Psalms 75King James Version
God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another.
A psalm of divine sovereignty over human pride. God speaks from within the psalm: when I receive the congregation, I will judge uprightly; I bear up the pillars of it. No lifting of the horn from the east or west; promotion comes only from God. He holds a cup of red wine mixed for the wicked to drain to its dregs. The psalm opens with thanks and closes with the speaker's personal vow to cut off the horns of the wicked and exalt the righteous.
The timing and direction of all human ascent and descent belongs to God alone, and the cup he holds for the proud will be drained whether they expect it or not.
verse: "For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south." Promotion comes only from God: the three directions named leave only one direction unspoken, above.
Superscription: 'To the chief Musician, Altaschith, A Psalm or Song of Asaph.' Asaph collection. The divine speech embedded in the psalm is a prophetic insertion, typical of Asaph's more oracular style. The 'horn' metaphor for pride and power runs through the Psalter and Hebrew prophets.
The congregation giving thanks; God speaking directly in the psalm's center; the foolish and wicked warned against lifting the horn; the righteous whose horn will be exalted.
Psalm 75 is unusual in containing an embedded divine speech (vv2-3) in which God answers the congregation's praise with a declaration of his judicial intention. The cup of wine for the wicked (v8) anticipates the 'cup of the LORD's wrath' motif in Isaiah 51 and Revelation 14. The psalm was used in Jewish New Year liturgy.
For when you are watching someone pride themselves on their position and advancement. The psalm is not about your response; it redirects attention to who actually controls the outcome.
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.
2When I shall receive the congregation I will judge uprightly.
3The earth and all the inhabitants thereof are dissolved: I bear up the pillars of it. Selah.
4I said unto the fools, Deal not foolishly: and to the wicked, Lift not up the horn:
5Lift not up your horn on high: speak not with a stiff neck.
6For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south.
7But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another.
8For 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.
9But I will declare for ever; I will sing praises to the God of Jacob.
10All the horns of the wicked also will I cut off; but the horns of the righteous shall be exalted.