Psalter. Interpretation of the books of the Old Testament

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Interpretation of Psalm 81

Ps. 81:1. Beginning this psalm, Asaph represents God, the Judge of heaven, passing judgment on the judges of the earth. It is they, the people in authority in Israel, who are understood by the “congregation of gods” in verse 1 (Ex. 21:6). It has been suggested that the word "gods" in this psalm referred to angels (and this is reflected in the Syriac translation of the Bible), and that the whole scene described here takes place in the heavenly Court. However, from the subsequent text of the psalm it is clear that it refers to judges as representatives of God on earth, appointed by Him to manage earthly affairs.

Ps. 81:2-5. In verse 2, the psalmist warns them in the name of God, rebuking them in partial and unrighteous judgment. Meanwhile, they are called “gods” because in their decisions they must proceed from the will of God and rely on the law given by God. If they did this, they would judge on the merits of the case, fairly, not only the rich and noble, but also the “poor” and “orphans” who have no intercessors (verse 3), they would “pluck” them from the hands of dishonest and cruel people (the wicked).

In verse 5, we are not talking about the fact that the “judges” do not know the law and do not understand the legal practice of their time, but that they do not want to “know and understand” them, and deliberately walk... in moral and spiritual darkness, which is why all the foundations of the earth are shaking, that is, the foundations of the civil life of society are shaking, in which arbitrariness and violence take over (compare Ps. 10:3).

Ps. 81:6-8. God warns unrighteous judges that, despite their high position (they are called “sons of the Most High” here, as appointed to carry out His will on earth), they, having neglected the responsibility entrusted to them, will perish like ordinary people and “fall” (will deposed), like any of the rulers who did not live up to their appointment.

Jesus Christ, being accused of blasphemy by His enemies, turns to verse 6 of this psalm (John 10:34-36). Since the “judges” were, in a certain sense, “sons of God,” He said, then how much more does He, Whom “the Father sanctified and sent into the world,” by no means blaspheme by calling Himself the Son of God.

In verse 8, Asaph prays to the Lord to “judge the land,” that is, to restore righteous judgment to all its inhabitants (not just the Israelites), for all nations are His inheritance.

Given the general content of the psalm, there is no obstacle to considering it to have been written during the time of David by his contemporary and singer Asaph. The psalm condemns the injustice of judges. At the beginning of David’s reign, facts of the latter kind could not have been rare, since the era of Saul’s reign, 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 their arbitrariness, why their decisions could not stand at the level and impartiality required by law.

Similar phenomena could have occurred in the subsequent years of David’s reign, as indicated by the fact that Absalom spread among the people a complaint about the injustice of the judges. Obviously, Absalom had several similar facts at hand, which he used immoderately, generalizing random phenomena to the extent of the dominant and sanctioned by the king direction of judicial activity, i.e., created slander. It is impossible to determine exactly what time, whether the beginning of the reign of David or the time of Absalom’s uprising, should be attributed to the writing of the psalm.

God stood among the gods and menacingly denounced the latter for showing partiality to judgment, since this causes the foundations of the inner life of the people to shake. For this, the judges, despite the height of their service, will die, like any ordinary person (1-7). The writer prays to the Lord to arise for this judgment not only over the Jews, but over the whole earth (8).

Ps.81:1. God became in the host of gods; among the gods pronounced judgment:

“God became in the company of gods.” By gods, as can be seen from the context, we mean people involved in judicial matters, 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 purpose given to them by the Lord (6). The name of gods is attached to judges, as can be seen from (Ex. 21:6), because the will of God must be heard in their decisions, their sentences must be distinguished by impartiality, consistency with the Law of God, so that they are, as it were, God’s representatives on earth and God Himself speaks through them (Deut. 1:17). According to the psalm, God is represented as speaking among earthly judges to evaluate their activities and finding that the latter is subject to condemnation (“he pronounced judgment”).

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

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

When assigning a decision, one 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 the rich and the poor, the noble and the ignorant, must be the same.

Ps.81:5. They don’t know, they don’t understand, they walk in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are shaking.

“They don’t know, they don’t understand, they walk in darkness” - not in the sense of a lack of understanding of the law or the difficulty of the case under investigation, but in the sense of deliberate evasion of the law, conscious partiality, which leads to shaking of the earth, to shaking the foundations of inner life, to the destruction of the rule of law, and through this - to arbitrariness and violence in relations between people. If such misdeeds of the judges were unconscious and accidental, then the Lord would not have condemned them.

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

“You are gods and sons of the Most High” in the sense of being 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 prince.

