Psalms 82 · Verse 5

Psalms 82:5

They know not, neither will they understand; they walk on in darkness: all the foundations of the earth are out of course.
Psalms 82:5, King James Version

Psalms 82:5 in other translations

BSBThey do not know or understand; they wander in the darkness; all the foundations of the earth are shaken.
WEBThey don’t know, neither do they understand. They walk back and forth in darkness. All the foundations of the earth are shaken.
ASVThey know not, neither do they understand; They walk to and fro in darkness: All the foundations of the earth are shaken.
YLTThey knew not, nor do they understand, In darkness they walk habitually, Moved are all the foundations of earth.
DARBYThey know not, neither do they understand; they walk on in darkness: all the foundations of the earth are moved.
BBEThey have no knowledge or sense; they go about in the dark: all the bases of the earth are moved.
WebsterThey know not, neither will they understand; they walk on in darkness: all the foundations of the earth are out of course.

What does Psalms 82:5 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
5. By the wilful ignorance and negligence of judges, anarchy ensues (Psa 11:3; 75:3). out of course--(Compare Margin; Psa 9:6; 62:2).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 5 They know not - The judges are not acquainted with the law of God, on which all their decisions should be founded. Neither will they understand - They are ignorant and do not wish to be instructed. They will not learn; they cannot teach. Happy England! How different from Judea, even in the days of Jehoshaphat! All thy judges are learned, righteous, and impartial. Never did greater men in their profession dignify any land or country - (1822). All the foundations of the earth - "All the civil institutions of the land totter." Justice is at the head of all the institutions in a well regulated state: when that gets poisoned or perverted, every evil, political and domestic, must prevail; even religion itself ceases to have any influence.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Psalms 82:1-5

Magistrates are the mighty in authority for the public good. Magistrates are the ministers of God's providence, for keeping up order and peace, and particularly in punishing evil-doers, and protecting those that do well. Good princes and good judges, who mean well, are under Divine direction; and bad ones, who mean ill, are under Divine restraint. The authority of God is to be submitted to, in those governors whom…

Read the full comment on Psalms 82:1-5 →

Psalms 82:5 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

לֹ֤אlo'notH3808
יָֽדְע֨וּ\׀ya.de.'Uthey knowH3045
וְלֹ֥אve.Lo'and notH3808
יָבִ֗ינוּya.Vi.nuthey understandH995
בַּחֲשֵׁכָ֥הba.cha.she.Khahin darknessH2825
יִתְהַלָּ֑כוּyit.ha.La.khuthey walk aboutH1980
יִ֝מּ֗וֹטוּyi.Mo.tuthey are shakenH4131
כָּל\־kol-allH3605
מ֥וֹסְדֵיMos.dei[the] foundations ofH4144
אָֽרֶץ\׃'A.retz[the] earthH776

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Psalms 82:5

  • Romans 1:28

    And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;

  • Psalms 11:3

    If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?

  • Proverbs 2:13

    Who leave the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness;

  • Micah 3:1

    And I said, Hear, I pray you, O heads of Jacob, and ye princes of the house of Israel; Is it not for you to know judgment?

  • John 3:19

    And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

  • John 12:35

    Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth.

  • Proverbs 1:29

    For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord:

  • Psalms 14:4

    Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge? who eat up my people as they eat bread, and call not upon the Lord.

  • 1 John 2:11

    But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.

  • Isaiah 59:9

    Therefore is judgment far from us, neither doth justice overtake us: we wait for light, but behold obscurity; for brightness, but we walk in darkness.

  • Psalms 75:3

    The earth and all the inhabitants thereof are dissolved: I bear up the pillars of it. Selah.

  • 2 Timothy 2:19

    Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
They.That is, the judges know not.
know not.
53:4; Pr 1:29; Mic 3:1; Ro 1:28
walk.
Pr 2:13; 4:19; Ec 2:14; Joh 3:19; 12:35; 1Jo 2:11
all the, etc.All the civil institutions of the land totter.
11:3; 75:3; Ec 3:16; Isa 5:7; 2Ti 2:19
out of course. Heb. moved.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Psalms 82:4

    Deliver the poor and needy: rid them out of the hand of the wicked.

  • Psalms 82:5

    They know not, neither will they understand; they walk on in darkness: all the foundations of the earth are out of course.

  • Psalms 82:6

    I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High.

Read all of Psalms 82

Psalms 82:5 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		No saben, no entienden, andan en tinieblas: vacilan todos los cimientos de la tierra.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Ils ne connaissent ni ne comprennent, ils marchent dans les ténèbres: tous les fondements de la terre chancellent.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Sie wissen nichts und verstehen nichts, in Finsternis wandeln sie einher: es wanken alle Grundfesten der Erde.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Dixerunt: Venite, et disperdamus eos de gente, et non memoretur nomen Israël ultra.