◄ Psalm 82:5 ►
They do not know or understand; they wander in the darkness; all the foundations of the earth are shaken.
Study Bible
They do not know
The phrase "They do not know" suggests a profound ignorance or lack of understanding. In the Hebrew, the word used is "יָדְעוּ" (yada'u), which implies not just a lack of intellectual knowledge but a deeper, spiritual blindness. This ignorance is not merely about facts but about the moral and spiritual truths that guide righteous living. In the context of Psalm 82, this ignorance is attributed to the judges or leaders who fail to uphold justice. Historically, this reflects a time when leaders were expected to be wise and discerning, yet they fell short, leading to societal decay.

or understand
The Hebrew word for "understand" is "יָבִינוּ" (yavinu), which conveys the idea of insight or discernment. This lack of understanding is not just a failure to grasp information but a failure to perceive the implications of their actions and the moral order established by God. In a biblical context, understanding is often linked with wisdom, which is a gift from God and is essential for righteous leadership. The leaders' failure to understand signifies a disconnect from divine wisdom, which is crucial for justice and righteousness.

They wander in the darkness
"Wander in the darkness" uses the imagery of aimlessness and confusion. The Hebrew word "יֵלָכוּ" (yelakhu) means to walk or go, and "בַּחֹשֶׁךְ" (bachoshekh) means in darkness. This phrase paints a picture of leaders who are lost, lacking direction and purpose. Darkness in the Bible often symbolizes evil, ignorance, and separation from God. The leaders' wandering indicates a moral and spiritual disorientation, leading to injustice and oppression. This imagery would resonate with the ancient audience, who understood the dangers of physical and spiritual darkness.

all the foundations of the earth are shaken
The phrase "all the foundations of the earth are shaken" uses the metaphor of a building's foundation to describe the stability of society. The Hebrew word "מוֹט" (mot) means to totter or shake, suggesting instability and chaos. In biblical times, the foundation was crucial for the strength and endurance of a structure. Here, it symbolizes the moral and social order established by God. When leaders fail to uphold justice, it leads to societal instability, affecting all aspects of life. This serves as a warning that the neglect of divine principles by those in authority can lead to widespread disorder and calamity.

Persons / Places / Events
1. God
The ultimate judge who presides over the divine council, addressing the failures of earthly judges.

2. Earthly Judges
The human leaders or judges who are being admonished for their lack of justice and understanding.

3. Divine Council
A heavenly assembly where God holds the judges accountable for their actions.

4. Foundations of the Earth
Symbolic of the order and stability of society, which is threatened by injustice.

5. Darkness
Represents ignorance and moral confusion, a state in which the judges are said to wander.
Teaching Points
The Importance of Justice
God holds leaders accountable for their role in upholding justice. As Christians, we should advocate for fairness and righteousness in our communities.

Spiritual Awareness
Ignorance and lack of understanding lead to moral darkness. We must seek wisdom and discernment through prayer and study of God's Word.

Impact of Leadership
The failure of leaders to act justly can destabilize society. We should pray for and support leaders who pursue godly principles.

Personal Responsibility
While leaders are accountable, individuals also have a responsibility to live justly and seek truth, avoiding the darkness of ignorance.

Foundation of Truth
The stability of our lives and communities depends on adherence to God's truth. We must build our lives on the solid foundation of Scripture.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the ignorance of the judges in Psalm 82:5 reflect the spiritual state of society today?

2. In what ways can we, as individuals, ensure we are not "wandering in the darkness" as described in this verse?

3. How can the church play a role in addressing the "shaken foundations" of society due to injustice?

4. What practical steps can we take to support leaders who strive for justice and righteousness?

5. How do the themes of darkness and understanding in Psalm 82:5 connect with Jesus' teachings in the New Testament?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Proverbs 28:5
This verse highlights the lack of understanding among the wicked, similar to the ignorance of the judges in Psalm 82:5.

Isaiah 59:9-10
These verses describe a people groping in darkness due to injustice, paralleling the wandering in darkness mentioned in Psalm 82:5.

John 3:19-21
Jesus speaks about people loving darkness rather than light, which connects to the theme of moral and spiritual blindness.

Ephesians 4:18
Paul discusses the futility of mind and darkened understanding, akin to the ignorance of the judges.

