Midrash Tehillim, a collection of rabbinic teachings on the Book of Psalms, wrestles with just that question in its commentary on Psalm 82. It's a short passage, but packs a serious punch.
The verse that sparks the whole discussion is Psalm 82:6: "I said: 'You are gods, and all of you are children of the Most High.'" Who is being addressed here? Gods? Children of the Most High?
The midrash – the rabbinic interpretation – jumps right into a comparison, a stark contrast, really, between the divine realm and humanity. "I commanded man one commandment and he did not observe it, and I expelled him from the Garden of Eden, as it is stated, 'So He drove out the man' (Genesis 3:24)." One commandment. Just one. And we blew it. Adam and Eve, faced with the prohibition against eating from the Tree of Knowledge, couldn't resist. The consequence? Expulsion from paradise. The idyllic existence, gone.
So, what about these "gods"? Are they held to a different standard? The midrash doesn’t let them off the hook. "Indeed, you will die as men and fall like one of the princes, the heavenly princes, as it is stated, 'The Lord will punish the host of heaven on high' (Isaiah 24:21)."
Whoa. The heavenly host, the "princes," the beings who might seem immortal and untouchable… they too are subject to judgment. They too are mortal, in a sense. Isaiah 24:21 speaks of divine judgment even on the celestial realm. It's a powerful image, a cosmic reckoning. Even those who seem elevated are not exempt from accountability.
And that brings us to the final plea, a call for divine intervention. "Arise, O God, judge the earth; for You shall inherit all the nations." It's a call for justice, for God to take control, to overcome the failings of both humanity and the heavenly beings.
The midrash concludes with a reaffirmation of God’s ultimate authority. "Overcome them and You shall be justified in Your judgment and judge them, as it is stated, 'And the Lord abides forever, He has established His throne for judgment' (Psalms 9:8)." God’s judgment is just, eternal, and inescapable. Even for the "gods."
What does it all mean? Perhaps it’s a reminder that no one is above the law, not even those who seem to occupy a higher plane. It's a call for accountability, a recognition that judgment applies to all. And maybe, just maybe, it's a glimmer of hope – a belief that even in the face of our failings, and the failings of those in power, true justice will ultimately prevail.