Psalms 82 · The Lantern

A psalm of Asaph. God stands in the congregation of the Mighty One; in the midst of the gods he judges:

It will be necessary to gather from the Scriptures what to distinguish signifies. "God stood", he says, "in the assembly of gods, and in the midst he will distinguish gods"; in this it appears that to distinguish is a work of God; for, judging being another matter, which happens concerning those worthy of judgment, it is a good thing to be found a god in the "assembly" of gods,…

God stood in the assembly of the gods. There are many postures. For frequently we sit, sometimes we stand, sometimes we lie down, sometimes we run, sometimes we walk. So too God is described according to the variety of human beings, and his posture is introduced as varied.

All true philosophers worshiped a single God. That is why even Socrates was killed: in his reverence for one God, he forbade sacrifices to Apollo. It is true that Plato argued with him to flee. "May it never happen," answered Socrates, "that I deny a truth I have asserted!" And so Plato did not interfere with his execution: he even blushed for having suggested flight.

God Presides in the Divine Assembly

“How long will you judge unjustly and lift up the faces of the wicked? Selah.

Judge the weak and the fatherless; do justice to the afflicted and the destitute.

Deliver the weak and the needy; rescue them from the hand of the wicked.”

They do not know and they do not understand; they walk about in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are shaken.

And again that darkness is brought upon men by their evil deeds, we learn from John himself, when he says in his epistle, "If we say that we have fellowship with Him and walk in darkness, we lie and do not the truth," and again, "He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now," and again, "He that hateth his brother is in darkness, and w…

To all of them, verily, what follows is most fitly suited: "They did not know nor understand, they walk on in darkness." "For if even they had known, they would never have crucified the Lord of glory:" and those others, if they had known, would never have consented to ask that Barabbas should be freed, and Christ should be crucified.

Where sacred Scripture is lacking, it is necessary that the earth, that is, the Church, be shaken: "They neither knew nor understood, they walk in darkness; all the foundations of the earth shall be moved." Arius, who wished to take away the foundation of the Trinity; Nestorius, who wished to destroy the unity of person; and Eutyches, who wished to confuse the natures in Christ…

I myself have said, “You are gods, and sons of the Most High, all of you;

Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him. Jesus answered them, Many good works have I showed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me? The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God. Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?

I said: you are gods, and all of you sons of the Most High. Let Eunomius hear, let Arius hear, who say that the Son of God is a son in the same way as we are. That we are gods, we are so not by nature, but by grace. 'For as many as received him, he gave them power to become sons of God.' Therefore I made man, that out of men gods might be made.

If honor and riches: God shall set His good and faithful servants over many things, indeed sons of God and gods they shall be called and shall be, and where His Son shall be, there shall they be also, heirs indeed of God, and co-heirs with Christ.

but like mankind you will die, and like one of the princes you will fall.”

Rise, God, judge the earth, for you yourself will inherit among all the nations.

Often were the righteous given into the hands of the wicked, not that the latter might be honored but that the former might be tested; and though the wicked come, as it is written, to an awful death, nevertheless for the present the godly are a laughing stock, while the goodness of God and the great treasuries of what is in store for each of them hereafter are concealed.

Up to this point God has spoken to men, and again the prophet speaks. Arise, O God, judge the earth. Arise, because our boat is battered by the waves. Arise, O God, judge the earth: since the bad judges do not judge, but overturn your law, and tear your flocks. Do you arise, who are the true judge.

And therefore that this vice may be cured, in the person of the Prophet himself it is said, "Arise, O God, and judge the earth" [Psalm 82:8]; for the earth swelled high when it crucified You: rise from the dead, and judge the earth. "For You shall destroy among all nations." What, but the earth?

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God Presides in the Divine Assembly