For those who may wish to ‘study’ this chapter, the following simple resources are provided for you. Each passage has a four-Part approach to help you take in and think further about what you have read.

Passage: Psalm 75

1 We praise you, God,
    we praise you, for your Name is near;
    people tell of your wonderful deeds.

2 You say, ‘I choose the appointed time;
    it is I who judge with equity.
3 When the earth and all its people quake,
    it is I who hold its pillars firm.
4 To the arrogant I say, “Boast no more,”
    and to the wicked, “Do not lift up your horns.
5 Do not lift your horns against heaven;
    do not speak so defiantly.”’

6 No one from the east or the west
    or from the desert can exalt themselves.
7 It is God who judges:
    he brings one down, he exalts another.
8 In the hand of the Lord is a cup
    full of foaming wine mixed with spices;
he pours it out, and all the wicked of the earth
    drink it down to its very dregs.

9 As for me, I will declare this for ever;
    I will sing praise to the God of Jacob,
10 who says, ‘I will cut off the horns of all the wicked,
    but the horns of the righteous shall be lifted up.’

A. Find Out:    

1. Why do we give thanks to the Lord? v.1
2. What does the Lord do, and with what effect? v.2,3
3. Who does he warn and what does he say? v.4,5
4. What cannot happen anywhere on the earth? v.6
5. For what does God do? v.7,8
6. What will the psalmist do as a consequence? v.9,10

B. Think:

1. How is God revealed in this psalm?
2. How is man revealed?
3. Thus what warnings come?

C. Comment:

The psalmist is aware of the ACTIVITY OF THE LORD. He first of all gives thanks because the Lord has come near and whenever we can say that it involves the Lord doing things (v.1). The Lord decides the time to act (v.2) and although sometimes the earth seems to shake, the Lord holds everything in place (v.3). Thus, when the Lord acts, He acts on the basis of His wisdom (he judges wisely what to do) and He upholds the world as well as bringing disciplinary judgement.

When we compare man to God we realise we have no grounds for boasting (v.4) and so it is only the foolish and arrogant person who will boast. It is only the wicked who is foolish enough to lift up his position and power (horns, v.4,5) as if to challenge God. No, the truth is that nobody anywhere on the earth can exalt or lift up a person to challenge God (implied, v.6). We cannot lift up ourselves except by the grace of God for the Lord is the One who lifts up and pulls down (v.7). The Lord is the One who judges the earth (v.8)

The response of the psalmist is to praise the Lord (v.9). He has come to this understanding. He knows God’s greatness, he’s seen God’s activity and man’s smallness and so he will respond accordingly and an appropriate response is praise. In terms of daily life it is to come against wickedness and work for righteousness (v.10).

D. Application:

1. May I never let pride rise up and fool me into exalting myself.
2. The Lord is the One who oversees all things and all people.