
NIDOTTE, 402)
• Assembly is likely most appropriate since the elohim are assembled for judgment, not decision-making. At least
some elohim are “on trial” (Kidner, 327-329; Longman, 305).
• 18 But which of them has stood in the council of the LORD | to see or to hear his word? | Who has listened
and heard his word? (Jer 23:18, NIV; cf. Isaiah 6; Zech 3:1-5; Goldingay, 560)
• Divine council theology was very common in other Ancient Near Eastern religions.A god named El was the
head of a pantheon of gods (Matthews, IVP;Walton, 388)

7. WHO ARE THE “GODS” OF PSALM 82?
DIVINE BEINGS?
• 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities,
against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms
(Eph 6:12, NIV cf. Is 24:21-22; Kidner, 327-329)
• In Daniel they are called “princes” (e.g., Dn 10:13, 20f.; Kidner, 327-329; cf. Ps 8:5; Motyer, 539)
• “At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise (Dn 12:1a, NIV; Kidner,
327-329)
• “On that same night I will pass through Egypt and strike down every firstborn of both people and
animals, and I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I am the LORD (Ex 12:12, NIV; Longman,
305)

8. WHO ARE THE “GODS” OF PSALM 82?
DIVINE BEINGS / SONS OF GOD?
• 4 “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? | Tell me, if you understand. |
5 Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know! | Who stretched a measuring line
across it? | 6 On what were its footings set, | or who laid its cornerstone— | 7 while
the morning stars sang together | and all the angels [sons of Elohim] shouted for
joy? (Job 38:4-7, NIV; Kidner, 327-329)
• 6 One day the angels [sons of Elohim] came to present themselves before the
LORD, and Satan also came with them (Job 1:6, NIV; Kidner, 327-329; Longman, 305;
Motyer, 539;Walton, 388; cf. 1 Ki 22:19; NIDOTTE, 402;Wilcock, 40; Goldingay, 561; cf.
Ps 29:1-2; Heiser, 29;Walton, 388)
• Ascribe to the LORD, you heavenly beings [sons of Elohim], | ascribe to the
LORD glory and strength. | 2 Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; | worship
the LORD in the splendor of his holiness (Ps 29:1-2, NIV; Heiser, 35)

9. AREN’T THERE NO OTHER GODS BESIDE GOD?
• 35You were shown these things so that you might know that the LORD is God; besides
him there is no other (Dt 4:35, NIV; Heiser, 34)
• 2 “There is no one holy like the LORD; | there is no one besides you; | there is no
Rock like our God. (1 Sam 2:2, NIV cf. 1 Ki 8:60; 2 Ki 19:19; Is 43:10; Mk 12:32; 1 Ch
17:20)
• To Babylon: 8 “Now then, listen, you lover of pleasure, lounging in your security and
saying to yourself,‘I am, and there is none besides me.” (Is 47:8, NIV; Heiser, 34)
• Of Ninevah: 15This is the city of revelry | that lived in safety. | She said to herself, | “I
am the one! And there is none besides me.” (Zep 2:15, NIV; Heiser, 34)
• These are statements of incomparability (Heiser, 35)

10. THERE IS NO GOD
LIKE THE LORD (YHWH)
• After crossing the Red Sea, Moses & Miriam: 11 Who among the gods | is like you, LORD? | Who is like you— |
majestic in holiness, | awesome in glory, | working wonders? (Ex 15:11, NIV; Longman, 305; Heiser, 31)
• After he heard about the LORD delivering Israel from Egypt, Jethro: 11 Now I know that the LORD is greater than
all other gods (Ex 18:11, NIV; cf. Ex 20:3; Longman, 305; Futato, 270)
• 8 Among the gods there is none like you, Lord; | no deeds can compare with yours (Ps 86:8, NIV Goldingay, 561;
cf. Ps 138:1; Longman, 305)
• For what god is there in heaven or on earth who can do the deeds and mighty works you do? (Dt 3:24, NIV;
Heiser, 31)
• 9 For you, LORD [YHWH], are the Most High over all the earth; | you are exalted far above all gods [elohim].
(Ps 97:9, NIV cf. Broyles, 337; cf. Ps 96:4; Goldingay, 561;Walton, 388; cf. 1 Ki 8:23; Ps 95:3; Heiser, 31)
• If there is no other elohim, this is like saying “You’re greater than something that doesn’t exist” (Heiser, 35)

