The Bible is not an easy book. God did not give us a simple instruction manual or a straightforward description, in alphabetical order, of his essential qualities. The Bible, like Jesus’ own incarnation, often hides the glory of God as much as it reveals it. That is because God wants us to hunger and thirst for the secrets it reveals; he wants us to ardently seek him and find him. Just like the Lord’s admonition that we must become “importunate” in prayer, we must doggedly come to Scripture relying on God’s help to understand it.

Psalm 82 is one of those knotty, enigmatic sections of the Bible that can confuse as much as they reveal. The primary sticking point here is the talk of “gods”. We know that one of the central teachings of the Bible is that there are not many “gods” so why is God using this kind of talk? And who are these gods he is addressing? I cannot unlock all the mysteries here, but I want to draw our attention to some key points to remember.

One thing this psalm highlights is that God likes to share power. He is not like a paranoid dictator jealously hoarding rule. He freely, evenly delightedly, shares the responsibility of care for his cosmos with others. In the Bible God shares such power with men and angels. While angels definitely are part of this, God seems particularly interested in bringing man into the ruling task. From Adam to the apostles to us, he is shown persistently making it possible for us to share his authority. So while I cannot definitely prove that the “gods” addressed in Psalm 82 are humans, I believe that is what is going on. God is dressing down people, with whom he has shared power, for not ruling as he would.

This leads directly into the next point; he expects people to rule as he would. We are not to rule selfishly, but “servantly,” just as Jesus came and exerted his authority to do good and set people free. Just as Jesus washed his disciples feet. If the king of the universe rules that way, so should we.

Next, and most shockingly, sharing rule with God somehow makes us “gods”. The early church father Irenaeus put it this way “God became what we are that he might make us in the end what he is.” Now this is clearly not the kind of thing that Mormons have in mind with their teaching that Jesus was first a man and then became a god. They also teach that all believers will become gods too.

No, this Scripture, and many others throughout the Bible, teach that we become divine by grace (gift) and participation (attaching ourselves in faith to Christ). When we live apart from God for our own agendas we become more like animals and idols, but when we turn to God and live with him in his work, we share in his “divine nature” (2 Peter 1.3-4). God is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, but as we trust God and learn to share in his work and ways, he works in us to make us like him. “Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.” (1 Jn. 3:2 ESV)

So I suggest that we read this psalm as an invitation embrace our eternal calling; to become more and more like God as we share in his rule over creation. Every area that he has delegated to us becomes a workshop for becoming like him. Every meal cooked, law written, homework assignment completed, and car repaired is an opportunity for us to grow in participation in our Father’s nature through faith in Christ and by the power of the Holy Spirit.

“But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?… You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matt. 5:44-48 ESV)