Ye Are Gods - What Does This Mean?

Introduction: A Verse That Challenges What We Thought We Knew

Psalm 82:6-7 says, “I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the Most High. But ye shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes.”

For centuries, this verse has been quoted but rarely understood. Many have taken it to mean that mankind is divine or carries godlike power within, yet that reading collapses when the context is examined. This passage does not honor man; it rebukes those who were appointed to carry out Yahuah’s justice but used their authority for corruption. They were called elohim because they acted under divine appointment, not because they shared Yahuah’s nature.

Once we trace the word elohim back to the Torah, the entire meaning of Psalm 82 becomes clear.

Elohim: A Title for Judges, Not Gods

The word translated “gods” in Psalm 82:6 is elohim, Strong’s H430. The term can refer to Yahuah Himself, to heavenly beings, or to human rulers depending on the context. In the law of Moses, it clearly refers to judges, men chosen to represent Yahuah’s authority among His people.

Exodus 21:6“Then his master shall bring him unto the judges (elohim); he shall also bring him to the door, or unto the door post; and his master shall bore his ear through with an aul; and he shall serve him for ever.”

Strong’s Reference: H430 - Elohim Meaning: gods, mighty ones, rulers, judges Source: https://biblehub.com/hebrew/430.htm

Here, elohim means judges, men who stood in Yahuah’s place when deciding matters of law.

The same word appears again in Exodus 22:8-9, where legal disputes are brought before the appointed authorities:

“If the thief be not found, then the master of the house shall be brought unto the judges (elohim) H430, to see whether he have put his hand unto his neighbour’s goods. For all manner of trespass, whether it be for ox, for ass, for sheep, for raiment, or for any manner of lost thing, which another challengeth to be his, the cause of both parties shall come before the judges; and whom the judges (elohim) H430 shall condemn, he shall pay double unto his neighbour.” - Exodus 22:8-9 (KJV)

In both verses, the word translated “judges” is Elohim (Strong’s H430) in the Hebrew text. This shows that Elohim can refer to human judges who represent Yahuah’s authority in legal matters

Yahuah’s Courtroom: Justice on Trial

Psalm 82 begins with Yahuah standing among the rulers of Israel and calling them to account.

“Elohim stands in the congregation of the mighty; He judges among the gods.” - Psalm 82:1

The “gods” here are the rulers and judges who were meant to uphold truth. Instead of protecting the helpless, they defended the wicked.

“How long will you judge unjustly, and accept the persons of the wicked? Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy.” - Psalm 82:2-3

These men had authority but lacked righteousness. They were supposed to reflect Yahuah’s justice; instead, they used their power for selfish gain. The psalm exposes how human authority, when corrupted, turns from service into sin.

The Verdict: You Are Judges, Yet You Will Die as Men

Now Yahuah delivers His sentence.

“I have said, Ye are gods (H430); and all of you are children of the Most High. But ye shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes.” - Psalm 82:6-7

To make the meaning plain, read it with the word that fits the context:

“I have said, Ye are judges (H430); and all of you are children of the Most High. But ye shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes.” - Psalm 82:6-7 (interpreted)

Does this help you see it clearly? Yahuah was not calling men divine. He was warning those who ruled unjustly that they were still mortal and would face the same end as any other man. Their title did not protect them from accountability. They had been trusted to carry out His law; instead, they perverted it. So He declared that their authority would end in death and disgrace.

Yahusha’s Response to His Accusers

When Yahusha was accused of blasphemy for calling Himself the Son of Elohim, He quoted this very passage.

“Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods? If He called them gods, unto whom the word of Elohim came, and the Scripture cannot be broken; say ye of Him, whom the Father hath sanctified and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of Elohim?” -John 10:34-36

Yahusha’s reasoning was sharp and exact. If Scripture itself referred to unjust human judges as elohim because the word of Yahuah came to them, how could the sanctified and sent Son of Elohim be guilty of blasphemy for speaking truth? He was not defending the idea that all humans are divine; He was exposing the hypocrisy of those who twisted Scripture to condemn Him.

The Truth Hidden in Plain Sight

For many generations, this psalm has been quoted without context. People saw the phrase “Ye are gods” and built entire doctrines upon it, forgetting that it was spoken in judgment, not in praise. Psalm 82 is Yahuah’s courtroom, where He rebukes those who sit in positions of power but fail to rule with righteousness.

He called them elohim because they bore His authority; when they corrupted it, He reminded them that they were only dust. The message remains the same today. Authority is a test. It is given to serve, not to glorify self. When leaders exalt themselves above the law of Yahuah, they face the same warning: “You will die like men.”

Conclusion: The Weight of Borrowed Authority

Psalm 82 is not a declaration of human divinity; it is a warning to those who represent Yahuah’s authority on earth.

• Elohim (H430) means judges or rulers when applied to men.

• Exodus 21:6 and Exodus 22:8-9 confirm this meaning.

• Psalm 82 records Yahuah’s rebuke against corrupt leaders.

• John 10:34-36 shows Yahusha using the passage to correct false accusation.
  

Final Statement: When Yahuah said, “Ye are gods,” He reminded leaders that their authority came from Him and would be judged by Him. They were chosen to represent His justice, yet their pride turned them into oppressors. The psalm ends with a timeless truth: every ruler who forgets who gave him power will fall, and only Yahuah will stand as the true Elohim who judges the earth with righteousness.