11. GOD CREATEDTHE OTHER, SUBSERVIENT
DIVINE BEINGS (“SONS OF GOD”)
1 Praise the LORD.
Praise the LORD from the heavens;
praise him in the heights above.
2 Praise him, all his angels;
praise him, all his heavenly hosts.
3 Praise him, sun and moon;
praise him, all you shining stars.
4 Praise him, you highest heavens
and you waters above the skies.
5 Let them praise the name of the
LORD,
for at his command they were
created,
(Ps 148:1-5, NIV; Heiser, 31)
• 6You alone are the LORD.You made the heavens, even the highest
heavens, and all their starry host, the earth and all that is on it, the
seas and all that is in them. You give life to everything, and the
multitudes of heaven worship you. (Neh 9:6, NIV; Heiser, 31)
• God is all-powerful.The lesser, created, divine beings are not (cf. Jer
32:17, 27; Ps 72:18, 115:3; Heiser, 31)
• The lesser, created elohim serve the LORD, who is King (Heiser, 31)
• 19 Micaiah continued,“Therefore hear the word of the LORD: I saw
the LORD sitting on his throne with all the multitudes of
heaven standing around him on his right and on his left. (1 Ki 22:19,
NIV; Heiser, 31; Goldingay, 561;Walton, 388)
• 3 For the LORD is the great God [el], | the great King above all
gods [elohim]. (Ps 95:3, NIV; Heiser, 31)

12. ISN’T JESUSTHE ONLY SON OF GOD?
• For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth
in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (Jn 3:16, KJV; cf. Jn 1:14, 18, 3:18, 1 Jn 4:19;
Heiser, 36)
• Better translation:“one and only” (cf. NIV, NRSV, ESV, HCSB) or “one of a kind”
• For the Greek word μονογενής (monogenes) means “only (one of its kind).” (EDNT, 439)
• It is a compound of the word μόνος (monos), which means “alone, only” (NIDNTTE, 333). and
γένος (genos) which means “descendant, family, race, nation” (NIDNTTE, 555)
• Genos was previously thought to come from the Greek verb gennao (“to beget, bear”), but
this was incorrect (Heiser, 36)
• Monogenes is used to describe Isaac – who of course was not Abraham’s only son (Heb 11:17
cf. Genesis 16; 25:1-4; NIDNTTE, 335 cf. Heiser, 36). Isaac was the unique son of the covenant
(Heiser, 37)

13. WHAT WOULD JESUS SAY?
(JN 10:29-39, NIV)
• 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my
Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”
• 31 Again his Jewish opponents picked up stones to stone him, 32 but Jesus said to them,“I have shown
you many good works from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?”
• 33 “We are not stoning you for any good work,” they replied,“but for blasphemy, because you, a mere
man, claim to be God.”
• 34 Jesus answered them,“Is it not written in your Law,‘I have said you are “gods” ’? 35 If he called
them ‘gods,’ to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be set aside—36 what about
the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world?Why then do you accuse
me of blasphemy because I said,‘I am God’s Son’? 37 Do not believe me unless I do the works of my
Father. 38 But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know
and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father.” 39 Again they tried to seize him, but he
escaped their grasp.

14. JESUS ON PSALM 82:
MULTIPLEVIEWS
• Jesus (essentially): others besides God are called “gods” in Scripture, so why should He be accused of
blasphemy? (Wilcock, 42) His Jewish opponents are concentrating more on His words than His works
• About the “gods,” Jesus leaves “their identity an open question” (Kidner, 327). He is arguing effectively
(Longman, 307) and perhaps making a point without adopting His opponents presumed interpretation.
1. Human judges of Israel (cf. Ex 21:6; Ex 22:6-8) as many contemporary rabbis did (Heiser, SBL; as do
Wilcock, 40; Futato, 270f.; Motyer, 539; many NT scholars)
2. All the Israelites at Sinai (cf. Ex 4:21-22), who became like gods when receiving the law but became
mortal when they disobeyed it -- according to Jewish tradition and commentary (Heiser, SBL;Wilcock,
40; many NT scholars)
3. Divine council /assembly view (Tanner, 642; Longman, Goldingay, etc.)

