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)	-

Psalms of the day in the liturgy of the Temple

One of the ongoing debates is the extent to which the Divine Office (and the liturgy more generally) represents a continuation of ancient Jewish practice.   Unfortunately, while there are passing references to the liturgy in the Old Testaments (such as King David's instigation of choirs of priests singing in the first temple) very little concrete evidence survives.

Still, those crumbs that do survive are interesting.  Consider this rationale for one of the psalms set for use each day, tied to the days of creation, an idea reflected in our Office today in the Vespers hymns (and arguably in certain other psalms set for the Benedictine Office at least).

The source for this daily service in the Temple  is theTamid, sect. vii, and Maimonides in Tamid:

On the first day of the week they sang Psalm 23, 'The earth is the Lord's,' etc., in commemoration of the first day of creation, when 'God possessed the world, and ruled in it.'

On the second day they sang Psalm 47, 'Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised,' etc., because on the second day of creation 'the Lord divided His works, and reigned over them.'

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.'

On the fourth day Psalm 93 was sung, 'O Lord God, to whom vengeance belongeth,' etc., 'because on the fourth day God made the sun, moon, and stars, and will be avenged on those that worship them.'

On the fifth day they sang Psalm 80, 'Sing aloud unto God our strength,' etc., 'because of the variety of creatures made that day to praise His name.'

On the sixth day Psalm 92 was sung, 'The Lord reigneth,' etc., 'because on that day God finished His works and made man, and the Lord ruled over all His works.'

Lastly, on the Sabbath day they sang Psalm 91, 'It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord,' etc., 'because the Sabbath was symbolical of the millennial kingdom at the end of the six thousand years' dispensation, when the Lord would reign over all, and His glory and service fill the earth with thanksgiving.'