Psalm 75 comments;

 

Psalm 75:1 ¶  «To the chief Musician, Altaschith, A Psalm or Song of Asaph.» Unto thee, O God, do we give thanks, unto thee do we give thanks: for that thy name is near thy wondrous works declare. 2  When I shall receive the congregation I will judge uprightly. 3  The earth and all the inhabitants thereof are dissolved: I bear up the pillars of it. Selah. 4  I said unto the fools, Deal not foolishly: and to the wicked, Lift not up the horn: 5  Lift not up your horn on high: speak not with a stiff neck.

 

This is a peculiarly interesting Psalm. Altaschith, also noted in Psalm 57, 58, and 59 means do not destroy but some say it is the title of a melody to which these Psalms would be sung.

 

There are many occasions in Israel’s history when these Psalm could be sung. For instance, David being delivered from Saul or the return of the Jews from captivity in Babylon. We should pray this often for it is always applicable.

 

We can see this also as having a meaning beyond the time in which it was written and sung originally. Picture the millennial reign of Christ, from the beginning to the end when eternity begins.

 

2Peter 3:10  But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. 11 ¶  Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,

12  Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?

 

See also a warning to those who would oppose God. Read Psalm 2.

 

Psalm 2:1 ¶  Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? 2  The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying, 3  Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. 4  He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision. 5  Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure. 6  Yet have I set my king

upon my holy hill of Zion.

 

    7 ¶  I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. 8  Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. 9  Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.

 

    10 ¶  Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth. 11  Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. 12  Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.

 

Psalm 75:6 ¶  For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. 7  But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another. 8  For in the hand of the LORD there is a cup, and the wine is red; it is full of mixture; and he poureth out of the same: but the dregs thereof, all the wicked of the earth shall wring them out, and drink them. 9  But I will declare for ever; I will sing praises to the God of Jacob. 10  All the horns of the wicked also will I cut off; but the horns of the righteous shall be exalted.

 

Being lifted up comes from God Himself and does not come from any other direction under heaven. It is God who raises up and puts down. We must remember;

 

James 4:10  Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

 

1Peter 5:6  Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:

 

There is no one other than God who can do this.

 

Matthew 24:23  Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not.

 

There is no other Saviour, no other God.

 

Isaiah 44:6  Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.

 

Isaiah 45:21  Tell ye, and bring them near; yea, let them take counsel together: who hath declared this from ancient time? who hath told it from that time? have not I the LORD? and there is no God else beside me; a just God and a Saviour; there is none beside me.

 

Deuteronomy 4:35  Unto thee it was shewed, that thou mightest know that the LORD he is God; there is none else beside him.

 

God has raised men up and put men down.

 

Luke 1:52  He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree.

 

Daniel 2:21  And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding:

 

Luke 14:11  For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

 

The wrath of God is symbolized by a cup.

 

Isaiah 51:17 ¶  Awake, awake, stand up, O Jerusalem, which hast drunk at the hand of the LORD the cup of his fury; thou hast drunken the dregs of the cup of trembling, and wrung them out.

 

Jeremiah 25:15 ¶  For thus saith the LORD God of Israel unto me; Take the wine cup of this fury at my hand, and cause all the nations, to whom I send thee, to drink it.

 

Revelation 14:10  The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:

 

Psalm 11:6  Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup.

 

Horns symbolize power and authority in the Bible and this reference is in keeping with the theme of this Psalm.

 

Habakkuk 3:4  And his brightness was as the light; he had horns coming out of his hand: and there was the hiding of his power.

 

Revelation 17:12  And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.

 

We can see the end of history clearly in this Psalm and we should give praise to God not only for His mercy but for His power and sovereignty.