Hear My People The LORD Your Judge and Your Patron

This is what Scripture says: "Hear, O My people, and I will speak; O Israel, and I will testify against you; I am God, your God" (Psalms 50:7). Rabbi Pinchas ben Chama said: "Hear, O My people, that I may speak" means that I may have an opening of the mouth to bring accusation against the princes of the nations of the world. "Hear, O My people, and I will speak" - Rabbi Yehudah son of Rabbi Simon said in the name of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi: In the past, Israel was your name; before you received the Torah, your name was like the names of the nations of the world, like Sheba and Havilah and Sabtah and Raamah (Genesis 10:7) - such was your name, Israel. Once you received the Torah, you became "My people," "Hear, O My people, and I will speak" (Psalms ibid.). One testifies only to one who listens: "Hear, O My people, and I will speak; O Israel, and I will testify against you" (ibid.). "I am God, your God" (ibid.) - Rabbi Yochanan and Resh Lakish. Rabbi Yochanan said: "I am God" means I am a judge; "your God" means I am your patron who upholds you. And Resh Lakish said: "I am God, your God" - I am your patron; just as the patron is of help before the court, so "I am God, your God." Rabbi Pinchas the priest, son of Chama, said: "I am God, your God" - to whom does He speak? He speaks to Moses. He said to him: Even though I called you a god, as it is said, "See, I have made you a god to Pharaoh" (Exodus 7:1), nevertheless "I am your God" (Psalms ibid.). Another interpretation: "I am God, your God" (ibid.) - our Rabbis say He speaks of judges. He said to them: Not because I called you gods, as it is said, "You shall not revile God [the judges]" (Exodus 22:27), nevertheless "I am your God" (Psalms ibid.). Rabbi Yehudah the Levite, son of Rabbi Shalom, said: He speaks of Israel. He said to them: Not because I called you gods, as it is said, "I said, you are gods" (Psalms 82:6), nevertheless "I am your God" (ibid. 50:7).