Carefully Examining the Text

Name is a key idea in the Psalm appearing in vs. 4, 16, 18.

vs. 1-5 Petition to God in the midst of crisis
The enemies are God's enemies in vs. 2, 5
They are enemies of Israel in vs. 3-4

vs. 6-8 A roll call of the enemies
These 10 groups seem to represent Israel's enemies past and present

vs. 9-12 Deal with them as You dealt with the enemies of Your people in the days of the judges
Jabin and Sisera- Judges 4-5
Oreb, Zeeb, Zebah, and Zalmunna- Judges 7-8
Interestingly, the judges are not mentioned. The emphasis is on God and HIs deliverance.

vs. 13-18 Bring judgment upon them that all may seek You
Those who sought to destroy the name of Israel (vs. 4) and now called upon to seek the name of the LORD (vs. 16)  and it is the LORD's name who is exalted in all the earth (vs. 18).

The first podcast on Psalm 82 dealt with the question of who are the "gods" or "judges" of vs. 1 in whose midst God rules.

82:2-4 How long will you continue to judge unjustly?
vs. 3-4 use four imperatives to describe what the judges should have done.
vs. 3-4 some six terms are used to describe those who should have been the objects of the judges' mercy.

82:6 I said "You are gods"
82:7 These gods are told that they will die like men
Let apply this to our interpretation of vs. 1.
What is it speaks of pagan gods?The problem, Is the true God affirming the reality of the pagan gods?
What if it speaks of wicked angels or spirits? Is this then a reference to the fact that judgment will fall upon wicked spirits and angels- Matt. 25:41; II Peter 2:4; Jude 6
What if it speaks of human judges? If it does, would the fact they would die even need to be said? Apparently yes if we look at Isaiah 14:3-21 and Ezekiel 28:1-10.

82:8 All dominion belongs to God

John 10:34 quotes Psalm 82:6.
Jesus is charged with blasphemy "in making Himself out to be God."  The Father sanctified and sent the Son into the world- John 10:36.

How does Jesus fulfill Psalm 82?
82:1 He is judges of all- John 5:22-27
82:4 He rescues- Gal. 1:4- and delivers- Col. 1:13
82:4 Jesus brings mercy to the weak and poor- Isaiah 11:1-5; Matt. 5:3; 11:5; Luke 4:18; 6:20
82:6-7 He dies like man- Heb. 2:9
82:8 He arises- Mark 8:31; 9:9-10, 32; 10:34
82:5 His death and resurrection shake the earth- Matt. 27:51; 28:2

This brief psalm has engendered must discussion and debate. Therefore, we seek to cover it in two podcast. This is part 1. 

82:1 God stands in the congregation of God and He judges in the midst of the gods.
The Hebrew term Elohim is the first word and the next to last word in the verse. Much of the debate centers are who are intended by this second use of Elohim.

We mention three possibilities as to the identity of the second Elohim in 82:1.
1. They are human rulers. 
Human rulers seem to be indicated by the use of the term Elohim in Exodus 21:6; 22:8-9. The judges were to judge based on God's righteousness and holiness and therefore judgment is said to be for God in Deut. 1:17 and II Chron. 19:6-7.
Psalm 45:6-7 Though Israel did not view their king as Divine (God) as some nations, he is addressed as Elohim in Psalm 45:6-7. Solomon is said to sit on the LORD's throne in I Chron. 29:23. 

2. They are angels or spirits
Job 1:6; 2:1; 38:7 The phrase "sons of God' seem to refer to angels. 
Deut. 32:8-9 especially the LXX translation
Deut. 32:17 compare I Corinthians 10:19-21
Daniel 10:13, 20-21; 12:1 shows angels and spirits active in the world though our knowledge of what they do is limited.
Ephesians 6:12 Angels and spirits are active in the ongoing struggle between right and wrong, good and evil. 
Revelation 12:7-9 

3. They are other gods- Ps. 95:3; 96:4
It may be a polemic against false gods to show them being rebuked by the true God.  Even if that is not done here, it is done in passages like Psalm 29. This is an understandable view. 

