| 1. A song of Asaph. God stands in the congregation of God; in the midst of the judges He will judge. |
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א. |
| God stands in the congregation of God: to see whether they [the judges] judge fairly, and you judges, how long will you judge unjustly? |
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| 2. How long will you judge unjustly and favor the wicked forever? |
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ב. |
| 3. Judge the poor and orphan; justify the humble and the impoverished. |
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ג. |
| justify: If he [the poor man] is right in his cause, do not reverse the verdict to condemn him in order to favor the wicked. |
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| 4. Release the poor and the needy; save [them] from the hands of [the] wicked. |
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ד. |
| 5. They did not know and they do not understand [that] they will walk in darkness; all the foundations of the earth will totter. |
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ה. |
| They did not know: The judges who pervert justice. |
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| and they do not understand: that because of this iniquity, they will walk in the dark (on the order of [Exod. 23:8]: “for bribery blinds, etc.”), and all the foundations of the earth will totter because of it. |
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| 6. I said, "You are angelic creatures, and all of you are angels of the Most High." |
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ו. |
| You are angelic creatures: Angels. When I gave you the Torah, I gave it to you on the condition that the Angel of Death should not rule over you. |
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| 7. Indeed, as man, you will die, and as one of the princes, you will fall. |
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ז. |
| Indeed, as man, you will die: Indeed, as Adam, you will die since you corrupted your deeds as he did. |
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| and as one of the princes: the first [princes], who died, so will you fall. The Midrash Aggadah (Mid. Ps. 82:3) [explains]: As one of the celestial princes, for it is said (Isa. 24:21): “the Lord will visit punishment upon the host of heaven on high.” |
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| 8. Arise, O God, judge the earth, for You inherit all the nations. |
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ח. |
| Arise, O God: Asaph commences to pray that He rise and cut off from Israel those corrupt judges. |
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| for You: are the One Who inherits the nations, and everyone is in Your hands to judge. |
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