With the general content of the psalm, there are no obstacles in it to consider it written in the time of David by his contemporary and singer Asaph. The psalm condemns the injustice of judges. At the beginning of the reign of David, facts of the latter kind could not be rare, since the era of the reign of Saul, especially in his last years, when the king himself in his relations with David grossly violated the elementary requirements of justice, could only corrupt the judges, giving freedom to manifest their arbitrariness, why their decisions could not stand at the proper height and impartiality required by law.

Similar phenomena could occur in the subsequent years of the reign of David, as evidenced by the fact that Absalom spread among the people a complaint about the injustice of judges. Obviously, Absalom had several similar facts at hand, which he used immoderately, generalizing random phenomena to the size of the direction of judicial activity that was dominant and sanctioned by the king, that is, he created slander. By what time - whether the beginning of the reign of David or the time of the uprising of Absalom, the writing of the psalm should be attributed, cannot be precisely established.

God stood among the gods and menacingly denounced the latter in their partiality to judgment, since this shakes the foundations of the inner life of the people. For this, the judges, regardless of the height of their ministry, will perish, like any ordinary person (1-7). The writer prays the Lord to rise for this judgment not only over the Jews, but also over the whole earth (8).

Ps. 81:1. God became in the assembly of the gods; Judgment has been pronounced among the gods:

"God has become in the assembly of the gods." By the gods, as can be seen from the context, we mean people involved in legal cases, that is, judges: they allow partiality, like ordinary people (2-4); do not understand and do not know the responsibility assigned to them; are also subject to death, like every person (5-7). If they are called gods, then according to the appointment that the Lord has given them (6). The name of the gods is attached to the judges, as can be seen from (Ex. 21:6), because in their decisions the will of God must be heard, their sentences must be distinguished by impartiality, consistency with the Law of God, so that they are, as it were, the vicars of God on earth and God Himself speaks through them (Deut. 1:17). According to the psalm, God appears to have spoken among earthly judges to evaluate their activities and found that the latter is subject to condemnation (“he pronounced judgment”).

Ps. 81:3. Give judgment to the poor and the orphan; do justice to the oppressed and the poor;

Ps. 81:4. deliver the poor and needy; expel his from the hand of the wicked.

When appointing a decision, it should be guided not by the property or social status of a person, but by the essence of the case under investigation, therefore, before the judges they should be the same - the rich and the poor, the noble and the ignoble.

Ps. 81:5. They do not know, they do not understand, they walk in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are shaken.

“They don’t know, they don’t understand, they walk in darkness” – not in the sense of a misunderstanding of the law or the difficulty of the case being investigated, but in the sense of deliberate evasion of the law, conscious partiality, which leads to earth tremors, to a shock to the foundations of inner life, to the destruction of legality, and through that - to arbitrariness and violence in the relations of people among themselves. If such misdeeds of the judges were unconscious and accidental, then the Lord would not condemn them.

Ps.81:6. I said: you are gods, and the sons of the Most High are all of you;

“You are gods, and sons of the Most High” in the sense - representatives and closest executors on earth of the will of God in judicial decisions.

Ps. 81:7. but you will die like men and fall like any of the princes.

The height of the position of a judge among the people and the sacred importance of his ministry cannot prevent the heavy responsibility for the ill conduct of a case: an unjust judge will die and fall (be deposed) like a simple prince or a simple person.

Ps. 81:8. Arise, O God, judge the earth, for You will inherit all nations.

The writer prays to God for the restoration of justice not only for the land of Judea, but throughout the world, since “all peoples” are the heritage of God, in His power.

Psalm, Psalm 81 Psalm of Asaph.

God became in the assembly of the gods; Judgment has been pronounced among the gods: How long will you judge unrighteously and show favoritism to the ungodly? Give judgment to the poor and the orphan; do justice to the oppressed and the poor; deliver the poor and needy; pluck it out of the hand of the wicked. They do not know, they do not understand, they walk in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are shaken. I said: you are gods, and the sons of the Most High are all of you; but you will die like men and fall like any of the princes. Arise, O God, judge the earth, for You will inherit all nations.

PSALM, Psalm 81.

God is a hundred in the host of gods, in the midst the gods will judge. How long will you judge iniquity, and accept the faces of sinners? Judge the orphan and the wretched, humble and justify the poor; take away the poor and the needy, deliver him from the hand of sinners. Not knowing, below the understanding, they walk in darkness; let all the foundations of the earth be moved. Az reh; Bozi are you, and sons of the Most High; but you, like men, die, and like one you fall from princes. Resurrect, O God, judge the earth; as you inherit in all the tongues.

