Amplified Bible
Psalms 82:5
5The rulers do not know nor do they understand; They walk on in the darkness [of complacent satisfaction]; All the foundations of the earth [the fundamental principles of the administration of justice] are shaken.
Psalms 82:5 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)They know not, neither will they understand; they walk on in darkness: all the foundations of the earth are out of course.
- New International Version (NIV)“The ‘gods’ know nothing, they understand nothing. They walk about in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are shaken.
- English Standard Version (ESV)They have neither knowledge nor understanding, they walk about in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are shaken.
- New King James Version (NKJV)They do not know, nor do they understand; They walk about in darkness; All the foundations of the earth are unstable.
Context of Psalms 82:5
3Vindicate the weak and fatherless; Do justice and maintain the rights of the afflicted and destitute. 4Rescue the weak and needy; Rescue them from the hand of the wicked. The rulers do not know nor do they understand; They walk on in the darkness [of complacent satisfaction]; All the foundations of the earth [the fundamental principles of the administration of justice] are shaken. 6I said, “You are gods; Indeed, all of you are sons of the Most High. 7Nevertheless you will die like men And fall like any one of the princes.”
Read all of Psalms 82Psalms 82:5 word by word
לֹ֤א יָֽדְע֨וּ׀ וְלֹ֥א יָבִ֗ינוּ בַּחֲשֵׁכָ֥ה יִתְהַלָּ֑כוּ יִ֝מּ֗וֹטוּ כָּל־מ֥וֹסְדֵי אָֽרֶץ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- They knowיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
- not, neither will they understandבִּיןbîyn · to understandH995
- they walkהָלַךְhâlak · to go: walkH1980
- on in darknessחֲשֵׁכָהchăshêkâh chăshêykâh · darknessH2825
- all the foundationsמוֹסָדmôsâd · foundationH4144
- of the earthאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
- are out of courseמוֹטmôţ · to shakeH4131
Cross-references for Psalms 82:5
- Psalms 53:4Have workers of wickedness no knowledge or no understanding? They eat up My people as though they ate bread And have not called upon God.
- Proverbs 1:29Because they hated knowledge And did not choose the fear of the Lord [that is, obeying Him with reverence and awe-filled respect],
- Micah 3:1And I said, “Hear now, heads of Jacob And rulers of the house of Israel. Is it not for you to know and administer justice?
- Romans 1:28And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God or consider Him worth knowing [as their Creator], God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do things which are improper and repulsive,
- Proverbs 2:13From those who leave the paths of uprightness To walk in the ways of darkness;
- Proverbs 4:19The way of the wicked is like [deep] darkness; They do not know over what they stumble.
- Ecclesiastes 2:14The wise man’s eyes are in his head, but the fool walks in darkness; and yet I know that [in the end] one fate happens to them both.
- John 3:19This is the judgment [that is, the cause for indictment, the test by which people are judged, the basis for the sentence]: the Light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil.
- John 12:35So Jesus said to them, “The Light is among you [only] a little while longer. Walk while you have the Light [keep on living by it], so that darkness will not overtake you. He who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going [he is drifting aimlessly].
- 1 John 2:11But the one who habitually hates (works against) his brother [in Christ] is in [spiritual] darkness and is walking in the darkness, and does not know where he is going because the darkness has blinded his eyes.
- Psalms 11:3If the foundations [of a godly society] are destroyed, What can the righteous do?”
- Psalms 75:3“The earth and all the inhabitants of it melt [in tumultuous times]. It is I who will steady its pillars. Selah.
- Ecclesiastes 3:16Moreover, I have seen under the sun that in the place of justice there is wickedness, and in the place of righteousness there is wickedness.
- Isaiah 5:7For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house (nation) of Israel And the men of Judah are His delightful planting [which He loves]. So He looked for justice, but in fact, [He saw] bloodshed and lawlessness; [He looked] for righteousness, but in fact, [He heard] a cry of distress and oppression.
- 2 Timothy 2:19Nevertheless, the firm foundation of God [which He has laid] stands [sure and unshaken despite attacks], bearing this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of the Lord stand apart from wickedness and withdraw from wrongdoing.”
Commentaries on Psalms 82:5
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 5They know not - The judges are not acquainted with the law of God, on which all their decisions should be founded. Neither will they understand - They are ignorant and do not wish to be instructed. They will not learn; they cannot teach. Happy England! How different from Judea, even in the days of Jehoshaphat! All thy judges are learned, righteous, and impartial. Never did greater men in their profession dignify any land or country - (1822). All the…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 5They know not, neither will they understand - This is designed still further to characterize the magistrates at the time referred to in the psalm. They not merely judged unjustly, and were not merely partial in the administration of justice Psalm 82:2, but they did not desire to understand their duty, and the true principles on which justice should be administered. They were at no pains to inform themselves, either in regard to those principles, or in…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 5Unjust oppressors cannot bring or restore order. They wander about in darkness, unmoved by circumstances, even when the whole world order falls apart around them (compare Psalm 11:3).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 55. By the wilful ignorance and negligence of judges, anarchy ensues (Psa 11:3; 75:3). out of course--(Compare Margin; Psa 9:6; 62:2).Read the comment
Topics related to Psalms 82:5
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Psalms 82
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- The Treasury of David
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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