A Week of Psalms in New York - Psalm 82 at the United Nations

The United Nations General Assembly, New York

This psalm tells us that we “are gods, children of the Most High.” Jesus used the words of this Psalm to rebut the accusations of blasphemy made against him by the Jewish leadership. If we are all children of the most high, how can it be blasphemous to say Jesus is the Son of God?

Whilst we may all be “Gods” in our own way, the psalmist reminds us from the outset that it is God himself who is the source of justice and truth - it is only He, in whose image we are made, who "holds judgement" in the "divine council". Our earthly power is God-given and comes with responsibilities attached. The psalm continues to set out what this means in practice. We are called to;

"Give justice to the weak and the orphan;

maintain the right of the lowly and the destitute.

Rescue the weak and the needy;

deliver them from the hand of the wicked.”

Founded in 1945 in the aftermath of the Second World War, the United Nations is the world's largest intergovernmental organisation and is tasked with maintaining global peace and security, protecting human rights, delivering humanitarian aid, promoting sustainable development and upholding international law.

Headquartered in Manhattan, New York, in buildings designed by a panel of architects drawn from its founding members, the UN, like the psalm, shows us that we are called to work together in order to bring about peace and justice for all. The building is adorned with countless works of art donated by member states, which promote the values of the UN, such as this mosaic representation of Norman Rockwell's painting of The Golden Rule "Do to others as you would have them do to you." (Luke 6.31)

The Golden Rule - Norman Rockwell

Exhibitions describe the continuing work of the organisation around the world. A world in which people still seem to "walk around in darkness" - a world where landmines cost one dollar to make but three hundred thousand dollars to remove. A world which spends five billion dollars each day on its military and weapons production - the amount of money the UN estimates is required to end poverty in Yemen and South Sudan forever.

“How long will you judge unjustly

and show partiality to the wicked?”

The psalmist cries. For how much longer will those cries fall on deaf ears?

Psalm 82
A Plea for Justice
A Psalm of Asaph.

God has taken his place in the divine council;
   in the midst of the gods he holds judgement: 
‘How long will you judge unjustly
   and show partiality to the wicked?
          Selah

Give justice to the weak and the orphan;
   maintain the right of the lowly and the destitute. 
Rescue the weak and the needy;
   deliver them from the hand of the wicked.’ 

They have neither knowledge nor understanding,
   they walk around in darkness;
   all the foundations of the earth are shaken. 

I say, ‘You are gods,
   children of the Most High, all of you; 
nevertheless, you shall die like mortals,
   and fall like any prince.’ 

Rise up, O God, judge the earth;
   for all the nations belong to you!

Links 

The Golden Rule – Norman Rockwell

Psalm 82 was one of the Psalms appointed for Evening Prayer on Tuesday 2nd April while I was visiting New York