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Psalm Seventy-five

 

Psalm 75 Outline of Contents

Thanksgiving for God’s Righteous Judgment (v.1~10)

New King James Version (NKJV)

To the Chief Musician. Set to “Do Not Destroy.”[a] A Psalm of Asaph. A Song.

   YLT  To the Overseer. -- `Destroy not.' -- A Psalm of Asaph. –

 

INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 75

To the chief Musician Altaschith A Psalm cf15 I or Song of Asaph. Of the word "altaschith" See Gill on Psalm 57:1 it signifies "do not destroy" or "do not corrupt"; the Targum renders it

"do not destroy thy people;'

so Jarchi

"do not destroy Israel;'

perhaps it may be considered as a petition that God would not suffer the man of sin to go on to destroy the earth and corrupt the inhabitants of it with his false doctrine idolatry and superstition Revelation 11:18 for the psalm respects the times of the Gospel dispensation and includes both the first coming of Christ in the flesh and his second coming to judgment; the argument of it with the Syriac version is

"the divinity of Christ and a remembrance of the judgment;'

it is said to be a psalm or song of Asaph but is thought to be written by David and delivered to Asaph; for it may be rendered "for Asaph"F11; and so the Targum

"by the hands of Asaph;'

though some think it was written after the Babylonish captivity; perhaps by some person whose name was Asaph or was of the family of him that lived in David's time. Theodoret supposes it was written in the person of the captives in Babylon.

 

Psalm 75:1  We give thanks to You O God we give thanks! For Your wondrous works declare that Your name is near.

   YLT  1A Song. We have given thanks to Thee O God We have given thanks and near [is] Thy name They have recounted Thy wonders.

Unto thee O God do we give thanks .... Either David and his men when he was delivered from Saul and raised to the kingdom or the Jews upon their return from the Babylonish captivity; or rather the churches of Christ under the Gospel dispensation for the coming of Christ and the blessings of grace through him and in the view of the sure and certain destruction of antichrist and all the wicked of the earth; yea Christ himself may be considered as at the head of his people joining with them in thanksgiving to whom this action is sometimes ascribed Matthew 11:25 and the rather since he is continued all along speaking to the end of the psalm:

unto thee do we give thanks; which is repeated to show the constancy fervency and sincerity with which this was performed: it may be rendered "unto thee do we confess"F12הודינו "confessi sumus" Montanus; "confitemur" Cocceius Michaelis. ; sins committed against God unworthiness to receive favours from him and his grace and goodness in bestowing them:

for that thy name is near; or rather "for thy name is near"F13וקרוב "nam propiuquum" Junius & Tremellius Piscator. ; and so the words are a reason of the above thanksgiving; for they belong not so much to what follows after as to what goes before since the accent "athnach" is upon שמך "thy name"; and are to be understood of God himself for his name is himself; who is near to his people both in relation being their Father and as to presence communion and fellowship which are matter of praise and thanksgiving; or his works and word by which he is known and made manifest; his works which are throughout the earth and so near at hand and his word which is nigh being in the mouths and in the hearts of his people; or rather his Son in whom his name is his nature and divine perfections: he was at a distance in promise and prophecy and only seen afar off; after the Babylonish captivity at which time some think this psalm was written he was near; the prophets Haggai Zechariah and Malachi speak of him as just coming; and when he was made flesh and dwelt among men he was near indeed so as to be found of them seen heard and handled by them; on which account there was and is reason to give thanks to God:

thy wondrous works declare; meaning either the miracles of Christ which were proofs and evidences of his being come and of his being the true Messiah; see Matthew 11:3 or the wonderful works done by him which to do were the principal end of his coming; as the work of righteousness the business of reconciliation and in general the affair of redemption and salvation; all which were amazing instances of his power grace and goodness and which are declared in the everlasting Gospel by the ministers of it; for the words I think may be better rendered "they declare thy wondrous works"F14ספרו נפלאותיך "narrant mirabilia tua" Montanus; "enarrant" Junius & Tremellius Piscator. or impersonally "thy wondrous works are declared".

 

Psalm 75:2  2 “When I choose the proper time I will judge uprightly.
   YLT 
2When I receive an appointment I -- I do judge uprightly.