15. WHO ARE THE “GODS” OF PSALM 82?
HUMAN JUDGES?
• 5 “But if the servant declares,‘I love my master and my wife and children and do not want to go free,’
6 then his master must take him before the judges [elohim]. (Ex 21:5-6a, NIV; Kidner, 327-329 cf. Dt
15:11; Heiser, SBL)
• 7 “If anyone gives a neighbor silver or goods for safekeeping and they are stolen from the neighbor’s
house, the thief, if caught, must pay back double. 8 But if the thief is not found, the owner of the house
must appear before the judges [elohim], and they must determine whether the owner of the house
has laid hands on the other person’s property. 9 In all cases of illegal possession of an ox, a donkey, a
sheep, a garment, or any other lost property about which somebody says,‘This is mine,’ both parties are
to bring their cases before the judges [elohim]. The one whom the judges [elohim] declare guilty
must pay back double to the other. (Ex 22:7-9, NIV; cf. Ex 22:28; Kidner, 327-329; Heiser, SBL)
• the one whom God condemns shall pay double to the other. (Ex 22:9b, NRSV cf. ESV, contra HCSB,
NASB, KJV)

16. WHO ARE THE “GODS” OF PSALM 82?
HUMAN JUDGES?
• Verb for “judges” is plural. But in Scripture, God [Elohim] sometime gets plural verbs
• 13 And when God had me wander [plural verb] from my father’s household, I said to her,‘This
is how you can show your love to me: Everywhere we go, say of me,“He is my brother.” ’ ” (Gen
20:13, NIV; Heiser, SBL)
• 11Then people will say, | “Surely the righteous still are rewarded; | surely there is a God [Elohim]
who judges [plural verb] the earth.” (Ps 58:11, NIV; Heiser, SBL)
• 23 And who is like your people Israel—the one nation on earth that God [Elohim] went out
[plural verb] to redeem as a people for himself, and to make a name for himself, and to perform
great and awesome wonders by driving out nations and their gods [elohim] from before your
people, whom you redeemed from Egypt? (2 Sam 7:23, NIV; Heiser, SBL)

17. WHO ARE THE “GODS” OF PSALM 82?
HUMAN JUDGES?
• Translating elohim (cf. NRSV, ESV) as God makes good sense of the context (Heiser, SBL) Earlier…
• 17 Moses’ father-in-law replied,“What you are doing is not good. 18You and these people who
come to you will only wear yourselves out.The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it
alone. 19 Listen now to me and I will give you some advice, and may God [elohim] be with you.You
must be the people’s representative before God [elohim] and bring their disputes to him (Ex
18:17-19; Heiser, SBL; Kidner, 327-229)
• 20Teach them his decrees and instructions, and show them the way they are to live and how they
are to behave. 21 But select capable men from all the people—men who fear God, trustworthy men
who hate dishonest gain—and appoint them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens.
22 Have them serve as judges for the people at all times, but have them bring every difficult case to
you; the simple cases they can decide themselves (Ex 18:20-22, NIV; Heiser, SBL)

18. WHO ARE THE “GODS” OF PSALM 82?
HUMAN JUDGES?
• These passages do not require elohim to be equivalent to human judges (Kidner,
327-329)
• The OT does not ever teach that Jews or Jewish leaders were appointed as judges
of other nations.They were to be separate. (Heiser, 28; Heiser, SBL)
• 5 The heavens praise your wonders, LORD, | your faithfulness too, in the assembly
of the holy ones. | 6 For who in the skies above can compare with the LORD? |
Who is like the LORD among the heavenly beings? | 7 In the council of the
holy ones God is greatly feared; he is more awesome than all who surround him.
(Ps 89:5-7, NIV; Heiser, 29; Goldingay, 560)

19. WHO ARE THE “GODS” OF PSALM 82?
ALL ISRAEL?
• 22Then say to Pharaoh,‘This is what the LORD says: Israel is my firstborn son, 23 and
I told you,“Let my son go, so he may worship me.” But you refused to let him go; so I will
kill your firstborn son (Ex 4:22-23, NIV)
• Some Jewish commentary asserts that when the Israelites received the Law at Mount
Sinai, they “were declared to be gods, and that had they remained obedient to it they
would not die” (Heiser, SBL)
• But the “Law” Jesus refers to in Jn 10:34 is a Psalm – not the Sinai Law (Heiser, SBL)
• If Jesus was insinuating that all Israelites were in some sense sons of God, it may also fail
to explain His opponents continued outrage (Heiser, SBL)

