Psalm 75: God the Judge

For the director of music. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” A psalm of Asaph. A song.

[Preliminary Comments: A simple song from the office of the singers that declares the Lord’s greatness as the judge of the whole earth, who blesses the righteous but brings down the wicked.]

v.1 God to be praised for His presence and His past with Israel

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

v.2,3 The Sovereign Lord fairly judges but also maintains His world

v.2 You say, “I choose the appointed time;
    it is I who judge with equity.

v.3 When the earth and all its people quake,
    it is I who hold its pillars firm.

v.4-6 The wicked arrogant are warned against their pride

v.4 To the arrogant I say, ‘Boast no more,’
    and to the wicked, ‘Do not lift up your horns.

v.5 Do not lift your horns against heaven;
    do not speak so defiantly.’”

v.6 No one from the east or the west
    or from the desert can exalt themselves.

v.7,8 God is Sovereign Judge who deals with friend & foe alike, brining down the latter

v.7 It is God who judges:
    He brings one down, he exalts another.

v.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.

v.9,10 The writer will continue to testify to the Lord who separates the good & the bad

v.9 As for me, I will declare this forever;
    I will sing praise to the God of Jacob,

v.10 who says, “I will cut off the horns of all the wicked,
    but the horns of the righteous will be lifted up.”

[Additional Comments: God is seen as the One who was there with Israel as He had been in the past [v.1]. He is the sovereign judge [v.2,3] who warns the arrogant to be careful [v.4-6], for He is the God who judges the wicked but exalts the righteous [v.7-10]

After perhaps going back and meditating on individual verses, now read it meaningfully out loud straight through

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.[b]
4 To the arrogant I say, “Boast no more,”
    and to the wicked, “Do not lift up your horns.[c]
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.’

For those who may wish to make a study of this chapter, to perhaps think some more about what you have been reading, use the link below: