Psalms 82:3

3 Deem ye to the needy man, and to the motherless child; justify ye the meek man and poor. (Judge ye for the needy, and for the motherless; give ye justice to the weak, and to the poor.)

Psalms 82:3 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 82:3

Defend the poor and fatherless
Or, judge ^F4 them; such as have no money to enter and carry on a suit, and have no friends to assist and advise them, and abide by them; these should be taken under the care and wing of judges; their cause should be attended to, and justice done them; their persons should be protected, and their property defended and secured for, since they are called gods, they ought to imitate him whose name they bear, who is the Father of the fatherless, the Judge of the widows, and the helper of the poor that commit themselves to him, ( Psalms 10:14 ) ( 68:5 ) , such a righteous judge and good magistrate was Job; see ( Job 29:12 ) ,

do justice to the afflicted and needy;
or "justify" ^F5 them, pronounce them righteous, give the cause for them, not right or wrong, nor because they are poor and needy, but because they are in the right; for, if wicked, they are not to be justified, this is an abomination to the Lord; see ( Leviticus 19:15 ) ( Deuteronomy 25:1 ) ( Proverbs 17:15 ) .

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FOOTNOTES:

F4 (wjpv) "judicate", V. L. Pagninus, Montanus, Musculus, Junius & Tremellius, Gejerus, Michaelis.
F5 (wqyduh) "justificate", V. L. Pagninus, Montanus, Vatablus, Musculus, Cocceius

Psalms 82:3 In-Context

1 The psalm of Asaph. God stood in the synagogue of gods; forsooth he deemeth gods in the middle. (The song of Asaph. God standeth in the council of heaven; and he judgeth among the gods.)

2 How long deem ye (with) wickedness; and take the faces of sinners? (And he saith, How long shall ye judge wickedly; and make exceptions for sinners?)

3 Deem ye to the needy man, and to the motherless child; justify ye the meek man and poor. (Judge ye for the needy, and for the motherless; give ye justice to the weak, and to the poor.)

4 Ravish ye out a poor man; and deliver ye a needy man from the hand of the sinner. (Rescue ye the poor and the needy; save ye them from the power of sinners.)

5 They know not, neither understand, they go in darknesses; all the foundaments of earth shall be moved. (But ye know not, nor do ye understand, that ye go in darkness; and that all the foundations of the earth have been shaken.)