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Psalm 82-84
Contemporary English Version
Psalm 82-84
Contemporary English Version
(A psalm by Asaph.)
Please Do Something, God!
1 When all the other gods[a]
have come together,
the Lord God judges them
and says:
2 “How long will you
keep judging unfairly
and favoring evil people?
3 Be fair to the poor
and to orphans.
Defend the helpless
and everyone in need.
4 Rescue the weak and homeless
from the powerful hands
of heartless people.
5 “None of you know
or understand a thing.
You live in darkness,
while the foundations
of the earth tremble.[b]
6 (A) “I, the Most High God, say
that all of you are gods[c]
and also my own children.
7 But you will die,
just like everyone else,
including powerful rulers.”
8 Do something, God!
Judge the nations of the earth;
they belong to you.
(A song and a psalm by Asaph.)
God Rules All the Earth
1 Our God, don't just sit there,
silently doing nothing!
2 Your hateful enemies
are turning against you
and rebelling.
3 They are sly, and they plot
against those you treasure.
4 They say, “Let's wipe out
the nation of Israel
and make sure that no one
remembers its name!”
5 All of them fully agree
in their plans against you,
and among them are
6 Edom and the Ishmaelites;
Moab and the Hagrites;
7 Gebal, Ammon, and Amalek;
Philistia and Phoenicia.[d]
8 Even Assyria has joined forces
with Moab and Ammon.[e]
9 (B) Our Lord, punish all of them
as you punished Midian.
Destroy them, as you destroyed
Sisera and Jabin
at Kishon Creek 10 near Endor,
and let their bodies rot.
11 (C) Treat their leaders as you did
Oreb and Zeeb,
Zebah and Zalmunna.
12 All of them said, “We'll take
God's valuable land!”
13 Our God, scatter them around
like dust in a whirlwind.
14 Just as flames destroy forests
on the mountains,
15 pursue and terrify them
with storms of your own.
16 Make them blush with shame,
until they turn and worship
you, our Lord.
17 Let them be forever ashamed
and confused.
Let them die in disgrace.
18 Make them realize that you
are the Lord Most High,
the only ruler of earth!
(For the music leader.[f] A psalm by the clan of Korah.)
The Joy of Worship
1 Lord God All-Powerful,
your temple is so lovely!
2 Deep in my heart I long
for your temple,
and with all that I am
I sing joyful songs to you.
3 Lord God All-Powerful,
my King and my God,
sparrows find a home
near your altars;
swallows build nests there
to raise their young.
4 You bless everyone
who lives in your house,
and they sing your praises.
5 You bless all who depend
on you for their strength
and all who deeply desire
to visit your temple.
6 When they reach Dry Valley,[g]
springs start flowing,
and the autumn rain fills it
with pools of water.[h]
7 Your people grow stronger,
and you, the God of gods,
will be seen in Zion.
8 Lord God All-Powerful,
the God of Jacob,
please answer my prayer!
9 You are the shield
that protects your people,
and I am your chosen one.
Won't you smile on me?
10 One day in your temple
is better than a thousand
anywhere else.
I would rather serve
in your house,
than live in the homes
of the wicked.
11 Our Lord and our God,
you are like the sun
and also like a shield.
You treat us with kindness
and with honor,
never denying any good thing
to those who live right.
12 Lord God All-Powerful,
you bless everyone
who trusts you.
Footnotes
- 82.1 the other gods: This probably refers to the gods of the nations that God defeated, but it could refer to God's servants (angels) in heaven or even to human rulers.
- 82.5 foundations … tremble: In ancient times it was believed that the earth was flat and supported by columns.
- 82.6 all of you are gods: See the note at 82.1.
- 83.7 Phoenicia: The Hebrew text has “Tyre,” the main city in Phoenicia.
- 83.8 Moab and Ammon: The Hebrew text has “the descendants of Lot,” whose older daughter was the mother of the Moabites and whose younger daughter was the mother of the Ammonites (see Genesis 19.30-38).
- Psalm 84 leader: See the note at Psalm 8.
- 84.6 Dry Valley: Or “Balsam Tree Valley.” The exact location is not known.
