Psalms82:1

Translation

A Psalm of ASAPH.

ELOHIM stands in the assembly of EL,

He judges in the midst of the ELOHIM.

(See comment below.)

Paraphrase

A psalm of THE GATHERER

THE CREATOR AND RULER OF ALL THINGS is more powerful than foreign gods like the Canaanite god EL; He has the authority to call to account all human authority figures who think they are POWERFUL.

Footnotes

1: "assembly of EL"

This is the only time that the phrase “assembly of El” is used in the Bible. El is singular, and thus, probably meant to be specific. It seems to be referring to the Canaanite god El, who was their highest god, although not their most popular god. There was also a Babylonian god named El, but few Hebrews had contact with the followers of that Babylonian god, so I think it is most likely a reference to the Canaanite god. The purpose here seems to be to use this high god of the Canaanites as a demonstration of the true God’s sovereignty over any and all entities who were thought to have special power.

2: "the ELOHIM"

The word ELOHIM is plural and has several possible meanings. It was used of human judges and other leaders who exercise authority, of angels, of foreign gods, and most often of the God of creation worshipped by the Hebrew people. Context must indicate which one was being referred to. It is usually safe to assume it was being used of the God of creation as described in the Bible unless context indicates such an interpretation is untenable. In this verse, the first ELOHIM refers to the God of the Hebrews, the second time it does not.

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THIS PSALM?

This is a psalm about the sovereignty of the God of creation, the God of the children of Israel. It establishes God’s sovereignty by comparing His power to rule and the kindness with which He rules, with that of other entities of power.

I choose to interpret this psalm as a comparison between the God who usually goes by the name ELOHIM and all other entities of power, be they humans or false gods. Most of the statements that follow seem to be directed at human leaders, especially judges, but some of them can also be seen as attacks on the belief in false gods. Why must we choose only one? Why can’t this psalm be a refutation of both human judges and false gods?

WHAT ABOUT “THE COUNCIL OF THE GODS” THEORY?

There is a theory that has been popularized by Michael Heiser which posits that the God of creation is part of a “council of the gods” and all of them have some power and can do things. Supposedly, the Nephilim of Genesis 6:1-4 make of up part of this “council of gods”. The God of creation is the most powerful entity in this council, but not in a truly sovereign way. He cannot control these other deities, and we have some of the problems we do today because these other powerful entities are wreaking havoc among humans.

However, promoting that theory by means of this psalm requires turning this psalm upside down! It is based on the words “assembly of El” but it ignores the rest of the psalm. Michael Heiser has given himself the freedom to interpret the phrase “Assembly of El” however he wants to instead of allowing the psalm it appears in to define it and clarify it.

In Psalm 82, the God of creation is clearly depicted as having all power; other entities of power must submit to Him. Human authorities, such as heads of state and judges, exercise authority only because God has granted them power in order to further His causes; they are to be a reflection of Him. Using their power for their own benefit is an afront to the one who gave them that power.

According to this psalm and the rest of the Bible, all supposed deities that are not the creator God, only exist in the imaginations of men, or are demons masquerading as deities. Whenever there are demonic forces behind them, it will come to light that their authority has been stolen, not granted. Satan and his demons are allowed to function within certain limitations that God has established and they know they will be punished in the end.

There is no competition for who is truly God. This psalm does not make the God of the Bible look weak and incapable; it makes our God look all-powerful and other entities look weak or totally false.

DID THE PEOPLE OF THE ANCIENT NEAR EAST THINK OF THE NEPHILIM AS DEITIES?

All indications point to the answer being “No”.

The deities of the Ancient Near East had specific names, not just a general designation such as ‘a Nephilim.”

I have never seen or heard of an ancient document in which one of the Nephilim was considered a god, or of a recognized god that belonged to the group called the Nephilim. 1 Enoch calls them neither gods nor demigods, but rather giants. Neither have I heard anything about the Greek or Roman pantheons that points to the Nephilim being gods.

There is speculation that some of the heroes of Greek and Roman mythology were super-humans with special abilities, just like the Nephilim of one of the interpretations of Genesis 6:1-4. But I don’t see any ancient source saying they were actual gods. Admittedly, the Greeks and Romans claimed that, at times, the gods did procreate with human women. However, their offspring, referred to as demigods, were not fully divine and were subject to mortality.

We can assume that, to be part of the Council of the gods, one needed to actually be a god, not just a demigod.

Genesis 6:4 indicates that the Nephilim were on the earth before the flood and afterwards, meaning after the flood. How did they get to the other side of the flood without being on the ark, unless they were in Noah’s DNA? If they were demigods, how did they survive the flood which, according to people like Heiser, God sent specifically to eliminate the Nephilim (and humans were caught in the cross-fire)? Demigods, i.e. super-humans, would not have the power to evade God’s judgment. So saying they survived God’s attempt to eliminate them puts them on God’s level with equal, or close to equal powers.

One could argue that some of the gods with specific names were actually part of the Nephilim. But that would be an argument from silence. I think the silence of all the ancient records regarding them being gods speaks more powerfully against the possibility rather than in favor of it.

Therefore, it seems to me that Michael Heiser’s claim that the Nephilim belonged to the Council of the Gods is a supposition based on him wanting it to be true; there is no historical evidence for it and such an idea contradicts the entire Bible – especially if one takes it to the extreme that Michael Heiser takes it. Such a claim also causes confusion because, according to ancient mythology, the offspring of a god and a human was a demigod, yet Heiser ascribes to them the powers of a god. Even if demigods were to exist, he can’t have it both ways.