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Psalm Seventy-five
New King James Version (NKJV)
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)