. God became in the assembly of the gods; Judgment has been pronounced among the gods:

"God has become in the assembly of the gods". By the gods, as can be seen from the context, we mean people involved in legal cases, that is, judges: they allow partiality, like ordinary people (2-4); do not understand and do not know the responsibility assigned to them; are also subject to death, like every person (5-7). If they are called gods, then according to the appointment that the Lord has given them (6). The name of the gods is attached to the judges, as can be seen from (), because in their decisions the will of God should be heard, their sentences should be distinguished by impartiality, consistency with the Law of God, so that they are, as it were, the vicegerents of God on earth and God Himself speaks through them (). According to the psalm, God appears to have spoken among earthly judges to evaluate their activities and found that the latter is subject to condemnation (“pronounced judgment”).

. Give judgment to the poor and the orphan; do justice to the oppressed and the poor;

. deliver the poor and needy; expel his from the hand of the wicked.

. They do not know, they do not understand, they walk in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are shaken.

“They don’t know, they don’t understand, they walk in darkness”- not in the sense of a misunderstanding of the law or the difficulty of the case being investigated, but in the sense of deliberate evasion of the law, conscious partiality, which leads to earth tremors, to shaking the foundations of inner life, to the destruction of legality, and through that - to arbitrariness and violence in relations between people between yourself. If such misdeeds of the judges were unconscious and accidental, then the Lord would not condemn them.

. I said: you are gods, and the sons of the Most High are all of you;

"You are gods and sons of the Most High" in the sense - representatives and closest executors on earth of the will of God in judicial decisions.

. but you will die like men and fall like any of the princes.

. Arise, O God, judge the earth, for You will inherit all nations.

The writer prays to God for the restoration of justice not only for the land of Judea, but throughout the world, since “all peoples” are the heritage of God, in His power.

In the Slavic, Greek and Latin Bibles, the text of Psalm 81 is attributed to the authorship of Asaph, a contemporary of the prophet David. It is written very compactly, and the reason for its writing is clearly the actions of unrighteous judges.

According to various interpretations of Psalm 81, judicial lawlessness during the reign of Saul, David's predecessor, became the cause of popular indignation, and during the reign of King David himself changed. With the bold text of Psalm 81, Asaph denounces unrighteous judges who oppress the poor and justify noble people.

Help from reading Orthodox Psalm 81

Reading and listening to Psalm 81 online will certainly be useful for our contemporaries who have suffered from an unfair trial. In the psalm, the author reminds the judges that, no matter how high their position during life, at the end of it they will become the same decrepit and sick old people as mere mortals, because everyone is equal before God and in the face of death. In the last verse of the Christian psalm 81, Asaph calls on the Lord to judge the earth, since He is the most just judge. According to an ancient tradition, it is customary for peasants and farmers to read Psalm 81 so that the fruits of their labors are sold.

Listen on video Orthodox prayer Psalm 81 in Russian

Read the Orthodox text of the prayer Psalm 81 in Russian

Psalm of Asaph.

God became in the assembly of the gods; Judgment has been pronounced among the gods: How long will you judge unrighteously and show favoritism to the ungodly? Give judgment to the poor and the orphan; do justice to the oppressed and the poor; deliver the poor and needy; pluck it out of the hand of the wicked. They do not know, they do not understand, they walk in darkness; everyone hesitates. I said: you are gods, and the sons of the Most High are all of you; but you will die like men and fall like any of the princes. Arise, O God, judge the earth, for You will inherit all nations.

Orthodox Psalter, text of Psalm 81 in Church Slavonic

PSALM 81

This psalm was composed for the climax of the state courts and courts of justice, not only in Israel, but also among other nations. Although it may have been written primarily for the use of the civil authorities of Israel - the great Sanhedrim and other elders who were appointed by David's order and held authority. This psalm is meant to make kings wise and "teach the judges of the earth" (as in Ps. 2 and 9), to tell them of their duty (as in 2 Sam. 23:3) and to expose their faults (as in Ps. .57:2). This psalm says

(I) the dignity of civil authorities and their dependence on God (v. 1).

(II) On the duty of the civil authorities (art. 3,4).

(III) About the moral decline of the authorities and the evil they cause (v. 2, 5).

IV. Their fate (v. 6, 7).

(V) Of the desire and prayer of all godly people that the Kingdom of God be more and more established (v. 8). Although those in power may take this psalm to heart in a special way, at the same time each of us can sing it with understanding, giving glory to God as the one who controls civil justice, cares about protecting offended innocence and is ready to punish the most powerful it is injustice if we console ourselves with faith in his present reign and hopes for his future judgment.

