Defend the weak and the fatherless
Psalms 82:3 - As believers, we are called to reflect God’s justice and mercy in our own lives and in our communities.
“Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed.”
Psalms 82:3 NIV
Psalm 82 is not one of David’s psalms. It is attributed to Asaph, a great singer and musician of the eras of David and his son Solomon. He is lauded in 1 and 2 Chronicles (for example, 1 Chronicles 15:17-19 notes him as a cymbal player, in 1 Chronicles 16:7-11 David instructs him to “give praise to the Lord” with a song), and in 1 Chronicles 25:1 and 2 Chronicles 29:30 we hear of Asaph’s ability to prophesy with his musical compositions. So Asaph is more than just the loud drummer behind the plastic wall in your local church praise band; he was a skilled musician and prophet who earned the respect of Kings David and Solomon.
In today’s verse, God is commanding the unjust judges of the earth to do their duty defending those who are often the victims of unjust treatment. In the context of the day, the poor and the fatherless were often singled out for unfair treatment, and it was the job of the judges to not only defend them, but to provide justice to the needy and afflicted.
Martin Luther said of Psalm 82:2-4:
“These...three verses, indeed the whole psalm, every prince should have painted on the wall of his chamber, on his bed, over his table, and on his garments. For here they find what lofty, princely, noble virtues their estate can practice, so that temporal government, next to the preaching office, is the highest service to God and the most useful office on earth.”1
Orphans and widows were often singled out for exploitation and injustice in ancient Israel, and the call to the judges to defend them is reflective of God’s character. In Deuteronomy 10:18, we see that “He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the foreigner residing among you, giving them food and clothing.” This is repeated throughout Scripture, including in the prophetic literature where Isaiah 1:17 says “Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.”
It was expected that those with power and wealth like the judges would follow God’s call to help the oppressed, but Asaph’s psalm indicates that was not the case. The legal system of ancient Israel was designed to protect the rights of all people, with a special focus on the “poor and oppressed”. Asaph sings of the need for intervention by the judges to ensure that justice is served.
The New Testament also follows this theme, and Jesus personifies the ultimate advocate for the oppressed. His ministry focused on the marginalized, and His teachings on the Kingdom of God prioritized mercy and justice for all. For example, in the Beatitudes Jesus said “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled” (Matthew 5:6) and He taught this lesson to a very unreceptive audience in the synagogue of Nazareth (Luke 4:18-19), when He read from Isaiah 61:1-2 —
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
As believers, we are called to reflect God’s justice and mercy in our own lives and in our communities. We can do this by volunteering in our churches, in our cities and towns, or by providing financial support to excellent charitable organizations like Samaritan’s Purse. We should not expect government and elected officials to fulfill this role; as in Asaph’s day, many of them are too invested in politics and power to care about those who really need their
Heaven On Wheels Daily Prayer:
Dear Lord, give us the strength and courage to help defend the weak, the poor, the widows and the orphans. Strengthen our hearts in Your mercy, to Help us stand up for justice, and the rights of the poor and oppressed. Let us be your hands and feet in this world to bring hope and healing to all who are hurting. AMEN.
Scripture quotations taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica US, Inc.®. Used by permission.
BibleHub was accessed on August 22, 2025 for commentary on Psalm 82:3
Commentary quotations from Enduring Word are used with the written permission of the author
Cited in Boice, James Montgomery "Psalms: An Expostional Commentary" Volume 2 (Psalms 42-106) (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Books, 1996)