Psalms 82:5

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

3You must help poor people and those with no family to receive justice. Help those who have pain and trouble to receive the help that they need. 4Rescue weak and helpless people, so that evil people cannot hurt them. The powerful leaders know nothing and they understand nothing. They walk about in a dark place. At the same time the foundation of the earth shakes! 6I said, “You are gods. You are all sons of the Most High God. 7But you will die, as all people die. You will come to an end, like all other rulers.” ’

Psalms 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 53:4People who do wicked things understand nothing. They destroy my people as easily as they eat bread. They never pray to God.
• Proverbs 1:29They have refused to learn what is right. They have refused to respect the Lord.
• Micah 3:1Then I spoke to the leaders: Listen to me, I said. You are the leaders of Jacob's people, you are the rulers of Israel. You ought to know what is right or wrong.
• Romans 1:28Those people decided that they did not need to know anything about God. So God let their minds become spoiled. As a result, they do bad things that people ought not to do.
• Proverbs 2:13Those people no longer follow honest ways. They live in dark places.
• Proverbs 4:19But the life of wicked people is like a very dark road. They cannot even see what causes them to fall.
• Ecclesiastes 2:14Wise people can see where they are going. Foolish people walk in the dark. But at the end of their lives, there is no difference. They both die.
• John 3:19God's Son has brought light into the world. But some people did not love the light. They loved the dark instead. That was because they were doing evil things. That is why God has decided to punish those people.
• John 12:35Jesus answered, ‘The light will be with you for only a short time longer. So continue to walk while you still have the light. Do that, so that the dark will not come over you. Anyone who walks in the dark does not know where they are going.
• 1 John 2:11But if someone hates other believers, he is still living in a bad way. He is like someone who is walking in the dark. He cannot see where he is going. He is like a blind person. He cannot understand God's true message.
• Psalms 11:3When the law no longer has authority, righteous people can do nothing!’
• Psalms 75:3When the earth shakes and the people in it are afraid, I will keep its foundations strong.’ Selah.
• Ecclesiastes 3:16I saw something else that happens on the earth. Judges should choose what is right, but instead they choose what is wicked. They should decide what is fair, but they do evil things.
• Isaiah 5:7Israel's nation is like the vineyard of the Lord Almighty. Judah's people are his beautiful garden. But when the Lord looked there for justice, he found only murder! When he looked for people who were righteous, he saw that they were cruel.
• 2 Timothy 2:19But the group of true believers remains strong, like the foundation under a building. God has written his message there. It says, ‘The Lord knows who his own people are.’ It also says, ‘Everyone who says that he belongs to the Lord must stop doing bad things.’

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

• Blindness
• Impenitence

In the dictionaries

• Asaph
• Psalms
• Angel
• Course
• Dark; Darkness
• God
• Korahites; Sons of Korah
• Psalms, Book of

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