“How long will you judge unjustly and show partiality to the wicked? Selah
Parallel translations
- WEB “How long will you judge unjustly, and show partiality to the wicked?” Selah.
- KJV How long will ye judge unjustly, and accept the persons of the wicked? Selah.
- NKJV How long will you judge unjustly, And show partiality to the wicked? Selah
- NASB How long will you judge unjustly And show partiality to the wicked? Selah
- NLT “How long will you hand down unjust decisions by favoring the wicked? Interlude
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
God rebukes the rulers for judging unjustly and favoring the wicked. He confronts corruption and partiality in those who wield power.
Overview
God's pointed question exposes the sin of unjust judges who pervert justice and side with the wicked. Partiality and oppression provoke God's direct rebuke. This reflects His unchanging concern that justice be done, and warns all in authority that He sees and will judge how they use their power.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 14
- Deut 1:17Show no partiality in judging; hear both small and great alike. Do not be intimidated by anyone, for judgment belongs to God. And bring to me any case too difficult for you, and I will hear it.”
- Prov 18:5Showing partiality to the wicked is not good, nor is depriving the innocent of justice.
- Ps 58:1–2For the choirmaster. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” A Miktam of David. Do you indeed speak justly, O rulers? Do you judge uprightly, O sons of men?
- Gal 2:6But as for the highly esteemed—whatever they were makes no difference to me; God does not show favoritism—those leaders added nothing to me.
- Exod 10:3So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and told him, “This is what the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, says: ‘How long will you refuse to humble yourself before Me? Let My people go, so that they may worship Me.
- 2 Chr 19:7And now, may the fear of the LORD be upon you. Be careful what you do, for with the LORD our God there is no injustice or partiality or bribery.”
- Exod 23:6–7You shall not deny justice to the poor in their lawsuits.
- Ps 62:3How long will you threaten a man? Will all of you throw him down like a leaning wall or a tottering fence?
- Lev 19:15You must not pervert justice; you must not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the rich; you are to judge your neighbor fairly.
- Mic 3:1–3Then I said: “Hear now, O leaders of Jacob, you rulers of the house of Israel. Should you not know justice?
- 1 Kgs 18:21Then Elijah approached all the people and said, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him. But if Baal is God, follow him.” But the people did not answer a word.
- Job 34:19who is not partial to princes and does not favor rich over poor? For they are all the work of His hands.
- Matt 17:17“O unbelieving and perverse generation!” Jesus replied. “How long must I remain with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy here to Me.”
- Mic 3:9–12Now hear this, O leaders of the house of Jacob and rulers of the house of Israel, who despise justice and pervert all that is right,
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
The Psalms are Christ's own prayer book and a gallery of his portraits — the suffering one of Psalm 22, the risen Lord of Psalm 16, the priest-king of Psalm 110, the Son to whom the nations are given.
How Psalms 82:2 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.