The height of the position of the judge among the people and the sacred importance of his service cannot prevent heavy responsibility for the bad conduct of the case: the unjust judge will die and fall (deposed) like a simple prince or a common man.

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 whole world, since “all nations” are God’s heritage and are in His power.

PSALM 81

This psalm was composed for the climax of public 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 order of David and held authority. This psalm is intended to make kings wise and to “teach the judges of the earth” (as in Ps. 2 and 9), to tell them of their duty (as in 2 Kings 23:3) and to expose their errors (as in Ps. .57:2). This psalm says

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

(II.) Of the duty of the civil authorities (v. 3, 4).

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

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

(V.) The desire and prayer of all godly men that the kingdom of God might be more and more established (v. 8). While those in authority may take this psalm to heart in a special way, at the same time each of us can chant it with understanding, giving glory to God as the one who controls the civil process, protects the injured innocence, and is willing to punish the most powerful. injustice if we console ourselves with faith in His present government and hopes of His future judgment.

Psalm of Asaph.

Verses 1-5

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

(1) the power exercised by judges and the honors bestowed upon them; they are judges. They have power for the public good (they are entrusted with great power) and they must have wisdom and courage. In the Hebrew dialect they are called gods; for the minor rulers the same word is used as for the Supreme Ruler of the world. They are elohim. Angels are also called because they have strength and power and God wants to use their service to control this lower world. And judges, by their secondary powers, are likewise the servants of His providence in general, for the maintenance of order and peace in human societies, especially for the maintenance of justice and goodness, manifested in the punishment of evildoers and the protection of the pious. Good judges, consistent with the tasks of government authorities, are like God. Some part of His honors is assigned to them: they are His vicegerents and a great blessing to any people. In the mouth of a king is the word of inspiration (Prov. 16:10). But at the same time, like a roaring lion and a hungry bear, so is a wicked ruler over a poor people (Prov. 28:15).

(2) Here is meant the proper structure and composition of government, that is, a mixed monarchy like ours: one supreme ruler with power, his council, the privy councilor, the parliament and the chamber of judges, who are called gods.

(3) The undeniable omnipotence of God remains over all the assemblies of those in authority. God became... pronounced judgment among the gods. They received their power from Him and must give account to Him. Their kings reign. He attends all their discussions and checks everything they say and do. What is said and done wrong will be on the agenda again, and they will have to answer for their unjust rule. God holds their hearts and tongues in His hand and directs them where He will (Prov. 21:1), so He has a negative voice in all their decisions, and His counsels will stand, no matter what the hearts of men intend. He uses them as He pleases, and makes them serve His own purposes and purposes, although their hearts are little aware of it (Isa. 10:7). Let the judges think about this and be filled with reverence. God is present with them in judgment (2 Chron. 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, and bad and vile ones are under divine restraint.

II. A call to all judges to do good with their power, since they will be responsible for its use to Him who entrusted it to them (vv. 3, 4).

1. They must protect those who are defenseless against evil, and patronize those who need advice and help: “Give justice to the poor who has no money to win friends or pay for advice, and to the orphan who because of his youth cannot help himself, having lost those who could have guided him from his youth.” City officials should be fathers to their country in general, but especially to orphans. And since they are called gods, then they must be followers of God, who is the Father of orphans. This was Job (Job 29:12).

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

3. They must rescue those who have already fallen into the hands of the oppressors, and deliver them (v. 4): "... pluck him out of the hand of the wicked." Defend them from their adversary (Luke 18:3). These are clients from whom there is nothing to be gained and for whose service the judges will receive no benefit, but it is with them that judges and city officials should be concerned, their comfort taken into account and their interests defended.

III. A charge brought against wicked judges who neglect their duty and abuse their power, forgetting that God is in their midst (v. 2, 5). Note:

(1.) What sin they are accused of. They judge unjustly, 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 partial feelings. To act unjustly is bad, but to judge unjustly is much worse, since in this case evil is committed under the guise of justice. Against such acts of injustice there is little protection for the wronged, 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 lawlessness (Eccl. 3:16; Is. 5:7). Not only did they side with the rich because of their wealth (although that was bad enough), they showed partiality to 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 like that!

(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 responsibilities and make no effort to do so; they have no desire to do the right thing, they act according to their own interests, and not according to reason or justice. The secret gift blinds their eyes. They don't know because they don't understand. There is no man more blind than the one who does not see. They have confused their conscience and walk in darkness, not knowing or caring about what they are doing or where they are going. Those who walk in darkness are approaching 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). Mistakes by government officials are a civil disaster.