- 84.6 and … water: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
Psalm 82-84
New International Version
Psalm 82-84
New International Version
Psalm 82
A psalm of Asaph.
2 “How long will you[a] defend the unjust
and show partiality(C) to the wicked?[b](D)
3 Defend the weak and the fatherless;(E)
uphold the cause of the poor(F) 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.(G)
They walk about in darkness;(H)
all the foundations(I) of the earth are shaken.
6 “I said, ‘You are “gods”;(J)
you are all sons of the Most High.’
7 But you will die(K) like mere mortals;
you will fall like every other ruler.”
Psalm 83[c]
A song. A psalm of Asaph.
1 O God, do not remain silent;(O)
do not turn a deaf ear,
do not stand aloof, O God.
2 See how your enemies growl,(P)
how your foes rear their heads.(Q)
3 With cunning they conspire(R) against your people;
they plot against those you cherish.(S)
4 “Come,” they say, “let us destroy(T) them as a nation,(U)
so that Israel’s name is remembered(V) no more.”
5 With one mind they plot together;(W)
they form an alliance against you—
6 the tents of Edom(X) and the Ishmaelites,
of Moab(Y) and the Hagrites,(Z)
7 Byblos,(AA) Ammon(AB) and Amalek,(AC)
Philistia,(AD) with the people of Tyre.(AE)
8 Even Assyria(AF) has joined them
to reinforce Lot’s descendants.[d](AG)
9 Do to them as you did to Midian,(AH)
as you did to Sisera(AI) and Jabin(AJ) at the river Kishon,(AK)
10 who perished at Endor(AL)
and became like dung(AM) on the ground.
11 Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb,(AN)
all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna,(AO)
12 who said, “Let us take possession(AP)
of the pasturelands of God.”
13 Make them like tumbleweed, my God,
like chaff(AQ) before the wind.
14 As fire consumes the forest
or a flame sets the mountains ablaze,(AR)
15 so pursue them with your tempest(AS)
and terrify them with your storm.(AT)
16 Cover their faces with shame,(AU) Lord,
so that they will seek your name.
17 May they ever be ashamed and dismayed;(AV)
may they perish in disgrace.(AW)
18 Let them know that you, whose name is the Lord(AX)—
that you alone are the Most High(AY) over all the earth.(AZ)
Psalm 84[e]
For the director of music. According to gittith.[f] Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.
1 How lovely is your dwelling place,(BA)
Lord Almighty!
2 My soul yearns,(BB) even faints,
for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and my flesh cry out
for the living God.(BC)
3 Even the sparrow has found a home,
and the swallow a nest for herself,
where she may have her young—
a place near your altar,(BD)
Lord Almighty,(BE) my King(BF) and my God.(BG)
4 Blessed are those who dwell in your house;
they are ever praising you.[g]
5 Blessed are those whose strength(BH) is in you,
whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.(BI)
6 As they pass through the Valley of Baka,
they make it a place of springs;(BJ)
the autumn(BK) rains also cover it with pools.[h]
7 They go from strength to strength,(BL)
till each appears(BM) before God in Zion.(BN)
8 Hear my prayer,(BO) Lord God Almighty;
listen to me, God of Jacob.
9 Look on our shield,[i](BP) O God;
look with favor on your anointed one.(BQ)
10 Better is one day in your courts
than a thousand elsewhere;
I would rather be a doorkeeper(BR) in the house of my God
than dwell in the tents of the wicked.
11 For the Lord God is a sun(BS) and shield;(BT)
the Lord bestows favor and honor;
no good thing does he withhold(BU)
from those whose walk is blameless.
12 Lord Almighty,
blessed(BV) is the one who trusts in you.
Footnotes
- Psalm 82:2 The Hebrew is plural.
- Psalm 82:2 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.
- Psalm 83:1 In Hebrew texts 83:1-18 is numbered 83:2-19.
- Psalm 83:8 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.
- Psalm 84:1 In Hebrew texts 84:1-12 is numbered 84:2-13.
- Psalm 84:1 Title: Probably a musical term
- Psalm 84:4 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 8.
- Psalm 84:6 Or blessings
- Psalm 84:9 Or sovereign
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