Why Our God is Superior

Psalm 82

God has taken his place in the divine council;
 in the midst of the gods he holds judgment: 
“How long will you judge unjustly
 and show partiality to the wicked? Give justice to the weak and the fatherless;
 maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute.
 Rescue the weak and the needy;
deliver them from the hand of the wicked.”

They have neither knowledge nor understanding,
they walk about in darkness; 
all the foundations of the earth are shaken.

I said, “You are gods,
 sons of the Most High, all of you;
 nevertheless, like men you shall die, 
and fall like any prince.”

Arise, O God, judge the earth; 
for you shall inherit all the nations!

Psalm 82 is a “weird” Psalm. In it we see God calling a heavenly court together. He calls all the other gods together and reprimands them. “How long will you judge unjustly and show partiality to the wicked?” God interrogates these other gods. Then he demands, “Give justice to the weak and fatherless; maintain the right of the afflicted and destitute. Rescue the weak and needy.” And then God renders judgment: because these gods have failed, they will die like mortal men. The Psalmist ends by imploring God to rise up and judge the earth.

It is easy when reading this psalm to get carried away with the almost comic-book imagery of God holding a heavenly court. One can imagine a long table, surrounded by Thor, Apollo, and Calypso from the Pirates of the Caribbean movie. But what is amazing here is why the one true God is portrayed as being superior. It is not because He is the mightiest – although He is. It is not because He is the most powerful – though that is true. Rather, our God is seen as superior because he defends the weak and powerless! This is the essence of the gospel, my friend. We who cannot in our own strength save ourselves have been saved, by the father of all. He cares for poor, simple men more than all the false gods of the world. He is a God of justice, and mercy, and deliverance. And this is why our God is superior.