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

3Defend the cause of the poor and the fatherless! Vindicate the oppressed and suffering! 4Rescue the poor and needy! Deliver them from the power of the wicked! They neither know nor understand. They stumble around in the dark, while all the foundations of the earth crumble. 6I thought, ‘You are gods; all of you are sons of the Most High.’ 7Yet you will die like mortals; you will fall like all the 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 53:4All those who behave wickedly do not understand – those who devour my people as if they were eating bread, and do not call out to God.
• Proverbs 1:29Because they hated moral knowledge, and did not choose to fear the Lord,
• Micah 3:1I said, “Listen, you leaders of Jacob, you rulers of the nation of Israel! You ought to know what is just,
• Romans 1:28And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what should not be done.
• Proverbs 2:13who leave the upright paths to walk on the dark ways,
• Proverbs 4:19The way of the wicked is like gloomy darkness; they do not know what causes them to stumble.
• Ecclesiastes 2:14The wise man can see where he is going, but the fool walks in darkness. Yet I also realized that the same fate happens to them both.
• John 3:19Now this is the basis for judging: that the light has come into the world and people loved the darkness rather than the light, because their deeds were evil.
• John 12:35Jesus replied, “The light is with you for a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, so that the darkness may not overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going.
• 1 John 2:11But the one who hates his fellow Christian is in the darkness, walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.
• Psalms 11:3When the foundations are destroyed, what can the godly accomplish?”
• Psalms 75:3When the earth and all its inhabitants dissolve in fear, I make its pillars secure.” (Selah)
• Ecclesiastes 3:16I saw something else on earth: In the place of justice, there was wickedness, and in the place of fairness, there was wickedness.
• Isaiah 5:7Indeed Israel is the vineyard of the Lord who commands armies, the people of Judah are the cultivated place in which he took delight. He waited for justice, but look what he got – disobedience! He waited for fairness, but look what he got – cries for help!
• 2 Timothy 2:19However, God’s solid foundation remains standing, bearing this seal: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and “Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from evil.”

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