Psalm of Asaph.

Verses 1-5

I. The supreme control and authority of God, which operates in all approved councils and courts, in the existence of which both rulers and subordinates must believe (v. 1): powerful, in coetu fortis - at a meeting of princes, supreme judges; He also judges among the gods - the lowest in rank of judges. Both the legislative and the executive powers of statesmen are under His eye and directed by His hand. note

(1) the power which judges have, and the honors accorded to them; they are judges. They have power for the public good (great power has been entrusted to them), and they must have wisdom and courage. In the Hebrew dialect they are called gods; for minor rulers, the same word is used as for the Supreme ruler of the world. They are elohim. Angels are also called, since they have strength and power, and it is pleasing to God to use their ministry to control this lower world. And the judges, by their secondary powers, are likewise ministers of His providence in general, for the maintenance of order and peace in human societies, and especially for the maintenance of justice and goodness, which is manifested in the punishment of the evildoers and the protection of the pious. Good judges, corresponding to the tasks of state authorities, are like God. Some of His honor rests with them: they are His vicars and a great blessing to any nation. In the mouth of the king is an inspired word (Prov. 16:10). But at the same time, like a roaring lion and a hungry bear, so is an ungodly ruler over a poor people (Prov. 28:15).

(2) This refers to the regular structure and composition of government, that is, a mixed monarchy like ours: one supreme ruler in power, his council, privy councilor, parliament, and judges, who are called gods.

(3) The undeniable omnipotence of God is preserved over all assemblies of those in authority. God became... among the gods pronounced judgment. They have received their authority from Him and must give an account to Him. They are kings. He is present at all their discussions and checks everything they say and do. What is said and done wrong will again be on the agenda, and they will have to answer for their unjust rule. God holds their hearts and tongues in His hand and directs them wherever He will (Prov. 21:1), therefore He has a negative voice in all their decisions, and His counsels will stand, whatever men's hearts plan. He uses them as He pleases, and forces them to serve His own purposes and purposes, though their hearts faintly know it (Is. 10:7). Let the judges think about this and be filled with reverence. God is present with them in judgment (2 Chr. 19:6; Deut. 1:17). Let their subordinates think about this and be comforted, for good rulers and judges who judge rightly are under divine guidance, while bad and vile ones are under divine restriction.

II. A call to all judges to do good with their power, as they will be responsible for its use before the One who handed it over to them (v. 3, 4).

1. They should protect those who are defenseless against evil, and patronize those who need advice and help: “Give judgment to the poor who does not have money to win friends or pay for advice, and to the orphan who, due to his youth, cannot help himself, having lost those who could guide him from his youth. City authorities should be fathers of their country in general, but especially to orphans. And since they are called gods, they must be followers of God, who is the Father of orphans. Such was Job (Job 29:12).

2. They must do a fair trial impartially: the oppressed and the poor, who is often treated unfairly, because he is weak and helpless, to be treated with justice, because he is in danger of losing everything, if ex officio judges do not officially intervene and help him . If the poor man has acted honestly, then his poverty should not serve as a prejudice, no matter how rich and powerful those who sue him may be.

3. They are to save those already in the hands of the oppressors, and deliver them (v. 4): "... pluck him out of the hand of the wicked." Protect them from their adversary (Luke 18:3). These are clients from whom nothing can be obtained, and for whose service the judges will receive no benefit, but it is about them that judges and city officials should worry, take their comfort into account and defend their interests.

III. An accusation brought against ungodly judges who neglect their duty and abuse their power, forgetting that God stands among them (v. 2, 5). Note:

(1.) What sin they are accused of. They judge unrighteously, contrary to the principles of justice and the dictates of conscience, speaking out against those on whose side the truth is, out of malice or ill will, and standing up for those who act wickedly, out of favor or personal feelings. To act unrighteously is bad, but to judge unrighteously is much worse, since in this case evil is done under the guise of justice. From such manifestations of injustice there is little protection for the offended, and through them encouragement is given to the wicked. This was the greatest evil that Solomon saw under the sun when he surveyed the place of judgment, and there was iniquity (Eccl. 3:16; Isa. 5:7). Not only did they side with the rich because of their wealth (although that was bad enough), they favored the wicked on the grounds that they were wicked. They not only encouraged their wickedness, but loved them even more for it and shared their interests. Woe to you, earth, if your judges are such!

(2.) What was the cause of this sin. They were told clearly enough that it was their duty and duty to protect and deliver the poor; many times they were told about this responsibility, but they continued to judge unfairly - they do not know, they do not understand. They do not try to learn about their duties and make no effort to do so; they have no desire to do right, they act according to their interests, and not according to reason or justice. A secret gift blinds their eyes. They don't know because they don't understand. There is no person more blind than the one who cannot see. They have bewildered their conscience and walk in darkness, neither knowing nor caring about what they are doing or where they are going. Those who walk in darkness draw near to eternal darkness.

(3.) What were the consequences of this sin: "... all the foundations of the earth are shaken." When justice is distorted, what good can come of it? The earth and all who live on it shake, as the psalmist says in a similar case (Ps. 75:4). The mistakes of state officials are a civil disaster.

Verses 6-8

In these verses we are presented:

I. Earthly gods, humiliated and defeated (v. 6, 7). All acknowledge the dignity of their office (v. 6): "I said, ye are gods." They were honored with the name and rights of the gods. God Himself called them such when He spoke the law against treacherous words (Ex. 22:28): “Do not slander the judges (gods, English translation KJV) ...” And if they are called such from the foundation of honors, then who can doubt this ? But what should a person be like to be so famous? He calls them gods, because the word of God came to them, as our Savior explains (John 10:35). They had a commission from God, they were His messengers and appointed by Him to be the shields of the earth, the guardians of the civil peace and the avengers who pour out wrath on those who disturb it (Rom. 13:4). In this sense, they are all sons of the Most High. Some of them God has invested with His honors and taken over the government of this world by His providence, as David made his sons chief rulers. “Since I said: you are gods, then you carried this honor further than it was intended, and presented yourself as the sons of the Most High,” as the king of Babylon (Is.14:14): “I will be like the Most High” and the ruler of Tyre ( Ezek.28:2): "You put your mind on a par with the mind of God." It is difficult, having received such honors from the hand of God, when the sons of men give all kinds of glory, not to become proud, not to boast of their position and not to exalt themselves. But then comes the damning judgment: "But you will die like men." These words can be taken

(1.) Or as a punishment of bad judges who judged unjustly, with the result that all the foundations of the earth shake. God will repay them for their deeds and cut them off in the midst of prosperity and splendor. They will die like the other wicked and fall like any of the heathen princes. Belonging to the people of Israel will not save anyone, as well as the position of a judge. They will either die as sinning angels or as one of the giants of the old world. Compare this with the great oppression that Eli-ui observed in his time (Job. 34:26): "He strikes them as lawless people before the eyes of others." Let those who abuse their power know that God will take both her life and theirs, for if they act proudly, He will show Himself above them. Or

(2) as a period of glory for all judges in this world. Let them not swell with honors and neglect their work, but think about their mortality in order to mortify their pride and induce themselves to duty. “You are called gods, but you have no right to immortality. You will die like men, like ordinary people, and fall like any of the princes.” Please note: although for us kings and princes, all earthly judges are gods, but for God they are people, and they will die like people, and their honor will lie in the dust. Mors sceptra ligonibus aequant - death mixes sceptres and shovels.

II. The God of heaven is highly exalted (v. 8). The psalmist sees no point in reasoning with these proud oppressors. They turned a deaf ear to everything that He said, and walked in darkness, and therefore he looks to God, calling on Him and imploring to receive His great power: "Arise, God, judge the earth"; and then he prays that the Lord will do it, and believes that it will be so: "You shall inherit all the nations." It concerns

(1) the kingdoms of providence. God rules the world; He raises up and brings down whom He pleases; He inherits all peoples and sovereignly rules over them, disposes of them, as a man his inheritance. We must believe and console ourselves with the fact that the earth is not given into the hands of wicked rulers, as it seems to us (Job. 9:24). God has kept the power to himself and reigns over them. Therefore, we can pray with faith: “Rise up, O God, judge the earth, rise up against those who have judged unjustly, and set over your people a shepherd after your own heart.” We have a righteous God, to whom we can turn with a request for help, who can be trusted and effective help can be expected from Him by all offended by unjust judges.

(2) Kingdoms of the Messiah. This is a prayer that it will come soon and Christ will come, who will judge the earth, so that the promise will be fulfilled and God will give Him the nations as an inheritance. You, Christ, will inherit all nations and will reign over them (Ps. 2:8; 21:29). May the second coming of Christ establish order. There are two scriptures that we can use to comfort ourselves and each other regarding the mismanagement of power among the people: the first is “…alleluia! for the Lord God Almighty reigned” (Rev. 19:6); and the second - "...hey, I'm coming soon!" (Rev. 22:20).