ummm HELP?!

[Christy4Christ]

Psalms 82

1 A Psalm of Asaph. God has taken his place in the divine council; in the midst of the gods he holds judgment: 2 "How long will you judge unjustly and show partiality to the wicked? [Selah] 3 Give justice to the weak and the fatherless; maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute. 4 Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked." 5 They have neither knowledge nor understanding, they walk about in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are shaken. 6 I say, "You are gods, sons of the Most High, all of you; 7 nevertheless, you shall die like men, and fall like any prince." 8 Arise, O God, judge the earth; for to thee belong all the nations!



WHAT IS THAT?!?

 

[Roald]

From the New American Bible online

1 [Psalm 82] As in Psalm 58, the pagan gods are seen as subordinate divine beings to whom Israel's God had delegated oversight of the foreign countries in the beginning (Deut 32:8-9). Now God arises in the heavenly assembly (Psalm 82:1) to rebuke the unjust "gods" (Psalm 82:2-4), who are stripped of divine status and reduced in rank to mortals (Psalm 82:5-7). They are accused of misruling the earth by not upholding the poor. A short prayer for universal justice concludes the psalm (Psalm 82:8).

2 [5] The gods are blind and unable to declare what is right. Their misrule shakes earth's foundations (cf Psalm 11:3; 75:4), which God made firm in creation (Psalm 96:10).

3 [6] I declare: "Gods though you be": in John 10:34 Jesus uses the verse to prove that those to whom the word of God is addressed can fittingly be called "gods."

4 [8] Judge the earth: according to Deut 32:8-9, Israel's God had originally assigned jurisdiction over the foreign nations to the subordinate deities, keeping Israel as a personal possession. Now God will directly take over the rulership of the whole world.




New American Bible Copyright © 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

 

[Christy4Christ]

I don't get this:

Israel's God had originally assigned jurisdiction over the foreign nations to the subordinate deities, keeping Israel as a personal possession. Now God will directly take over the rulership of the whole world

I am sorry but this doesn't make sense to me because I thought there was only one God. I appreciate your giving me this info but it doesn't really answer my question entirely. How could God take over rulership if He was the only God to begin with?

 

[Christy4Christ]

Wait so are you saying that at one time there were REAL Pagan God's?? This goes completely against everything I have ever been taught and now I feel as if I have slipped into the Twighlight Zone!

 

[thereselittleflower]

No Christy

I don't know if I can explain it all now, but "gods" can mean angels or children of God . . but not "God" the way God is . .


Remember that we believe in theosis, becoming God . .

The false gods are demons . . so in a sense they are real, but they are not "Gods" like God is God . .

There is only one GOD . ..

Am I making sense?


Peace in Him!

 

[thereselittleflower]

The new testament speaks about principalities in the air .. rulers of the air, these are fallen angelic beings who have jurisdiction over geoghraphical areas . . .remember, this is a fallen world . .

The Old Testament speaks of angelic beings and the Prince of the people of Israel (St Michael I think in Jeremiah when he fasted after receiving a vision that troubled him, and an angel was dispatched to tell him the meaning, but was in battle with a fallen angel who was trying to hinder him, and Michael the "Prince of your people" came to this angel's aid) . .

They are not Gods . . but the Hebrew word "elohim" is translated "gods" and is used of angelic beings of God as well as fallen ones . .



Peace in Him!

Peace in Him!

 

[Roald]

I am not sure exactly what the notes mean; I have never dealt with this passage. Perhaps, the notes reflect the views or perspectives of the Psalmist and not necessary the way things really are. I will have to check into this. Curious...

 

[Christy4Christ]

Yes that makes sense Therese but didn't Jesus say on some scripture that I can't find right now unfortunately, I am looking for it. Didn't He say "Your God is not my God" or something like that? I could kick myself because I cannot find that verse!

 

[Christy4Christ]

I think I am starting to understand this a little better. This stuff can be very confusing sometimes! I think I need my own spiritual advisor like the Kings used to have LOL

 

[thereselittleflower]

I think I am starting to understand this a little better. This stuff can be very confusing sometimes! I think I need my own spiritual advisor like the Kings used to have LOL

The think to remember Christy is that words are used in phrases and in poetic language in ways that do not go along with our modern day understanding of what those words would usually signify to us . .

So it is important to try to understand what concep the writer is conveying as well

And be careful of notes in bibles . . a lot of these things are open to interpreation and most bibles have notes by Protestant commentators . . I would always check those notes against the Catholic understanding of those passages as well . ..


Peace in Him1

 

[NDIrish]

I think I am starting to understand this a little better. This stuff can be very confusing sometimes! I think I need my own spiritual advisor like the Kings used to have LOL

You're right! We all need a spiritual director who will take an interest in our development. Someone you meet with on a monthly (at least) basis. I have one, and I keep a running list of questions to ask him when I see him.

 

[Christy4Christ]

Well I need to get one for sure NDIrish! Maybe I'll ask around my church for someone who has alot of bible knowledge to help me out.

 

[Aaron-Aggie]

Well I need to get one for sure NDIrish! Maybe I'll ask around my church for someone who has alot of bible knowledge to help me out.

ask your priest

 

[Christy4Christ]

oh what a concept Aaron! hehe