Title: "A Psalm of Asaph. Asaph's sermon before the judges ("the gods") is now before us. He speaks very plainly, and his song is characterised rather by strength than by sweetness. We have here a clear proof that all psalms and hymns need not be direct expressions of praise to God. We may, according to this psalm "admonish" one another in our songs. Asaph no doubt saw around him bribery and corruption, and while David punished it with the sword, he resolved to scourge it with a prophetic psalm. He was praising God when he rebuked the sin which dishonest Him.
Title: "A Psalm of Asaph." Asaph's sermon before the judges ("the gods") is now before us. He speaks very plainly, and his song is characterised rather by strength than by sweetness. We have here a clear proof that all psalms and hymns need not be direct expressions of praise to God. We may, according to this psalm "admonish" one another in our songs. Asaph no doubt saw around him bribery and corruption, and while David punished it with the sword, he resolved to scourge it with a prophetic psalm. He was praising God when he rebuked the sin which dishonoured Him.Verse 1. "God standeth in the congregation of the mighty; he judgeth among the gods." He is the overlooker, who, from his own point of view, sees all that is done by the great ones of the earth. When they sit in state, he stands over them, ready to deal with them if they pervert judgment. Judges shall be judged, and to Justices, justice shall be meted out. A higher authority will criticise the decision of petty sessions, and even the judgments of our most impartial judges will be revised by the High Court of heaven. "He judgeth among the gods." They are gods to other men, but He is God to them. He lends them his name, and this is their authority for acting as judges, but they must take care that they do not misuse the power entrusted to them, for the Judge of judges is in session among them. Such plain teaching as this psalm contains was needful indeed, and he was a bold man who, in such uncourtly phrases, delivered his own soul.
Verse 3 "Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy." On one occasion, a woman came and kneeled before Francis 1st of France to beg for justice. He told her to rise to her feet, for, said he, if it is justice I owe thee, then justice thou shalt have; if thou beg anything of me, let it be mercy. Would to God, men and women had a grasp of that principle with regards to their appearing before the Judge of their souls in an eternal day. How many will want to tell God about the various works of merit they performed, and the respectable kind of life they led. They will look to the justice of God at such a time as that; but what a thing to be shut up to the impartial justice of the eternal Judge who knows each and every one of us through and through. What is needed is "mercy" for us, not justice against us - and for this, we need to beg right here and now through Jesus Christ the Lord. When mercy is received, then, it becomes to us what one saint has rightly called, "The plea of the first believer." He also calls it, "The contemplation of Enoch, the confidence of Abraham, the burden of the prophet songs, the glory of all the apostles, the believer's hosanna and the angels' earth, nor one glorified spirit in heaven, if it were not for mercy."
Verses 6 and 7 "I have said, Ye are gods, and all of you are children of the most High. But ye shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes." Even you which glisten like angels, when all the world admires and sues and bows to, which are called honourable, mighty and gracious lords; I will tell you what your honour shall come to. First, ye shall wax old like others; then ye shall fall sick like others, then ye shall die like others, then ye shall be buried like others, then ye shall rot like others, then ye shall be judged like others. One sickens, the other sickens; one dies, the other dies; one rots, the other rots. Look in the grave and tell me which was the rich man and which was the beggar - who was Dives and who was Lazarus.Verse 7 "Ye shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes." The thought of death should pull down the plumbs of pride. Thou art but dust animated. Shall dust and ashes be proud? "I have said, Ye are gods;" but lest they should grow proud, He adds a corrective; "Ye shall die like men." Ye are dying gods!
Verse 8. "Arise, O God, judge the earth: for thou shalt inherit all nations." A metaphor taken from the common gesture of judges, whose usual manner it is to sit while they are hearing cases, but to arise and stand up when they come to give sentence.
Verse 8. "... for thou shalt inherit all nations." All nations are Thine inheritance. Thou gavest a special inheritance to Israel; but all lands are Thy Canaan, and all will be judged by Thee.