Romans 1:21-22
Paul describes those who, despite knowing God, fail to honor Him, leading to futile thinking and darkened hearts.
Sermons
The Radical Wrongness of the WorldHomilistPsalm 82:5
A Solemn RebukeC. Short Psalm 82:1-8
Corruptio Optimi Pessima EstS. Conway Psalm 82:1-8
Magistrates Should Esteem Their Office a Divine InstitutionR. W. Dale, D. D.Psalm 82:1-8
The Supremacy of GodHomilistPsalm 82:1-8
The Utility of MagistracyT. Hall, B. D.Psalm 82:1-8
People
Asaph, Psalmist
Places
Jerusalem
Topics
Bases, Course, Dark, Darkness, Forth, Foundations, Fro, Habitually, Moved, Nothing, Sense, Shaken, Understand, Understanding, Walk
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Psalm 82:5

     4811   darkness, symbol of sin
     5135   blindness, spiritual
     5197   walking
     5317   foundation
     8228   discernment, examples
     8355   understanding

Library
Thou Shalt not Bear False Witness against Thy Neighbor.
This Commandment seems small, and yet is so great, that he who would rightly keep it must risk and imperil life and limb, goods and honor, friends and all that he has; and yet it includes no more than the work of that small member, the tongue, and is called in German Wahrheit sagen, "telling the truth" and, where there is need, gainsaying lies; so that it forbids many evil works of the tongue. First: those which are committed by speaking, and those which are committed by keeping silent. By speaking, …
Dr. Martin Luther—A Treatise on Good Works

His Statement of the Proof of his Messiahship. --His Oneness With
the Father.--He defends his Words from the Old Testament. (John, x., 22-39.) IN the month of December Christ arrived at Jerusalem to attend the Feast of the Dedication. As he had not always alike openly declared himself to be Messiah, he was asked, while walking in Solomon's Porch, by certain Jews, "How long wilt thou hold us in suspense? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly." We do not know by whom, or in what spirit, this question was asked. In view of the prevalent notions of the Jews in respect …
Augustus Neander—The Life of Jesus Christ in Its Historical Connexion

Christ's Interpretation of Psalm cx. , 1 (Mark, xii. , 35-37. )
We return now to the order of the narrative. We are informed by the Evangelist that in the course of these controversies with his opponents Christ put to them the question, how it could be that Messiah was to be the Son of David, and yet David called him "Lord" (Ps. cx., 1). We are not precisely told with what view he proposed the question; though it might, perhaps, be inferred from Matthew's statement, that after he had so answered their captious queries as to put them to shame, he sought in turn …
Augustus Neander—The Life of Jesus Christ in Its Historical Connexion

Brief Outline of Ancient Jewish Theological Literature
The arrangements of the synagogue, as hitherto described, combined in a remarkable manner fixedness of order with liberty of the individual. Alike the seasons and the time of public services, their order, the prayers to be offered, and the portions of the law to be read were fixed. On the other hand, between the eighteen "benedictions" said on ordinary days, and the seven repeated on the Sabbaths, free prayer might be inserted; the selection from the prophets, with which the public reading concluded--the …
Alfred Edersheim—Sketches of Jewish Social Life

Synagogues: their Origin, Structure and Outward Arrangements
It was a beautiful saying of Rabbi Jochanan (Jer. Ber. v. 1), that he who prays in his house surrounds and fortifies it, so to speak, with a wall of iron. Nevertheless, it seems immediately contradicted by what follows. For it is explained that this only holds good where a man is alone, but that where there is a community prayer should be offered in the synagogue. We can readily understand how, after the destruction of the Temple, and the cessation of its symbolical worship, the excessive value attached …
Alfred Edersheim—Sketches of Jewish Social Life

Notes on the First Century:
Page 1. Line 1. An empty book is like an infant's soul.' Here Traherne may possibly have had in his mind a passage in Bishop Earle's "Microcosmography." In delineating the character of a child, Earle says: "His soul is yet a white paper unscribbled with observations of the world, wherewith at length it becomes a blurred note-book," Page 14. Line 25. The entrance of his words. This sentence is from Psalm cxix. 130. Page 15. Last line of Med. 21. "Insatiableness." This word in Traherne's time was often …
Thomas Traherne—Centuries of Meditations

The Meaning
Of the Red Dragon with Seven Heads fighting with Michael about the new-born Child. The first vision of the little book, of which we treated in the eleventh chapter, ran through the whole Apocalyptical course, from the beginning to the end, and that, as we elsewhere observed, to point out its connexion with the seals and trumpets. Now to that vision the remaining prophecies of the same interval, and of the affairs of the Church are to be accommodated, in order to complete the system of the little …
Joseph Mede—A Key to the Apocalypse