When I shall receive the congregation .... Some render it from the Arabic signification of the word "the promise"F15מועד "promissa" Schultens animadv. p. 174. "festi dona" Gusset. p. 334. ; the Spirit promised the gifts of the Spirit which Christ received for men and gave to men whereby he executes the judgment or government of the church committed to him: others the time so the Septuagint Vulgate Latin Ethiopic Syriac and Arabic versions to which agrees the Targum the word signifying a set appointed time Psalm 102:14 and so may respect the time appointed for the judgment of the world which when come Christ will execute in a most righteous manner as follows; see Acts 17:31 but whereas the people of Israel met at the door of the tabernacle which from thence was called "Ohel Moed" the tabernacle of the congregation; hence the word is used for a congregation and here designs the general assembly and church of the firstborn written in heaven even all the elect of God; these were received by Christ of his Father in eternity when he espoused them to himself and undertook the care of them; and they are received by him one by one in effectual calling; and in like manner are they received by him into glory at death; but when they are all gathered in and are prepared for him as a bride for her husband then will he receive them all in a body and present them to himself a glorious church during the thousand years' reign; upon which will proceed the judgment of the wicked; see Revelation 20:5

I will judge uprightly; in equity in strict justice in the most righteous manner rendering to every man according to his works; hence the future judgment is called a righteous one and so is the Judge; no injustice will be done to men but the strictest integrity uprightness and impartiality will be observed in pronouncing the several sentences on the righteous and on the wicked and in adjudging them to their several places and states.

 

Psalm 75:3  3 The earth and all its inhabitants are dissolved; I set up its pillars firmly. Selah

   YLT  3Melted is the earth and all its inhabitants I -- I have pondered its pillars. Selah.

The earth and all the inhabitants thereof are dissolved .... Or "melted"F16נמגים "liquefacti" Montanus; "liquefiet" Musculus. ; the inhabitants through fear and dread of the righteous Judge appearing in the clouds of heaven and of the wrath that is coming on they are deserving of; and the earth through fire when the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved the elements melt with fervent heat and the earth and the works therein shall be burnt up 2 Peter 3:10.

I bear up the pillars of it.: so that it shall not utterly perish; for though by the fire at the general conflagration the heavens and the earth will be so melted and dissolved as to lose their present form and shall be purged and purified from all noxious qualities the effects of sin; yet the substance will remain out of which will be formed new heavens and a new earth and this through the power of Christ sustaining it and preserving it from entire destruction or annihilation. R. Obadiah by "pillars" understands in a figurative sense the righteous for whose sake the world is continued in its being; these at the general conflagration will be bore up and preserved by Christ whom they shall meet in the air even the church who is the pillar and ground of truth; and not only the ministers of the Gospel who are pillars in Christ's house but also every believer which is a pillar there that shall never go out 1 Timothy 3:15. Aben Ezra and Kimchi interpret the pillars of the mountains.

Selah. See Gill on Psalm 3:2.

 

Psalm 75:4  4 “I said to the boastful ‘Do not deal boastfully ’ And to the wicked ‘Do not lift up the horn.
   YLT 
4I have said to the boastful `Be not boastful ' And to the wicked `Raise not up a horn.'

I said unto the fools .... To the vain gloriosos proud boasters mockers and scoffers at the day of judgment and burning of the world:

deal not foolishly; by glorying in themselves boasting of their riches and trusting in them; singing a requiem to themselves on account of their abundance and by putting away the evil day far from them:

and to the wicked lift not up the horn; of power grandeur and wealth and use it to the injury of others; or be so elated with it as to look with disdain on others; or imagine they shall always continue in this exalted state as antichrist the horned beast does Revelation 18:7 the allusion is to horned beasts particularly harts which lift up their heads and horns in great prideF16Vid. "Suidam in voce" εκεπουτιας. : the phrase signifies to behave proudly and haughtily.

 

Psalm 75:5  5 Do not lift up your horn on high; Do not speak with a stiff neck.’”

   YLT  5Raise not up on high your horn (Ye speak with a stiff neck.)

