Psalm 81: Overview

In the Benedictine Office, Psalm 81 is said at Thursday Matins.  In the Temple liturgy though it was apparently said on Tuesday:

On the third day they sang Psalm 81, 'God standeth in the congregation of the mighty,' etc., 'because on that day the earth appeared, on which are the Judge and the judged.' (Tamid, sect. vii, and Maimonides in Tamid)

St Alphonsus Liguori commented on it that:

It is God whom the prophet makes speak in this psalm; he reproaches the princes and the judges of the earth for their evil administration of justice, and places before them the moment of death, when they themselves will have to be judged. The last verse shows us Jesus Christ coming to judge all men at the end of the world.

The text of the psalm

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
Psalmus Asaph.	A psalm for Asaph.
Deus stetit in synagóga deórum: * in médio autem deos dijúdicat.	God has stood in the congregation of gods: and being in the midst of them he judges gods.
2 Usquequo judicátis iniquitátem: * et fácies peccatórum súmitis?	How long will you judge unjustly: and accept the persons of the wicked?
3 Judicáte egéno, et pupíllo: * húmilem, et páuperem justificáte.	Judge for the needy and fatherless: do justice to the humble and the poor.
4 Erípite páuperem: * et egénum de manu peccatóris liberáte.	Rescue the poor; and deliver the needy out of the hand of the sinner
5 Nesciérunt, neque intellexérunt, in ténebris ámbulant: * movebúntur ómnia fundaménta terræ.	They have not known nor understood: they walk on in darkness: all the foundations of the earth shall be moved.
6 Ego dixi: Dii estis, * et fílii Excélsi omnes.	I have said: You are gods and all of you the sons of the most High.
7 Vos autem sicut hómines moriémini: * et sicut unus de princípibus cadétis.	But you like men shall die: and shall fall like one of the princes.
8 Surge, Deus, júdica terram: * quóniam tu hereditábis in ómnibus Géntibus.	Arise, O God, judge the earth: for you shall inherit among all the nations.

Scriptural and liturgical uses of the psalm

NT references	Jn 10:34
RB cursus	Thursday Matins II, 3
Monastic/(Roman) feasts etc	-
Roman pre 1911	Friday Matins
Roman post 1911	1911-62: Friday Terce .
Mass propers (EF)	-