Was Israel monotheistic? Did they (and should we) believe in one God?
Just look at these verses 
Deut. 4:35, 39
Deut. 32:12, 39
II Kings 19:18-19; Isaiah 37:19-20
Isaiah 41:21-24
Isaiah 42:8
Isaiah 43:11-13
Isaiah 44:6, 24
Isaiah 45:5-7, 20-23
Isaiah 46:9
Mark 12:29-30, 32
Romans 3:29-30
Galatians 3:20
I Timothy 1:17

In the podcast I mistakenly say that the New Moon was a weekly feast.  That is incorrect. The New Moon was a monthly feast- Numbers 28:11-15. It is alluded to in the OT in several places like I Sam. 20:5, 18, 24, 27; II Kings 4:23; Isaiah 1:13-14; Amos 8:5.

What does Psalm 81 teach us about God?
1. God is worthy of praise- 81:1-3
2. God rescued Israel out of Egypt- 81:6-7, 10
3. God asks that His people listen to Him- 81:8- and serve Him alone- 81:9
4. God longs for His people to do the right thing and to bless them- 81:8, 13-16.

Jesus fulfills Psalm 81
81:8, 11, 13 God's people must listen to Jesus- Matt. 17:5
81:8, 13 Jesus longs for us to be saved- Matt. 23:37-39; Luke 13:34-35
81:10, 16 Jesus is the ultimate bread who can satisfy our deepest hunger- John 6:35
These are just a few of the ideas from this Psalm.

This Psalm pictures God as a Shepherd (80:1), as a Warrior (80:4, 7, 14, 19), and God as a Gardener (80;8...).

80:1 God dwells above the cherubim- I Sam. 4:4; II Sam. 6:2; Ps. 99:1
80:3, 7, 19 Cause Your Face to shine- Num. 6:24-26; Ps. 67:1

This psalm contains lamentation (79:1-5), imprecation (or curses) (79:6-7, 10b, 12), pleas for mercy (79:8-10a, 11), and thanksgiving and praise (79:13).

The events of 587 BC were devastating to Jerusalem. Abraham was promised the land of Canaan and they were ripped off of it and taken into captivity.
David was promised a king from his line to sit upon his throne and this king was removed.
Solomon built the temple and the temple was destroyed.

The Psalm is very similar to Psalms 44, 74, and 137.
There is no darker time than this in the OT for God's people. However, remarkably the Psalm will end in praise. 

Jesus fulfills these words as we will point out at the end. 

This beautiful poetic psalm, Psalm 78, continues. It continues to tell the glory of God and sinfulness of His people, Israel. God in His mercy rescues them while the people forget Him time and time again. If this has a happy ending, it will be because of God's persistence. 

Psalm 78 is a historical psalm. It is similar to Psalms 105-106,
It tells the story of Israel's history much like Nehemiah 9; Ezekiel 16, 20, 23; and Acts 7.
It stresses the goodness of God to His people and His people's stubborn rebellion to Him.
It emphasizes both God's love and God's holiness and wrath and these attributes are seen against the picture of Israel's sin and rebellion.
78:1-8 The purpose of history
History teaches us not to forget God
History teaches us to put our trust in Him
History teaches us not to imitate bad examples

78:9-11 Ephraim's rebellion
 
78:12-16 God's goodness to Israel in Egypt and in the wilderness

78:17-20 The people continued to sin and rebel against God

78:21-33 God in His love provides for and in His wrath judges His people

78:34-39 God is gracious and compassionate and forgives the people

Jesus fulfills Psalm 78
78:2 He is a wisdom teacher greater than Solomon who speaks in parables- Matt. 13:34-35

78:19 He provides a table in the wilderness- Matt. 14:22-33; Mark 6:30-44; Luke 9:10-17; John 6:1-14

78:23-25 Jesus is the true bread from heaven- John 6:26-59

This psalm moves from lament to praise.
There are no mentions of enemies in Psalm 77 and only a brief mention of troubles in vs. 2. However, his trials must have been intense for they lead him to question if God is who He revealed Himself to be. In vs. 7-9 what has happened to God's lovingkindness,  grace, and compassion. These are terms by which God reveals HImself in Exodus 34:6-7. The words of Exodus 34:6-7 are basically repeated in the Psalms in 86:5, 15; 103:8; 145:8. Is God who He said He was??

The exodus is the answer in vs. 11-20. The exodus is proof for all people of all time that God delivers those who trust HIm. 

Who can stand before God in His anger?
This is a question asked repeatedly in Scripture- Ezra 9:15; Psalm 130:3-4; Nahum 1:6; Malachi 3:2; Rev. 6:16-17. 
The Scriptures give us an answer- Rev. 7:13-14

76:10 The wrath of man praises God. 
How? Acts 2:23; 3:18; 4:27-28