The Pulpit Commentary — Psalms — Volume 2 — Section 164

ier: 1.-The Judge of the;'udges. "He judgeth among the gods "-elohim, a term sometimes used for those high in office (see Ei.:od. xxi. 6; xxii. 8, 28). Called gods as being God's representatives. The psalm may be illustrated by the address of Jehoshaphat to the juages, given in 2 Chron. xix. 6, 7. Our Lord gives the reason for princes or judges being called" gods," in John x. 34, 35, the" Word-of the Lor<l" came· to them, and gave them authority to speak and act in his name. Judges must feel that God is with them in their judgments, and they dishonour him when they give unjust or partial judgments. This may be illustrated from the custom of opening our Rs,ize courts. The idea is that the queen actually herself judges all causes, and proclamation is made in her name. She acts through delegates, but the people are to uuderstand that, if not in person, yet in reality, she is judging them. Judges who act unworthily dishoMur her. As "magistracy" was the most important work of Eastern kings, the term" judge" was used, iu a general way, for all positions of public honour, authority, and responsibility. So we may take the term "judges" as suggest- ing all kinds of official positions in which we may stand; all places in which we are put to rule or influence others; and then we may see the claim God makes to stand in relation to them all. He is the "Judge of all judges." L GoD ACTS THROUGH THE JUDGES. That truth ta.kes two forms, a lower and· a higher. In the lower form, all judges, all officials, all teachers, are the Lord's dele- gates ; standing for him, speaking and doing in his name, expressing to men bis will. This may be illustrated in Moses, Joshua, the so-called judges, the kings, and frorn one point of view, the prophets. But, in the higher form, God is conceived as being actually in the judge, and what he says and does can but convey to men God's will concerning them. So our Lord sa.id, the Father spoke by him. The true ruler and teacher reaches this higher view. And the authority of the teacher is properly recog- nized only when he is felt to be the voice of God. IL GoD EXPECTS JUDGES TO DE OPEN To nrn. So that he may work unhindered in them. The openness is indicated in the mastery of all self-pleasing, and the full willingness to be the Divine channel. All officers in Christ',; Church, great and small, need to watch them;e]ves, lest they close up their powers, so that God cannot work through them. l.IL GoD TAKES STRICT A0COUNT OF ms JUDGES. Specially of this, whether they gave to men his message; and whether they gave it to men just as he would have ie given.-R. T. Ver. 2.-.Accepting the person. Jehoshaphat (2 Chron. xix. 7), in addressin.~ the judges, reminds them that "with the Lord our Gcd is no respect of persons, nor taking of gilts" (see also 2 Sam. xiv. 14; Acts x. 34; Rom. il. 11; Gal. ii. 6). This Hebrew term, "accepting the perso □," or "accepting the face," is the equivalent of our term, "show partiality to." The figure is taken from the Eastern custom of prostrntion before a king or judge. The accepted suitor is commanded to" lift up his face," that is, to rise up. The extent to which the bribery of judges is carried on in the East may be illustrated by the following passa;!e, referring to Egypt, by Mr. Lane. "The rank of a plai1Jtiff or defendant, or a bribe from either, often influences the decision of tl,e jurlge. In general the naib (deputy of the judge), and mooftee (chief doctor of the law) take bribes; and the cadi (chief judge) receives from his naib. On some occasions, particularly in long litigations, bribes are given by each party, and the decision is awarded in favour of him who pays highest. 'l'his frequently happens in difficult lawsuits; and even in cases respecting which the law is perfectly clear, strict justice is not always administered, bribes and fali;e t~stimony being employed by one of tbe parties. The shocking extent to which bribery and suborning false witnesses are carried on in Moslem courts of law, and in the tribunal of the co.di e.t Cairo, can scarcely be credited." The psalmist pronounces the magistrates of his day to be iudiffcrent to jUBtice, neglectful of their duties, venal and unscrupulous, and he warns ro. LXXXII, 1-8.J THE BOOK OF PSALMS. 181