Are the “gods” in Psalm 82 the Kings of the Earth?

Some argue that the “gods” in Psalm 82 are earthly kings. One portion of Scripture used to defend this position is Psalm 89, where God calls David “the firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth” [Psa 89:27]. They use this portion to say that since David is the firstborn of God (i.e. a son of God), then other kings of the earth are also sons of God.

Here are reasons why this is not so:

1. David was the one who set apart the sons of Asaph for the ministry of prophesying, accompanied by musical instruments [1Chr 25:1].
2. Asaph was not just a singer, but he was a seer [2Chr 29:30].
   1. The things Asaph saw – like in Psalm 82 were visions, they weren’t mere songs, or poetry, they were prophetic visions.
3. They are called “gods” (el)
4. “Ye shall die like men and fall like one of the princes” is what God said to the “gods”. Therefore, they are not men, nor are they the princes of the earth [Psa 82:7].
   1. The first death does not kill angels (spirits), but the second death (e. the Lake of Fire) can.
5. They are regarded as “gods” because they are sons of the Most High (God).
   1. It is for this same reason that Jesus is the Son of God.
   2. The Jews took Jesus calling Himself the Son of God to mean He was “god”
   3. This is not to say that Jesus is equal to these other sons. His point in John 10 was that He’s superior to them
6. The larger context of Scriptures confirms a council of gods. This shows that those spoken of here are not human kings
7. Some say the gods are men, using God’s word to David that He is the firstborn of the kings of the earth [Psa 89:20-27].
   1. Even if earthly kings are called sons of god in some contexts, it doesn’t automatically mean that Psalm 82 speaks of earthly kings.
   2. Even though it is established in history that earthly kings called themselves gods, the Bible does not call earthly kings
8. God judged the gods of Psalm 82
   1. These gods continued to rule after the judgment, as can be deduced from God’s charge to them to defend the weak and fatherless [Psa 82:3]. God didn’t tell them “you didn’t defend the weak” – as he would if this event occurs at the final judgment, instead, God told them to [go] and defend the weak. Therefore this assembly happened before the final judgment – which is yet to take place.
   2. There has never been an assembly of God with the earthly kings, therefore, these aren’t human kings.
9. Some argue the psalm is a prophecy of the future. If this is so, how will God gather unrighteous kings before He arises to judge the earth? What prophecy tells foretells this?
   1. It will not happen before the Millennium
   2. It will not happen during the Millennium – as Isaiah says the kings of the earth would be bound in the abyss in the Millennium [Isa 24:21-23; Rev 20:4]
10. Jesus made it clear that the event happened before His time [Joh 10:34-36].
    1. Claiming to be a human king isn’t a claim to be equal to God as the Jews rightly interpreted Jesus’ words to mean
11. God is to judge the earth, because He will inherit the nations therefore, the “sons of god” are the current judges of the earth, the current rulers over the nations. If the one who is to rule is god, then so are the ones who currently rule.