Psalms 81

Verse 1. Asaph. Josaphat gave the like instructions to his judges, 2 Chronicles 19:6. Kimchi. Calmet.—God rejected the Jews in the preceding psalm, and here the reason is assigned. Theodoret.—Congregation, or church of the Jews, who were gathered together like cattle, and sought after temporal advantages (Saint Augustine in Ps. lxxii. 23) alone. Catec. Trid. Symb.—This is not exactly true of all, (Hebrews 11:14) though it might be of the people in general, who seldom raised their thoughts to spiritual delights. Bible.—Of gods. Hebrew “of God,” who presides in his own council, and gives authority to others. Amama.—Yet Syr. has, “the angels;” Chal. “the just;” Prot. “the mighty;” and Aquila, “the powerful ones.” Bible.—Gods here are put for judges, who act in God’s name. Deuteronomy 1:17. Exodus 22:28. To decide affairs of consequence, the priests and other judges met in the temple; and the Romans did the like, each senator offering incense and wine to the god who was honoured in that place. Suet. in Aug. xxxv. Calmet.—All magistrates ought to be equally careful in what they determine, as if they heard God present giving them the following instructions. Worthington.—Judgeth gods, or “God, our Saviour, is judged.” Houbig.—This bringeth on the reprobation of the Jews, verse 5. and so forth Bert.

Verse 2. Wicked. Contrary to the law. Deuteronomy 1:17. Leviticus 19:15.

Verse 3. Do justice. This is the sense of justificate, “justify,” as the poor must not be screened from justice, any more than the rich. Bible.—They are in greater danger of being neglected. Isaiah 1:23. Jeremiah 5:28. Bible.

Verse 5. Moved. The ignorance, inapplication, and injustice of those in power overturn the state, which is supported by justice. Proverbs 14:34. They draw down God’s curse upon the land, (Saint Jerome Calmet.) and expose it to all the miseries of anarchy. This regards pastors also. Bert.—By gross ignorance judges walk in darkness, and throw all into confusion.

Verse 6. Gods. The people look upon you as such, and treat you with respect. But entertain not sentiments of pride on that account. Calmet.—If judges, even those whom God condemns, may be styled gods without blasphemy, how much more might Jesus Christ, who was holy and did the works of God? He uses this argument to make the fury of the people abate: but then he continues to prove that he was God in a very different and proper sense, insomuch that the Jews, clearly perceiving his meaning, which Socinians would now mistake, took up stones to throw at him. John 10:34. Bible.—If he had not been God, He would surely have told them plainly, as Saint Paul did when people would have offered sacrifice to him, and as Saint John Baptist confessed that he was not the Christ. The sons of Seth, priests, the just, and all the Israelites, were styled sons of God, as well as the angels and judges. Genesis 6:2. Psalms 28:1. Wisd. 5:5. Job 1:6. But no individual is called the Son, except Jesus Christ the true God. Bert.—This passage may be understood of all the faithful, (Saint Augustine) particularly of bishops: and Constantine the Great was hence deterred from judging them (Saint Gregory i. dec. Grat. p. 2. chapter 11. q. 1.) or the clergy; (S. Melchiades. chapter 12. q. 1.) though this name seems inaccurate, as the died before (Glossa) the council of Nice. Amama restrains the text to men in power. Bible.—Their elevated station make their ignorance and misconduct less excusable. Menochius.

Verse 7. Men. Hebrew Adam, or “like a man” (Mont. Bible.) of the meanest rank.—Princes. Among men, ( Calmet.) or like Lucifer, the first of the rebel angels. Euseb. S. Just. dial.—Most tyrants come to a miserable end. Menochius.—At death, judges themselves are brought to the bar, and their case is then more terrible, as the mighty in guilt shall suffer more. Wisd. 6. Worthington.—They are forced to taste od death; while Jesus Christ was master of it. John 10:17. 28. This comparison evinces Christ’s divinity. But Socinians blind themselves by looking at the sun, and attempting to fathom all by the weak light of reason. Bert.

Verse 8. Nations. Those whom thou hast appointed judges, prevaricate. Genesis 18:25. Calmet.—Come, therefore, thyself, Lord Jesus, (Revelation 22:20) to whom all nations were promised for an inheritance. Bert. Psalms 2:7.—His appearance at the last day is described in the 49th psalm; and most of the Fathers here discover a clear prediction of the conversion of the Gentiles. Calmet.