Back to Psalms 82

Psalms 82:2-4

“How long will you judge unjustly, and show partiality to the wicked?”

“Defend the weak, the poor, and the fatherless. Maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed.

Rescue the weak and needy. Deliver them out of the hand of the wicked.”

World English Bible · Public Domain

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Parallel Translations

  • WEB World English Bible

    “How long will you judge unjustly, and show partiality to the wicked?”

    “Defend the weak, the poor, and the fatherless. Maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed.

    Rescue the weak and needy. Deliver them out of the hand of the wicked.”

  • KJV King James Version

    How long will ye judge unjustly, and accept the persons of the wicked? Selah.

    Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy.

    Deliver the poor and needy: rid them out of the hand of the wicked.

Show all 3 translations
  • JPS JPS Tanakh (1917)

    'How long will ye judge unjustly, and respect the persons of the wicked? Selah

    Judge the poor and fatherless; do justice to the afflicted and destitute.

    Rescue the poor and needy; deliver them out of the hand of the wicked.

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Cross-references (30)

  • Proverbs 24:11-12 (v4) Rescue those who are being led away to death! Indeed, hold back those who are staggering to the slaughter! If you say, “Behold, we didn’t…
  • James 1:27 (v3) Pure religion and undefiled before our God and Father is this: to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself…
  • Deuteronomy 1:17 (v2) You shall not show partiality in judgment; you shall hear the small and the great alike. You shall not be afraid of the face of man, for…
  • Job 5:15-16 (v4) But he saves from the sword of their mouth, even the needy from the hand of the mighty. So the poor has hope, and injustice shuts her mouth.
  • Job 29:12 (v4) Because I delivered the poor who cried, and the fatherless also, who had no one to help him,
Show all 30 cross-references
  • Psalms 10:18 (v3) to judge the fatherless and the oppressed, that man who is of the earth may terrify no more.
  • Jeremiah 22:3 (v3) Yahweh says: “Execute justice and righteousness, and deliver him who is robbed out of the hand of the oppressor. Do no wrong. Do no…
  • Psalms 72:12-14 (v4) For he will deliver the needy when he cries; the poor, who has no helper. He will have pity on the poor and needy. He will save the souls…
  • Psalms 140:12 (v4) I know that Yahweh will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and justice for the needy.
  • Proverbs 18:5 (v2) To be partial to the faces of the wicked is not good, nor to deprive the innocent of justice.
  • Deuteronomy 10:18 (v3) He executes justice for the fatherless and widow and loves the foreigner in giving him food and clothing.
  • Deuteronomy 24:17 (v3) You shall not deprive the foreigner or the fatherless of justice, nor take a widow’s clothing in pledge;
  • Job 29:16-17 (v4) I was a father to the needy. I researched the cause of him who I didn’t know. I broke the jaws of the unrighteous and plucked the prey out…
  • Isaiah 1:17 (v3) Learn to do well. Seek justice. Relieve the oppressed. Defend the fatherless. Plead for the widow.”
  • Jeremiah 5:28 (v3) They have grown fat. They shine; yes, they excel in deeds of wickedness. They don’t plead the cause, the cause of the fatherless, that they…
  • Jeremiah 22:16 (v3) He judged the cause of the poor and needy; so it was well, then. Wasn’t this to know me?” says Yahweh.
  • Nehemiah 5:1-13 (v4) Then there arose a great cry of the people and of their wives against their brothers the Jews. For there were some who said, “We, our sons…
  • Psalms 58:1-2 (v2) Do you indeed speak righteousness, silent ones? Do you judge blamelessly, you sons of men? No, in your heart you plot injustice. You…
  • Isaiah 1:23 (v3) Your princes are rebellious and companions of thieves. Everyone loves bribes and follows after rewards. They don’t defend the fatherless,…
  • Exodus 10:3 (v2) Moses and Aaron went in to Pharaoh, and said to him, “This is what Yahweh, the God of the Hebrews, says: ‘How long will you refuse to…
  • Galatians 2:6 (v2) But from those who were reputed to be important—whatever they were, it makes no difference to me; God doesn’t show partiality to man—they,…
  • Exodus 23:6-7 (v2) “You shall not deny justice to your poor people in their lawsuits. “Keep far from a false charge, and don’t kill the innocent and…
  • Leviticus 19:15 (v2) “ ‘You shall do no injustice in judgment. You shall not be partial to the poor, nor show favoritism to the great; but you shall judge your…
  • 1 Kings 18:21 (v2) Elijah came near to all the people, and said, “How long will you waver between the two sides? If Yahweh is God, follow him; but if Baal,…
  • 2 Chronicles 19:7 (v2) Now therefore let the fear of Yahweh be on you. Take heed and do it; for there is no iniquity with Yahweh our God, nor respect of persons,…
  • Job 34:19 (v2) He doesn’t respect the persons of princes, nor respect the rich more than the poor; for they all are the work of his hands.
  • Psalms 62:3 (v2) How long will you assault a man? Would all of you throw him down, like a leaning wall, like a tottering fence?
  • Micah 3:1-3 (v2) I said, “Please listen, you heads of Jacob, and rulers of the house of Israel: Isn’t it for you to know justice? You who hate the good, and…
  • Micah 3:9-12 (v2) Please listen to this, you heads of the house of Jacob, and rulers of the house of Israel, who abhor justice, and pervert all equity. They…
  • Matthew 17:17 (v2) Jesus answered, “Faithless and perverse generation! How long will I be with you? How long will I bear with you? Bring him here to me.”

Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)

Explain this passage (17 sources)

Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.

John Calvin 1540 · Public Domain On vv2–3 2 How long will ye judge unjustly? Many suppose…

2 How long will ye judge unjustly? Many suppose that God is here introduced speaking, and that these are the words which he utters from his throne of judgment. But I would rather consider the prophet himself as the speaker, who, in order to prepare the way for administering a rebuke, had spoken in the manner in which he did in the first verse. Kings may lift up their heads above the clouds, but they, as well as the rest of mankind, are under the government of God; and such being the case, it is in vain for them arrogantly to struggle to obtain exemption from the obligations of reason. Yet this is what they do. Although tyrants are amongst the basest of men, and occupy their exalted station by detestable treason, yet if any servant of God has the fortitude to open his mouth against them, they immediately attempt to shelter themselves by appealing to the sacred name of God, as if great wrong had been done to them. Thus, whilst they persuade themselves that they are privileged with exemption from the law to which the rest of mankind are subject, they endeavor to deprive the common people of divine truth and its ministers. In short, they think that there can be no sovereignty unless where uncontrolled license is enjoyed. But let this principle be once established, “That God rules among them,” and then a way is opened up for the admission of divine truth. Accordingly, the prophet, after having thus laid a foundation for his authority, freely inveighs against princes, and reproves the very gross vice of selling themselves to those who unrighteously oppress the poor, and of being gained by bribes to pervert in their administration every principle of justice. He expressly names the wicked; for good men will never attempt to corrupt judges. Moreover, there is a certain devilish frenzy which infatuates the princes of the world, and leads them voluntarily to pay greater respect to wicked men than to the simple and innocent. Even supposing that the wicked continue inactive, and use no endeavors to obtain for themselves favor either by flattery, fraud, bribery, or other artifices; yet those who bear rule are for the most part inclined of themselves to the bad side. The reason why the prophet upbraids them is, that wicked men find more favor at their hands than the good and conscientious.

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain On vv2, 4 For thieves and murderers find favor in judgment, when…
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On vv2–4 Psa 82:2 How long will ye judge unjustly, and…
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain On vv2–4 The psalmist speaketh to them in God’s name, and…
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain On vv2–4 How long will ye judge unjustly,.... These are the…
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain On v2 How long - The psalmist speaks to them in…
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On vv2–3 Verse 2. Accept the persons of the wicked?] "Lift…
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain On vv2–3 Psa 82:2. How long will ye judge unjustly? —…
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain On vv2–4 How long will ye judge unjustly - literally, Judge…
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain On vv2–4 2. How long will ye judge unjustly—God, who stands…
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On vv2–4 2. accept the persons] Or, as R.V., respect the…
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain On vv2–4 (2) How long?—What a terrible severity in this Divine…
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain On vv2–4 How long will ye judge unjustly? "The cry of…
Charles H. Spurgeon 1885 · Public Domain On vv2–4 Ver. 2. How long will ye judge unjustly and…
The Biblical Illustrator 1887 · Public Domain On vv2–3 How long will ye judge unjustly, and accept the…
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On v3 the poor and fatherless
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On v2 82:2 Since justice marks God’s reign (89:4), he opposes…
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