20. WHO ARE THE GODS OF PSALM 82?
THE DIVINE ASSEMBLY
• The word of God that came (Jn 10:35) refers to the words of judgment God
spoke to the divine beings in the council in Psalm 82 (Heiser, SBL)
• Jesus is reminding His opponents that there are other non-human, divine beings
in Scripture who are called "sons of God" (Heiser, SBL)
• Jesus is claiming not only to be a member of the divine council, but co-regent
of the council ("one" with the Father cf. Jn 10:38; Heiser, SBL)
• Such a high claim of divinity warrants their call for His arrest (Jn 10:39; Heiser,
SBL).

21. THE DIVINE ASSEMBLY:
BIBLE PROJECTVIDEO

22. PSALM 82:2
• How long will you vindicate the unjust | and show partiality to the wicked? (Psalm 82:2,AT)
• How long? is a question usually asked of God in the Psalms (Longman, 306; Goldingay, 563; cf. Ps. 6:3; 74:10;
80:4; 90:13; 94:3; Davis; cf. Psalm 13)
• Some think a prophet is speaking to the assembly (Walton, 389) but I argue it is God Himself (cf.Tanner, 642;
Longman, 305-6, etc.)
• Judge (‫ט‬ַ‫פ‬ ָ‫|שׁ‬ šāpaṭ) can mean “execute judgment, govern” (NIDOTTE, 1034) but also defend or vindicate (cf.
Pr 31:9; BDB, 1047 cf. Goldingay, 563). Also translated “judge unjustly” (NRSV, ESV, HCSB, NASB, KJV, JPS 1917,
etc.)
• More lit. – “lift up the faces” of the wicked.“Lift up the face” is an expression that means “show partiality,
display favoritism” (NIDOTTE, 162 cf.TLOT, 771; BDB, 670; Broyles, 337; Goldingay, 564), to show favor
• 24 “ ‘ “The LORD bless you | and keep you; | 25 the LORD make his face shine on you | and be gracious
to you; | 26 the LORD turn his face toward you | and give you peace.” ’ (Num 6:24-26, NIV)

23. PSALM 82:3
• Vindicate the lowly and the fatherless, | for the poor and oppressed do justice (Ps 82:3,AT)
• Widows, orphans, and foreigners are often a “compositional triad” that refer to the weakest and
most helpless in society. Orphan (‫ָתוֹם‬‫י‬ | yātôm) almost always refers to someone who lost their
father (NIDOTTE, 570)
• Poor = “poor, weak, afflicted Israel, or pious in Israel afflicted by wicked nations or the wicked in
Israel itself” (BDB, 776)
• 7 He upholds the cause of the oppressed | and gives food to the hungry. | The LORD sets
prisoners free, | 8 the LORD gives sight to the blind, | the LORD lifts up those who are bowed
down, | the LORD loves the righteous. | 9The LORD watches over the foreigner | and sustains
the fatherless and the widow, | but he frustrates the ways of the wicked. (Ps 146:7-9, NIV;
Longman, 306; Futato, 271)

24. PSALM 82:4
• Rescue the lowly and the needy | from the hand of the wicked, deliver them (Ps 82:4)
• 5 A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, | is God in his holy dwelling. (Ps
68:5, NIV; Longman, 306)
• The subordinate divine beings were supposed to mediate God’s justice among the
(likely non-Israelite) nations but they haven’t been doing their job (TLOT, 1054;
Wilcock, 40;Tanner, 642; Goldingay, 563)
• God implores (or has implored) the elohim to save the weak and needy from the
wicked (NIDOTTE, 622 cf. Goldingay, 565)