Verses 6-8

In these verses we are presented with:

I. The gods of the earth, humiliated and defeated (vv. 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 uttered the law against treacherous words (Ex. 22:28): “You shall not speak evil of the judges (gods, English translation KJV) ...” And if they are called such from the basis of honor, then who can doubt this ? But what kind of person must be to become 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, were His messengers, and were appointed by Him to be shields of the earth, guardians of civil peace, and avengers of wrath upon those who disturbed it (Rom. 13:4). In this sense, they are all sons of the Almighty. Some of them God clothed with His honors and took over the government of this world through His providence, as David made his sons the chief rulers. “Because I said: you are gods, you carried this honor further than was intended, and presented yourselves as sons of the Most High,” like the king of Babylon (Is. 14:14): “I will be like the Most High” and the ruler in Tire ( Ezekiel 28:2): “You set your mind on 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 arrogant, not to be proud of one’s position and not to extol oneself. But then comes the murderous judgment: “But you will die like men.” These words can be perceived

(1) or as a punishment for bad judges who have judged unjustly, causing all the foundations of the earth to shake. God will reward them for their deeds and cut them off at the height of their prosperity and splendor. They will die like other wicked people and fall like any of the pagan princes. Belonging to the people of Israel will not save anyone, nor will being a judge. They will die either as angels who sinned, or as one of the giants of the old world. Compare this with the great oppression that Eli witnessed in his time (Job 34:26): “He strikes them down as wicked men in the sight of others.” Let those who abuse their power know that God will take away both their lives and theirs, for if they act proudly, He will show Himself to be superior to them. Or

(2) as a period of glory for all the judges in this world. Let them not be inflated with honors and neglect their work, but let them reflect on their mortality in order to kill their pride and motivate themselves to duty. “You are called gods, but you have no right to immortality. You will die like men, like ordinary people, and you will fall like any prince.” Please note: although for us kings and princes, all the judges of the earth 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 scepters and shovels.

II. The God of heaven is highly exalted (v. 8). The psalmist sees no point in trying to reason with these proud oppressors. They turned a deaf ear to all that He said, and walked in darkness, and so he looks to God, calling upon Him and begging Him to receive His great power: “Arise, O God, judge the earth”; and then he prays that the Lord will do it, and believes that it will be so: “Thou shalt inherit all nations.” This concerns

(1) the kingdoms of providence. God rules the world; He raises up and overthrows whomever He pleases; He inherits all nations and has complete dominion over them, disposing of them like a man with his inheritance. We must believe and console ourselves that the earth has not been given into the hands of wicked rulers, as we think (Job 9:24). God retained power for himself and reigns over them. Therefore, we can pray with faith: “Rise up, O God, judge the earth, rise up against those who judge unjustly and set over Your people a shepherd according to Your heart.” We have a righteous God to whom we can turn with a request for help, in whom all those offended by unjust judges can trust and expect effective help from Him.

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 unjust 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 it 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, since 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 ancient tradition, it is customary for peasants and farmers to read Psalm 81 so that the fruits of their labors can be sold.

Listen to the video of the Orthodox prayer Psalm 81 in Russian

Read the Orthodox text of the prayer Psalm 81 in Russian

Psalm of Asaph.

God became in the host of gods; He pronounced judgment among the gods: How long will you judge unrighteously and show partiality to the wicked? Give justice to the poor and the orphan; Give justice to the oppressed and the poor; deliver the poor and needy; pluck him out of the hand of the wicked. They don’t know, they don’t understand, they walk in darkness; everyone hesitates. I said: you are gods, and the sons of the Most High - all of you; but you will die like men and fall like any prince. Arise, O God, judge the earth, for You will inherit all nations.

Orthodox Psalter, text of Psalm 81 in Church Slavonic language

God is in the assembly of gods, and in the midst the gods will judge. How long will you judge unrighteousness and accept the faces of sinners? Judge the poor and the poor, justify the lowly and the poor; pluck out the poor and the wretched, deliver him from the hand of the sinner. Without knowledge, below understanding, they walk in darkness; let all the foundations of the earth move. Az reh; You are gods, and sons of all; You, like men, are dying, and like you are falling from princes. Arise, O God, judge the earth; for you are an inheritor in all languages.

PSALMTER, Psalm 81 Psalm of Asaph.

God became in the host of gods; He pronounced judgment among the gods: How long will you judge unrighteously and show partiality to the wicked? Give justice to the poor and the orphan; Give justice to the oppressed and the poor; deliver the poor and needy; pluck him out of the hand of the wicked. They don’t know, they don’t understand, they walk in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are shaking. I said: you are gods, and the sons of the Most High - all of you; but you will die like men and fall like any prince. Arise, O God, judge the earth, for You will inherit all nations.

PSALMS, Psalm 81.