Lift not up your horn on high .... Or "against the most High"F17למרום "contra excelsum" Junius & Tremellius. ; as the little horn or the beast with ten horns antichrist does whose look is more stout than his fellows and opens his mouth in blasphemy against God his name his tabernacle and them that dwell in heaven Daniel 7:8

speak not with a stiff neck; arrogantly proudly and haughtily: or "hard things with a neck"F18בצואר עתק "collo durum" Michaelis. ; hard speeches against Christ and his people with an outstretched neck in an imperious and insolent manner; for the righteous Judge will convince such of their hard speeches and condemn them for them; Judges 1:14.

 

Psalm 75:6  6 For exaltation comes neither from the east Nor from the west nor from the south.
   YLT 
6For not from the east or from the west Nor from the wilderness -- [is] elevation.

For promotion cometh neither from the east nor from the west nor from the south. It is not from men from themselves or others or from any quarter under the heavens but from God; it is he that raises men to high places and sets them there which are often slippery ones: by him kings reign; they have their crowns and sceptres thrones and kingdoms from him; there is no power but what is of God; riches and honour come of him and he can take them away when he pleases; and therefore men should not be proud haughty and arrogant: some take these words to be the words of the fools and wicked when they speak with a stiff neck either as triumphing over the Messiah his ministers cause and interest reading the words thus "neither from the east nor from the west nor from the south shall there be a lifting up"F19הרים "exaltatio" Tigurine version Junius & Tremellius Piscator. or an exaltation; that is of Christ and his people they are low and shall never rise more; but in this they are mistaken; though now the Son of God is trampled under foot in his person and offices there is a day coming when the Lord and he alone shall be exalted; though his ministers and witnesses prophesy in sackcloth and shall be slain and lie unburied yet they will arise again and ascend to heaven to the great terror and astonishment of those their enemies; though Jacob is small and it is said by whom shall he arise? yet he shall become great and numerous; the mountain of the Lord's house the church shall be established upon the top of the mountains and exalted above the hills; and this enlargement of Christ's kingdom and interest shall be east west north and south; or else as flattering themselves that no evil shall come to them from any quarter: "neither from the east nor from the west nor from the desert of the mountains"F20"Neque a desertis montibus" V. L. "neque a deserto montium" Cocceius; "neque a deserto Australi montium" Michaelis. cometh evil; meaning to themselves looking upon themselves as secure and putting the evil day far from them: but there will be an awful and righteous judgment; there is a Judge ordained a day appointed in which the world will be judged in righteousness and destruction and ruin will come upon the ungodly and at a time when they are crying Peace peace; nor shall they escape; and so the Syriac version renders the words "for there is no escape from the west nor from the desert of the mountains"; taking the word הרים not to signify "promotion elevation" or "a lifting up" as Kimchi and others whom we follow: but Moatanus and R. Aba observe that the word always signifies "mountains" but in this place: the Targum is

"for there is none besides me from the east to the west nor from the north of the wildernesses and from the south the place of the mountains;'

no Messiah to be expected from any quarter; see Matthew 24:23 no God besides him nor any other Saviour Isaiah 44:6 nor any other Judge as follows.

 

Psalm 75:7  7 But God is the Judge: He puts down one And exalts another.
   YLT 
7But God [is] judge This He maketh low -- and this He lifteth up.

But God is the Judge .... Or "because God is the Judge"F21כי "quoniam" V. L. Pagninus Montanus Musculus; "siquidem" Tigurine version; "quia" Gejerus; so some in Michaelis. ; and so this is another reason why fools should not deal foolishly nor wicked men lift up the horn and speak with a stiff neck because there is a Judge to whom they are accountable for their words and actions; and this Judge is God omniscient knows all persons and things searches the heart and tries the reins will bring every secret thing into judgment bring to light the hidden things of darkness and make manifest the counsels of the heart; omnipotent able to do all things raise the dead call to judgment bring all before him pass the sentences and execute them; omnipresent there is no fleeing from him nor escaping his righteous judgment; holy just and true who will render to every man according to his works:

he putteth down one and setteth up another; he humbles or brings one low such as are proud haughty and arrogant; and he exalts another such as are lowly and humble: this he does in providence he removes kings and sets up kings; puts down the mighty from their seats and exalts them of low degree Daniel 2:21 he has many ways to mortify the proud by inflicting diseases on their bodies by stripping them of their honour and wealth and by bringing them into disgrace among men: and this he does in grace; such as are stout hearted and far from righteousness and will not submit to the righteousness of Christ he brings them to it; and those whom he makes humble by his grace he raises to a high estate to be kings and priests and to sit among princes and to inherit a throne of glory. This might be exemplified in Jews and Gentiles; he has stripped the one of their privileges and put them down from their civil and church state and raised up the other to be his church and people; and also in antichrist and the true church of Christ; he will ere long put down the one that sits as a queen and exalt the other when she shall be as a bride adorned for her husband having the glory of God upon her.