25. PSALM 82:5
• They do not know, they do not understand | they walk about in darkness | all the foundations of the earth are
shaken (Ps 82:5,AT)
• Some argue that they are the “misgoverned and misled” people on earth (Kidner, 329 cf.Tanner, 643; cf. Is
41:21-29; Broyles, 337; Goldingay, 565)
• Some claim they are the gods who have failed to do what they were assigned to do – hence there is
chaos on earth (Longman, 306 cf.Tanner, 643)
• Darkness (‫ָה‬‫כ‬ ֵ‫שׁ‬ֲ‫ח‬ | ḥašēkâ) is figurative for “ignorance”,“evil” , or “unbelief” (TWOT, 331);“lack of
understanding” (BDB, 365 cf. Pr 2:13; Ecc 2:14; Goldingay, 566); or distress (Ps 107:10, 14; Goldingay, 566)
• Shaken:“depicts general disorder on the earth” (TWOT, 493 cf. Broyles, 337;Walton, 389) perhaps due to
human sinfulness (NIDOTTE, 866). Could refer to earth’s “moral foundations” (Goldingay, 566)

26. PSALM 82:6
• I said, "You are gods | you are all sons of the Most High (Ps 82:6,AT)
• God is the Most High (‫ליוֹן‬ֶ‫ﬠ‬ |ʿelyôn) above all elohim in the divine
assembly a.k.a.“angel-princes” (BDB, 751)
• This may be what Jesus refers to when He said,“35 If he called them
‘gods,’ to whom the word of God came” (Jn 10:35a, NIV; Kidner,
329)

27. PSALM 82:7
• But in fact, like mortals you will die | and like any prince you will fall (Ps 82:7,AT)
• God threatens the disobedient elohim with “ultimate extinction” (NIDOTTE, 402; cf. Longman, 306;
Goldingay, 567). Not clear if all or just some are under judgment (Heiser, 27)
• 21 In that day the LORD will punish | the powers in the heavens above | and the kings on the earth
below. | 22They will be herded together | like prisoners bound in a dungeon; | they will be shut up in
prison | and be punished after many days. (Is 24:21-22, NIV; Kidner, 327-329; Longman, 307; Goldingay,
570; Motyer, 539)
• Mortals = ‫ם‬ ָ‫ד‬ ָ‫א‬ |(ʾādām) (TWOT, 10). Prince = ‫ר‬ ַ‫שׂ‬ (śar) (think czar). ‫ה‬ ָ‫ר‬ ָ‫שׂ‬ (śārâ) is princess (TWOT, 884)
• God called a meeting of the divine assembly to “to judge the elohim for corrupt rule of the nations.”
(Heiser, 27) – it’s a divine trial (Tanner, 643).
• In the NT,“the devil and his angels will share the fate of human rebels” in “the second death” (Kidner,
330 cf. Mt 25:41, Rev 20:10, 14f.)The disobedient elohim will die like disobedient mortals (Goldingay, 568)

28. PSALM 82:8
• Arise, O God! Judge the earth, | for you will inherit all the nations (Ps 82:8,AT)
• Likely the psalmist speaking (Longman, 30), in a prayer (Goldingay, 568; Motyer, 539).
• Similar to “Come, Lord Jesus!” (Rev 22:20b; Kidner, 330)
• Judge = manifest one’s rulership (NIDOTTE, 216 cf. BDB, 1047,TLOT, 1394)
• ‫ל‬ ַ‫ָח‬‫נ‬ (nāḥal) = “have or get as a possession or inheritance” (NIDOTTE, 77 cf.TWOT, 569)
• Daniel 10 pictures each nation having a “prince” (cf. Dt 32:8-9 where only Israel is God’s special
inheritance (naḥălâ)) (Goldingay, 569)
• “When things go wrong, the CEO has to accept responsibility and take action.“ (Goldingay, 569)

29. DIVINE BEINGS IN
THE NEWTESTAMENT
• In the NT, divine beings (elohim) are called “angels” or “demons” (Walton, 388)
• “The NT picks up that idea.The heavenly powers were created in or by Christ and through and
for Christ (Col. 1:15–16), and by dying Christ has defeated and dethroned them or divested
himself of them, and triumphed over them (Col. 2:15).They are subject to him (1 Pet. 3:22),
and they cannot separate us from God’s love (Rom. 8:38–39).
• “Yet we still battle against them (Eph. 6:12). Evidently they are still capable of asserting
themselves and we still look forward to God’s final judgment on them (1 Cor. 15:24–25).
And we still pray for God’s authority to be exercised over them in the now (cf. Eph. 6:12, 18),
as the psalm does.” (Goldingay, 570)