Of Civil Government.
OF CIVIL GOVERNMENT. This chapter consists of two principal heads,--I. General discourse on the necessity, dignity, and use of Civil Government, in opposition to the frantic proceedings of the Anabaptists, sec. 1-3. II. A special exposition of the three leading parts of which Civil Government consists, sec. 4-32. The first part treats of the function of Magistrates, whose authority and calling is proved, sec. 4-7. Next, the three Forms of civil government are added, sec. 8. Thirdly, Consideration …
John Calvin—The Institutes of the Christian Religion

The Unity of God
Q-5: ARE THERE MORE GODS THAN ONE? A: There is but one only, the living and true God. That there is a God has been proved; and those that will not believe the verity of his essence, shall feel the severity of his wrath. Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord.' Deut 6:6. He is the only God.' Deut 4:49. Know therefore this day, and consider it in thy heart, that the Lord he is God in heaven above, and upon the earth beneath, there is none else.' A just God and a Saviour; there is none beside …
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity

At the Feast of the Dedication of the Temple.
ABOUT two months had passed since Jesus had left Jerusalem after the Feast of Tabernacles. Although we must not commit ourselves to such calculations, we may here mention the computation which identifies the first day of the Feast of Tabernacles of that year [4376] with Thursday the 23rd September; the last, the Great Day of the Feast,' with Wednesday the 29th; the Octave of the Feast with the 30th September; and the Sabbath when the man born blind was healed with the 2nd of October. [4377] In that …
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah

They Shall be Called the Children of God
They shall be called the children of God. Matthew 5:9 In these words the glorious privilege of the saints is set down. Those who have made their peace with God and labour to make peace among brethren, this is the great honour conferred upon them, They shall be called the children of God'. They shall be (called)', that is, they shall be so reputed and esteemed of God. God never miscalls anything. He does not call them children which are no children. Thou shalt be called the prophet of the Highest' …
Thomas Watson—The Beatitudes: An Exposition of Matthew 5:1-12

Feast of the Dedication. The Jews Attempt to Stone Jesus and He Retires to Peræa.
(Jerusalem and Beyond Jordan.) ^D John X. 22-42. ^d 22 And it was the feast of the dedication at Jerusalem: 23; it was winter; and Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon's porch. [The feast of dedication was one of eight days' duration and began upon the 25th Chisleu, which, according to the calculation of M. Chevannes, fell upon the nineteenth or twentieth of December, a.d. 29. The feast was kept in honor of the renovation and purification of the temple in the year b.c. 164, after it had been desecrated …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

In the Last, the Great Day of the Feast'
IT was the last, the great day of the Feast,' and Jesus was once more in the Temple. We can scarcely doubt that it was the concluding day of the Feast, and not, as most modern writers suppose, its Octave, which, in Rabbinic language, was regarded as a festival by itself.' [3987] [3988] But such solemn interest attaches to the Feast, and this occurrence on its last day, that we must try to realise the scene. We have here the only Old Testament type yet unfilfilled; the only Jewish festival which has …
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah

The Saints' Privilege and Profit;
OR, THE THRONE OF GRACE ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR. The churches of Christ are very much indebted to the Rev. Charles Doe, for the preservation and publishing of this treatise. It formed one of the ten excellent manuscripts left by Bunyan at his decease, prepared for the press. Having treated on the nature of prayer in his searching work on 'praying with the spirit and with the understanding also,' in which he proves from the sacred scriptures that prayer cannot be merely read or said, but must …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

Epistle v. To Theoctista, Sister of the Emperor.
To Theoctista, Sister of the Emperor. Gregory to Theoctista, &c. With how great devotion my mind prostrates itself before your Venerableness I cannot fully express in words; nor yet do I labour to give utterance to it, since, even though I were silent, you read in your heart your own sense of my devotion. I wonder, however, that you withdrew your countenance, till of late bestowed on me, from this my recent engagement in the pastoral office; wherein, under colour of episcopacy, I have been brought …
Saint Gregory the Great—the Epistles of Saint Gregory the Great

Psalms
The piety of the Old Testament Church is reflected with more clearness and variety in the Psalter than in any other book of the Old Testament. It constitutes the response of the Church to the divine demands of prophecy, and, in a less degree, of law; or, rather, it expresses those emotions and aspirations of the universal heart which lie deeper than any formal demand. It is the speech of the soul face to face with God. Its words are as simple and unaffected as human words can be, for it is the genius …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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