The Meaning of Psalms 82:3 Explained

Psalms 82:3

KJV: Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy.

YLT: Judge ye the weak and fatherless, The afflicted and the poor declare righteous.

Darby: Judge the poor and the fatherless, do justice to the afflicted and the destitute;

ASV: Judge the poor and fatherless: Do justice to the afflicted and destitute.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Defend  the poor  and fatherless:  do justice  to the afflicted  and needy. 

What does Psalms 82:3 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalm 82:1-8 - The Just Judge Of All
Those described here as gods are evidently the judges and magistrates of Israel. See John 10:34. They were intended to be the mouthpiece and representatives of God; but instead, they thought only of their own interests and sought personal aggrandizement. But the psalmist beheld what was veiled from ordinary view-God standing in the midst of His people, judging them Himself and judging their judges.
We may have done wrongs of which no judge has convicted us. But God has seen, and unless there is confession, leading to forgiveness, He will certainly punish. Or, we may have been grossly misjudged, and in that case He will vindicate us. Go to Jesus, to whom the Father has committed all judgment, and remember that while all things are naked and open to His eyes, He also is the High Priest who is touched with the feeling of our infirmities, and the Lamb that takes away sin. When the foundations of the earth are out of course, let us remember that we belong to a kingdom that cannot be moved, Hebrews 12:28. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalm 82

1  The psalmist, having exhorted the judges
5  And reproved their negligence
8  Prays God to judge

What do the individual words in Psalms 82:3 mean?

Defend the poor and fatherless to the afflicted and needy do justice
שִׁפְטוּ־ דַ֥ל וְיָת֑וֹם עָנִ֖י וָרָ֣שׁ הַצְדִּֽיקוּ

שִׁפְטוּ־  Defend 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: שָׁפַט  
Sense: to judge, govern, vindicate, punish.
דַ֥ל  the  poor 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: דַּל  
Sense: low, poor, weak, thin, one who is low.
וְיָת֑וֹם  and  fatherless 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: יָתֹום  
Sense: an orphan, fatherless.
עָנִ֖י  to  the  afflicted 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: עָנִי  
Sense: poor, afflicted, humble, wretched.
וָרָ֣שׁ  and  needy 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: רוּשׁ  
Sense: to be poor, be in want, lack.
הַצְדִּֽיקוּ  do  justice 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: צָדַק  
Sense: to be just, be righteous.