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Identifying the Gods in Psalm 82 as El and Elohim

Psalm 82 opens with a powerful image of divine judgment: "God presides in the great assembly. He judges among the gods" (Psalm 82:1). This verse immediately introduces a complex theological question regarding the identity of these "gods" over whom God presides and judges. The Hebrew text uses the terms El and Elohim, which are central to understanding this passage [1].

The literary context of Psalm 82 places it within the Asaphic psalms, a collection often characterized by themes of divine kingship, judgment, and Israel's relationship with God [12]. This particular psalm functions as a divine rebuke to those in positions of authority who have failed to administer justice properly. The psalm continues by condemning these "gods" for their unjust judgments, their partiality to the wicked, and their failure to defend the poor and needy (Psalm 82:2-4). It then laments their ignorance and lack of understanding, which causes the foundations of the earth to totter (Psalm 82:5). Finally, God declares, "I said, 'You are gods, all of you are sons of the Most High. But you will die like mere mortals; you will fall like every other ruler'" (Psalm 82:6-7). The psalm concludes with a plea for God to rise up and judge the earth, for all the nations belong to Him (Psalm 82:8).

Historically, the psalm is attributed to Asaph [12]. While some, like Kimchi, suggest it relates to the time of Jehoshaphat and his judicial reforms (2 Chronicles 19:5), others, such as John Gill, propose it was written by Asaph during David's time, with a prophetic outlook towards the era of Christ [12]. The psalm addresses issues of governance and justice within Israel, reflecting concerns about the integrity of those in power.

The key terms in Psalm 82:1 are El and Elohim. El is a singular Hebrew word for God, signifying strength [2, 5]. It appears in compound names like El-Shaddai, meaning God Almighty [2]. Elohim is the plural form of Eloah and is commonly translated as "God" in English versions of the Bible [2, 5]. While plural in form, Elohim often refers to the one true God, as seen in its use with singular verbs and adjectives [9]. For instance, Abraham Ibn Ezra notes that Elohim can refer to God as the speaker in Exodus 20:1 and 19:19, despite its plural morphology [9]. The use of Elohim to refer to the singular God is a significant linguistic feature of the Hebrew Bible [10]. However, Elohim can also refer to other entities, such as angels or human judges [7, 11].

The central exegetical decision in Psalm 82 revolves around the identity of the "gods" (elohim) in verse 1 and verse 6. There are several interpretations:

One prominent interpretation, particularly favored by some Reformed and Lutheran scholars, understands these "gods" to be human rulers, judges, or magistrates [6, 7]. John Gill, for example, interprets "El, Elohim" in Psalm 50:1 as referring to the "God of gods," meaning angels or kings, princes, and civil magistrates, whom he calls "gods" in Psalm 82:1 [7]. Keil & Delitzsch, in their commentary on Psalms, suggest that the "congregation of God" in Psalm 82:1 refers to the congregation of Israel, and the Elohim standing within it are the human judges and rulers who are meant to embody divine justice [6]. They argue that God is censuring and admonishing these human authorities for their failure to uphold justice [6]. This view aligns with the subsequent verses that condemn their unjust practices (Psalm 82:2-4) and their eventual mortality (Psalm 82:7). The cross-references provided in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge for Psalm 82:2, which include passages like Exodus 23:6 ("You shall not pervert the justice due to the poor in his lawsuit") and Deuteronomy 1:17 ("You shall not show partiality in judgment"), further support the idea that the psalm is addressing human judges [4].

Another interpretation, found in some Jewish traditions, suggests that Elohim can refer to angels [11]. Abraham Ibn Ezra, for instance, interprets Elohim in Genesis 35:7 as referring to angels, noting that the verb "revealed" (niglu) is plural, which would not be the case if it referred to the singular God [11]. While this interpretation is applied to other passages, its direct application to Psalm 82:1 is less common among those who see the psalm as a critique of human injustice. However, the broader understanding that Elohim can have a wider semantic range than just the singular God is important for understanding the flexibility of the term.

A third view, sometimes associated with ancient Near Eastern studies, suggests that the "gods" could refer to lesser divine beings or a divine council, a concept found in other ancient mythologies. However, within a monotheistic framework, this is often reinterpreted. If these are divine beings, they are still subordinate to the one true God, who judges them. The declaration in Psalm 82:6, "You are gods, all of you are sons of the Most High," could be seen as God granting a certain status or authority, even to divine beings, but then revoking it due to their failure [3]. However, the subsequent statement that they "will die like mere mortals" (Psalm 82:7) strongly points back to human rulers, as divine beings are typically not depicted as dying.

Keil & Delitzsch emphasize that the "gods" in Psalm 82:5 are the judges whom God is addressing, and He is confident in the futility of trying to make them better, thus pronouncing their sentence in verse 6 [8]. This reinforces the idea that the psalm is directed at those who hold power and are accountable to God for their actions.

The passage has functioned significantly in theological tradition, particularly in discussions about the nature of authority and justice. It underscores the idea that all authority, whether human or otherwise, is ultimately derived from and accountable to God. The psalm serves as a powerful reminder to those in leadership positions that they are not above divine judgment and that their primary duty is to uphold justice, especially for the vulnerable. The concept of "gods" being judged by the supreme God highlights the absolute sovereignty of the Lord over all creation and all forms of power. The psalm's message resonates with the prophetic tradition, which frequently called out rulers and nations for their moral failings and injustice.