30. CONCLUSION
• In Psalm 82, God (Elohim) stands in the divine assembly of elohim – lesser, created, divine/spiritual beings
• At least some of these elohim are condemned by God for not exercising justice when governing the nations
• The elohim were supposed to govern justly concerning the poor, needy, fatherless, powerless – but they didn’t
do their job.Therefore God says these disobedient elohim will die like mortals
• The Psalmist prays that the LORD manifests His justice over all the nations – for they’re all, ultimately, the
LORD’s inheritance
• The nations had been delegated to other elohim while God took Israel as His special inheritance
• 8 When the Most High gave to the nations their inheritance, | when he divided mankind, | he fixed the
borders of the peoples | according to the number of the sons of God. (Dt 32:8, ESV). 9 But the LORD’s
portion is his people, | Jacob his allotted heritage. (Dt 32:9, NIV)
• This took place at the Tower of Babel, which we will hopefully discuss next week…

31. BIBLIOGRAPHY
• Balz, Horst Robert, and Gerhard Schneider. Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans, 1990–.
• Brown, Francis, Samuel Rolles Driver, and Charles Augustus Briggs. Enhanced Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1977.
• Broyles, Craig C. Psalms. Edited by W. Ward Gasque, Robert L. Hubbard Jr., and Robert K. Johnston. Understanding the Bible Commentary Series. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2012.
• Carpenter, Eugene E., and Philip W. Comfort. Holman Treasury of Key Bible Words: 200 Greek and 200 Hebrew Words Defined and Explained. Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2000.
• Davis, Barry in Burge, Gary M., and Andrew E. Hill, eds. The Baker Illustrated Bible Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2012.
• Futato, Mark D. “The Book of Psalms.” In Cornerstone Biblical Commentary, Vol 7: The Book of Psalms, The Book of Proverbs. Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2009.
• Gesenius, Wilhelm, and Samuel Prideaux Tregelles. Gesenius’ Hebrew and Chaldee Lexicon to the Old Testament Scriptures. Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2003.
• Goldingay, John. Baker Commentary on the Old Testament: Psalms 42–89. Edited by Tremper Longman III. Vol. 2. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2006.
• Harris, R. Laird, Gleason L. Archer Jr., and Bruce K. Waltke, eds. Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament. Chicago: Moody Press, 1999.
• Heiser, Michael S. The Unseen Realm: Recovering the Supernatural Worldview of the Bible. First Edition. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2015.
• Heiser, Michael S. “Jesus’ Quotation of Psalm 82:6 in John 10:34: A Different View of John‘s Theological Strategy.” Society of Biblical Literature (SBL) Regional Conference, 2012.
http://www.thedivinecouncil.com/Heiser%20Psa82inJohn10%20RegSBL2011.pdf
• Jenni, Ernst, and Claus Westermann. Theological Lexicon of the Old Testament. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, 1997.
• Kidner, Derek. Psalms 73–150: An Introduction and Commentary. Vol. 16. Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1975.
• Koehler, Ludwig, Walter Baumgartner, M. E. J. Richardson, and Johann Jakob Stamm. The Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament. Leiden: E.J. Brill, 1994–2000.
• Longman, Tremper, III. Psalms: An Introduction and Commentary. Edited by David G. Firth. Vol. 15–16. Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries. Nottingham, England: Inter-Varsity Press, 2014.
• Matthews, Victor Harold, Mark W. Chavalas, and John H. Walton. The IVP Bible Background Commentary: Old Testament. Electronic ed. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2000.
• Motyer, J. A. “The Psalms.” In New Bible Commentary: 21st Century Edition, edited by D. A. Carson, R. T. France, J. A. Motyer, and G. J. Wenham, 4th ed., 485–583. Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: Inter-
Varsity Press, 1994.
• Silva, Moisés, ed. New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology and Exegesis. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2014.
• Tanner, Beth. “Book Three of the Psalter: Psalms 73–89.” In The Book of Psalms, edited by E. J. Young, R. K. Harrison, and Robert L. Hubbard Jr. The New International Commentary on the Old Testament.
Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2014.
• VanGemeren, Willem, ed. New International Dictionary of Old Testament Theology & Exegesis. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1997.
• Walton, John H. Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary (Old Testament): The Minor Prophets, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs. Vol. 5. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2009.