 

Psalm 75:8  8 For in the hand of the Lord there is a cup And the wine is red; It is fully mixed and He pours it out; Surely its dregs shall all the wicked of the earth Drain and drink down.

   YLT  8For a cup [is] in the hand of Jehovah And the wine hath foamed It is full of mixture and He poureth out of it Only its dregs wring out and drink Do all the wicked of the earth

For in the hand of the Lord there is a cup .... Another reason why men should not act haughtily and arrogantly; for by the cup are meant afflictions calamities and judgments which are measured out in proportion to men's sins and are of God's appointing and in his hands and at his disposal

and the wine is red; an emblem of the wrath of God this cup is full of as it is explained Revelation 14:10 where there is a reference to this passage; for it is a cup of fury of trembling and of indignation: Isaiah 51:17

it is full of mixture; has many ingredients in it dreadful and shocking ones though it is sometimes said to be without mixture Revelation 14:10 without any allay alluding to the mixing of wine with water in the eastern countries; see Proverbs 9:2

and he poureth out of the same; his judgments upon men in this world in all ages; on some more others less as their sins call for or his infinite wisdom judges meet and proper:

but the dregs thereof all the wicked of the earth shall wring them out and drink them; the whole cup that God has measured out and filled up shall be poured out at last and all be drank up; the very dregs of it by the wicked of the world when they shall be punished with everlasting destruction in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone: this will be the portion of their cup Psalm 11:6.

 

Psalm 75:9  9 But I will declare forever I will sing praises to the God of Jacob.

   YLT  9And I -- I declare [it] to the age I sing praise to the God of Jacob.

But I will declare for ever .... These are not the words of the psalmist but of Christ who is all along speaking in the psalm; what he would declare is not expressed and is to be supplied in sense thus; either that he would declare the wonderful works of God Psalm 75:1 so the Targum his thoughts mercies and kindnesses to his people as in Psalm 55:5 or his judgments on his enemies whom he shall pass sentence on which will be for ever; or the name of the Lord his purposes and decrees his counsel and covenant his mind and will his Gospel and the truth of it: see Psalm 22:22

I will sing praises to the God of Jacob; the covenant God of his people Christ's God and their God; of his singing praise to him see Psalm 22:22.

 

Psalm 75:10  10 “All the horns of the wicked I will also cut off But the horns of the righteous shall be exalted.”

   YLT  10And all horns of the wicked I cut off Exalted are the horns of the righteous!

All the horns of the wicked also will I cut off .... Therefore let them not lift up the horn on high: "horns" denote the power and authority of wicked men their kingdoms and states; both Rome Pagan and Rome Papal are said to have ten horns which are interpreted of ten kings or kingdoms; and which will be cut off when the vials of God's wrath are poured out on the antichristian states; which vials will be filled from the cup which is in the hand of the Lord Revelation 12:1 the JewsF2Vid. Yalkut in loc. interpret this of the ten horns of the nations of the world that shall be cut off in future time; and Jarchi particularly of the horns of Esau by whom he means Rome or the Roman empire:

but the horns of the righteous shall be exalted; either of the righteous one Christ for the word is in the singular number; he who is the Lord our righteousness whose power and authority kingdom and government shall be enlarged and increased signified by the budding of the horn of David and the exaltation of the horn of his Messiah 1 Samuel 2:10 or of everyone of the righteous which will be when the kingdom and dominion and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High and they shall reign with Christ on earth a thousand years Daniel 7:27. Kimchi says this will be in the war of Gog and Magog which is expected by the Jews.

 

──John Gill’s Exposition of the Bible

 

New King James Version (NKJV)

Footnotes:

  1. Psalm 75:1 Hebrew Al Tashcheth