Sources

  1. Psalms “God presides in the great assembly. He judges among the gods. -- Psalms 82:1”
  2. Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: God — (good). Throughout the Hebrew Scriptures two chief names are used for the one true divine Being--ELOHIM, commonly translated God in our version, and [566]Jehovah, translated Lord . Elohim is the plural of Eloah (in Arabic Allah); it is often used in the short form EL (a word signifying strength, as in EL-SHADDAI, God Almighty, the name by which God was specially known to the patriarchs. (Genesis 17:1; 28:3; Exodus 6:3) The etymology is uncertain, but it is generally agreed that the primary idea is that of strength, power of effect, and that it properly describes”
  3. Psalms “I said, “You are gods, all of you are sons of the Most High. -- Psalms 82:6”
  4. Treasury of Scripture Knowledge “Psalms 82:2 cross-references: Exodus 10:3, Exodus 23:6, Leviticus 19:15, Deuteronomy 1:17, 1 Kings 18:21, 2 Chronicles 19:7, Job 32:21, Job 34:19, Psalms 58:1, Psalms 62:3, Proverbs 18:5, Ezekiel 45:9, Micah 3:1, Micah 3:9, Matthew 17:17, Galatians 2:6”
  5. Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: God — (A.S. and Dutch God; Dan. Gud; Ger. Gott), the name of the Divine Being. It is the rendering (1) of the Hebrew 'El, from a word meaning to be strong; (2) of 'Eloah_, plural _'Elohim. The singular form, Eloah, is used only in poetry. The plural form is more commonly used in all parts of the Bible, The Hebrew word Jehovah (q.v.), the only other word generally employed to denote the Supreme Being, is uniformly rendered in the Authorized Version by "LORD," printed in small capitals. The existence of God is taken for granted in the Bible. There is nowhere any argume”
  6. Psalms (Lutheran) “Keil & Delitzsch on Psalms 82:1: God comes forward and makes Himself heard first of all as censuring and admonishing. The "congregation of God" is, as in Num 27:17; Num 31:16; Jos 22:16., "the congregation of (the sons of) Israel," which God has purchased from among the nations (Psa 74:2), and upon which as its Lawgiver He has set His divine impress. The psalmist and seer sees Elohim standing in this congregation of God. The part. Niph. (as in Isa 3:13) denotes not so much the suddenness and unpreparedness, as, rather, the statue-like immobility and terrifying designfulness of His appearance. ”
  7. Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 50:1: The mighty God,.... In the Hebrew text it is "El", "Elohim", which Jarchi renders the "God of gods"; that is, of angels, who are so called, Psa 8:5; so Christ, who is God over all, is over them; he is their Creator, and the object of their worship, Heb 1:6; or of kings, princes, judges, and all civil magistrates, called gods, Psa 82:1; and so Kimchi interprets the phrase here "Judge of judges". Christ is King of kings, and Lord of lords, by whom they reign and judge, and to whom they are accountable. The Targum renders it "the mighty God"; as we do; which is the title”
  8. Psalms (Lutheran) “Keil & Delitzsch on Psalms 82:5: What now follows in Psa 82:5 is not a parenthetical assertion of the inefficiency with which the divine correction rebounds from the judges and rulers. In connection with this way of taking Psa 82:5, the manner in which the divine language is continued in Psa 82:6 is harsh and unadjusted. God Himself speaks in Psa 82:5 of the judges, but reluctantly alienated from them; and confident of the futility of all attempts to make them better, He tells them their sentence in Psa 82:6. The verbs in Psa 82:5 are designedly without any object: complaint of the widest comp”
  9. Sefaria (Jewish (Rationalist)) “Abraham Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 4:35: [GOD.] I have explained the meaning of Elohim (God) in the Torah portion And Jethro Heard . 78 See I.E. on Ex. 18:19 (Vol. 2, p. 361). Scripture states, And God (Elohim) spoke (Ex. 20:1); and God (Elohim) answered him by a voice (Ex. 19:19); God (Elohim) is come (Ex. 20:17); where God (Elohim) was (Ex. 20:18); for Elohim (God) was the speaker. 79 Hence Scripture describes God as speaking. [I quoted these verses] because there are some who do not understand when one is being brief. 80 Hence one quote would be insufficient. It is a deep secret. 81 Why Script”
  10. Psalms (Lutheran) “Keil & Delitzsch on Psalms 53:2: In both recensions of the Psalm the name of God occurs seven times. In Psa 14:1-7 it reads three times Elohim and four times Jahve; in the Psalm before us it is all seven times Elohim, which in this instance is a proper name of equal dignity with the name Jahve. Since the mingling of the two names in Psa 14:1-7 is perfectly intentional, inasmuch as Elohim in Psa 53:1, Psa 53:2 describes God as a Being most highly exalted and to be reverentially acknowledged, and in Psa 52:5 as the Being who is present among men in the righteous generation and who is mighty in t”
  11. Sefaria (Jewish (Rationalist)) “Abraham Ibn Ezra on Genesis 35:7: [BECAUSE THERE GOD WAS REVEALED TO HIM.] Elohim (God) refers to angels. 4 Revealed ( niglu ) is in the plural. If elohim meant God then revealed would be in the singular (Cherez). Compare, And behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it (Gen. 28:12). 5 Elohim in our verse refers to the same angels whom Jacob saw in Beth-el (Gen. 28:12).”
  12. Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 82 (introduction): INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 82 A Psalm of Asaph. This psalm was written for the use of persons in power, for the instruction of kings and princes, judges and civil magistrates; according to Kimchi, it was written about the times of Jehoshaphat, who appointed new judges throughout the land; those that were before having been very corrupt, to whom he gave a charge agreeably to the purport of this psalm, Ch2 19:5, but it seems rather to be written by Asaph, in the times of David, under a spirit of prophecy, and has respect to the times of Christ, when there was ”
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