This verse isn't just about being unfair; it highlights how judges "lift up the faces" of the wicked, meaning they deliberately show favor and encourage wrongdoers based on their status. This isn't merely overlooking injustice, but actively propping up the wicked through biased decisions.
“How long will you judge unjustly and show partiality to the wicked? Selah 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.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
This psalm opens with God Himself addressing earthly judges, specifically those within Israel, calling out their corrupt and unfair practices. The verses leading up to this line reveal that God has appointed these judges, even calling them "gods" in a representative sense, to administer justice with impartiality, especially for the vulnerable. This verse is the direct accusation, God demanding to know how long they will continue to pervert justice by favoring wicked people, rather than upholding the righteous standards He expects.
Imagine a judge who is supposed to be fair, but instead twists justice for the powerful. God’s question here isn't just a rhetorical one; it’s a cry of pain and frustration. What does this piercing question reveal about God's heart?
The phrase 'How long?' isn't just a question of time; it expresses divine impatience and deep sorrow over persistent injustice.
A God Who Cares Deeply
This isn't a detached deity observing from afar. God's question reveals His passionate involvement in human affairs, especially when His standards of justice are violated. It echoes His response to the suffering of His people throughout Scripture.
The Weight of Injustice
When people in positions of authority betray their calling – particularly judges who should uphold truth – it grieves God deeply. Their actions don't just harm individuals; they defile the very order God established. This cry highlights the severity with which God views the abuse of power.
Judges are meant to be impartial, but this verse speaks of a specific kind of betrayal: showing favor to the wicked. What does it mean to 'accept the persons' of the wicked, and why is it so wrong?
The core issue here is partiality, specifically favoring those who are wicked. This means making decisions based on who someone is – their status, wealth, or power – rather than on the truth of their actions.
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'Lifting Up Faces'
The phrase 'show partiality' or 'accept the persons' literally means to 'lift up the faces' of the wicked. This was an ancient expression referring to showing undue favor or respect, essentially giving them encouragement in their wrongdoing by letting them 'off the hook'. It's the opposite of impartial judgment.
The Law's Command
God’s Law was crystal clear: justice must be blind to status. Rulers and judges were forbidden from showing favoritism to the rich or poor alike. Their duty was to judge based on the facts and uphold righteousness for everyone. To do otherwise was a direct violation of God's commands.
Between the accusation and the consequences, there's a pause marked by the word 'Selah'. What is this musical and theological cue telling us to do?
The word 'Selah' (pronounced Seh-lah) is a musical and liturgical term found in the Psalms. Its exact meaning is debated, but its placement here is significant.
A Musical Interlude
Most scholars agree 'Selah' indicates a pause, likely for musical instrumentation or a moment of reflection. Imagine the music swelling or changing here, drawing attention to the gravity of God's question.
A Call to Contemplation
In this context, 'Selah' serves as a divine command to stop and consider. It’s an invitation to the judges (and to us!) to meditate on the accusation, to recognize the seriousness of their unjust actions, and to anticipate the divine reckoning that follows. It's a moment to let the weight of the question sink in before proceeding.
Understand the original words
rasha' · Hebrew Adjective/Noun
A moral condition characterized by defiance against God's law. It describes those who persist in evil, injustice, and disobedience to the divine will.
mishpat · Hebrew Noun
A term denoting fairness and righteousness, particularly the legal and social requirement to protect the vulnerable. It is rooted in God's own character and His covenantal expectation for human society.
This psalm is a powerful cry against the corruption of justice, echoing the divine expectation for fairness rooted in the Mosaic Law and resonating with periods of significant judicial rot in ancient Israel.
c. 1400-1000 BC
Mosaic Law Enacted
The Law given through Moses, including strict commands for impartial justice, is established as the foundation for Israelite society and governance.
c. 8th century BC— this verse
Period of Judicial Corruption
A time in Israel's history, likely during or before Hezekiah's reign, marked by widespread injustice and favoritism within the courts.
c. 715-686 BC
Reign of Hezekiah
King Hezekiah's reign saw efforts to reform religious and social practices, potentially including a response to the corruption lamented in Psalms 82.
This passage directly echoes the psalm's concern, explicitly forbidding partiality in judgment and commanding fairness for both the poor and the rich.
Deuteronomy 1:17Similar to the psalm, this verse warns judges against showing favoritism, emphasizing that justice belongs equally to the small and the great, and that they must not be intimidated by anyone.
Job 34:19This verse speaks to the same core issue of unrighteous judgment, highlighting that God does not show partiality and favors no one, regardless of their status, a principle being violated in Psalm 82.
2 Chronicles 19:6-7When Jehoshaphat re-established justice in Judah, he reminded his judges of their divine mandate to act with integrity and impartiality, directly addressing the failure described in Psalm 82.
James 2:1-4The New Testament revisits this theme, with James directly condemning favoritism within the early church, urging believers to uphold God's law which shows no partiality.
pulpitPsalms 82:2: "How long will ye judge unjustly, and accept the persons of the wicked? Selah."
Verse 2. - How long will ye judge unjustly? "The cry of the impatient Jehovah" (Cheyne); comp. Exodus 10:3; Exodus 16:28; Numbers 14:11, 27. And accept the persons of the wicked? Accepting men's persons is favouring them unduly on account of their position or outward circumstances. It was strictly forbidden in the Mosaic Law (see Deuteronomy 1:17; Deuteronomy 16:19; Leviticus 19:15).
clarkePsalms 82:2: "How long will ye judge unjustly, and accept the persons of the wicked? Selah."
Accept the persons of the wicked? - "Lift up their faces," encourage them in their oppressions. Selah - "Mark this:" ye do it, and sorely sLall ye suffer for it.
This verse isn't just about being unfair; it highlights how judges "lift up the faces" of the wicked, meaning they deliberately show favor and encourage wrongdoers based on their status. This isn't merely overlooking injustice, but actively propping up the wicked through biased decisions.
This psalm opens with God Himself addressing earthly judges, specifically those within Israel, calling out their corrupt and unfair practices. The verses leading up to this line reveal that God has appointed these judges, even calling them "gods" in a representative sense, to administer justice with impartiality, especially for the vulnerable. This verse is the direct accusation, God demanding to know how long they will continue to pervert justice by favoring wicked people, rather than upholding the righteous standards He expects.
This psalm opens with God Himself addressing earthly judges, specifically those within Israel, calling out their corrupt and unfair practices. The verses leading up to this line reveal that God has appointed these judges, even calling them "gods" in a representative sense, to administer justice with impartiality, especially for the vulnerable. This verse is the direct accusation, God demanding to know how long they will continue to pervert justice by favoring wicked people, rather than upholding the righteous standards He expects.
"“How long will you judge unjustly and show partiality to the wicked? Selah Give justice to the weak and the fatherless; maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver t…" — This verse isn't just about being unfair; it highlights how judges "lift up the faces" of the wicked, meaning they deliberately show favor and encourage wrongdoers based on their status. This isn't m…
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Last reviewed October 2026
