INTRODUCTION - Read Psalm 75
This is another Psalm written by Asaph who we know to be a great musician and prophet. It begins by leading the people of Israel in a song of thanksgiving and praise. Asaph had grown in confidence and faith, knowing that God was a fair judge, loving, merciful,righteous and faithful to His promises. We know Him to be this same God today.
The following verses give a warning to those who disobey God's teachings, who are wicked and boast in their own successes, for this is not the way God wants us to live. We know Him to be a merciful judge for those who seek His forgiveness; those who hunmbly come to Him in prayer, confessing their wrongdoings, and seeking to live a righteous life.
"If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from Heaven and I will forgiven their sin and heal their land." 2 Chronicles 7:14
Again, like his mentor David, Asaph finished his Psalm giving glory and praise to God, whom He honoured and knew personally. If we want to have this personal relationship with God, as David and Asaph did, we to need to humble ourselves and come before our faithful and merciful judge.
THE HISTORY - Read Isaiah 36&37, 2 Kings 18 & 19, Read Psalm 46
The history behind this Psalm is the saving of the Israelites from Sennacherib, the Assyrian king. He and his armies had fought many cities near Judah, including Syria, and WON! King Hezekiah and Judah had every reason to be afraid, but:
"Hezekiah trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel. There was no one like him among all the kings od Judah, either before him or after him. He held fast to the Lord and did not cease to follow Him. He kept the commands the Lord had given Moses. And the Lord was with him; he was successful in whateve he undertook." 2 Kings 18:5-7
God had kept his promises with Hezekiah and with the Israelites in the past, and HE ALWAYS KEEPS HIS PROMISES!
"Be strong and do not fear; your God will come with a vengeance; with divine retribution. He will come to save you." Isaih 35:4
"Now, O Lord our God, deliver us from His hand, so that all the kingdoms on earth may know that you alone, O Lord, are God." 2 Kings 19:19
"I will defend this city and save, for my sake and for the sake of David my servant." Isaiah 37:35
"God is my refuge and strength, an ever present help in trouble." Psalm 46:1
What promises! And did God deliver them. You bet He did. Hezekiah prayed, and God answered His prayers; with the inalation of Sennacherib and his army; and the deliverence of the Israelites.
"I will cut off the horns of the wicked, and the horns of the righteous will be lifted up."
Psalm 75:10
ADORATION TO GOD - Read Psalm 75:1 & 75:9
This Psalm begins and ends with THANKS AND PRAISE to a God who has done and will continue to do wonderful things in the lives of the Israelites.
Asaph wrote this for his choir and musicians, but from the "perspective of the congregation":
* The people gladly give thanks to God for His wondrous works - HIS OMNIPOTENCE.
"We give thanks to you, O God, we give thaks for Your Name is near; men tell of your wonderful deeds." Psalm 75:1
* They thanked God because He was always there for them - HIS OMNIPRESENCE.
"We sing not of a hidden God, who sleeps and leaves the Church to fate, but one who is ever in our darkest days, most near, a very present help in trouble." Charles Spurgeon
EARTHQUAKES, HORNS & CUPS OF WINE - Read Psalm 75:3, 75:5&10,
75:8
Asaph used a number of different metaphorical `pictures' of God's judgement in this psalm:
1. EARTHQUAKES
"When the earth quakes and its people live in turmoil, I am the One who keeps the foundation firm." Psalm 75:3
An earthquake occurs when the ground moves and big holes appear in the ground. People and animals are frightened. When Sennacherib came the people were afraid, but like an earthquake, where God can stop the earth from moving, God was able to stop Sennacherib and his soldiers in their tracks. He stopped the fighting - the war. We too, need to TRUST IN GOD.
STOP! THINK! PRAY ABOUT IT!
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths." Proverbs 3:5&6
"You will keep in perfect peace hinm whose mind is steadfast, because He trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord, is the Rock eternal." Isaiah 26:3&4
2. HORNS
"Do not lift your horns against Heaven; do not speak with outstretched neck." Psalm 75:5
The "horn" is used metaphorically in Scripture to signify strength and honour. Early in this Psalm it was used as an expression of the wicked's strength and domination. They used their `horns' and `instruments of mischief'."
Asaph is speaking of God's judgement, and to the wicked and proud he warns that they should no longer boast and exalt their own strength (lift up their horns).
"Lifting up one's horns against Heaven is the equivalent of shaking one's fist in God's face".
Boise
These people should not have "stiff necks" and resist the judgement of God.
God also speaks to the righteous, for we too, need to show humility. As children of God we need to remember that it is God who exalts us, not ourselves. We need to be thankful for the gifts that God gifts us and remember that He is the ultimate judge when it comes to how we use them. We don't judge ourselves or others.
Later in the Psalm, Asaph metaphoricalky speaks about how God "will cut off the horns of the wicked", but "the horns of the righteous shall be exalted". God will exalt the strength the the righteous and will extend their power, but only as Jesus reminds us, if we are humble and trust in Him.
"For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."
Luke 14:11
"Don't be like the wicked and boast. Don't be proud, stubborn and arrogant, for this isn't the way God wants us to live." David Guzik
3. CUP OF WINE
"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." Psalm 75:8
Asaph used another figure - "the cup of wine" representing the pouring out of God's judgement on the wicked - Israel enemies - in this case, Sennacherib an his armies. The wicked would be forced to "drain and drink down" the bitter cup, "wine with spices". Drinking the last bit, "to its very dregs", meant that God would punish them completely.
"Come and see the works of the Lord, the desolations he has brought to the earth. He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth; he breaks the bows and shatters the spear, he burns the shield with fire." Psalm 47:8
GOD OUR JUDGE - Read Psalm 75:2 & 75:6&7
God is a faithful and merciful judge. His plan was to bring justice to His people - both the wicked and the righteous. The most important thing we need to remember is that God "chooses the proper time":
1. TO JUDGE THE RIGHTEOUS
Believers sometimes feel guilt and shame when we do something wrong, if we feel we have let someone down, or if we don't think we have performed a task well enough. But what we need to remember is: GOD IS OUR JUDGE, NOT OURSELVES!
"Defensive souls are defined by the past, our mistakes, and make us wear guilt on our sleeves, living in doubt and shame." Max Lucado
We need to trust in our loving, merciful judge, who not only promised to forgive our us our sins of the past; but He sent us His Son Jesus to die on the cross so that we could have FREEDOM FROM THEM.
"We all, like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all." Isaiah 53:6
"As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us."
Psalm 103:12
2. TO JUDGE THE WICKED
God reserves the right to judge the unrighteous and those who have turned against Him; but it's not something we should do. As mentioned earlier. The "arrogant' should not boast and exalt their importance. They should not resist the judgement of God, but it is not up to Christians to be judges either. Like God, we need to show mercy and forgiveness.
"Do not judge and you will not be judged. Do not condemn and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven." Luke 6:37
No one is a better JUDGE than our Lord - righteous and fair. He is the only one who knows when is person is truly right or wrong.
"But it is God who judges; He brings one down and He exalts another." Psalm 75:7
God will choose the time when His people will be "strong and powerful", but they must wait for when God chooses. Humble yourself and wait on the Lord.
CONCLUSION - Read Psalms 47,48 &75
There are other Psalms that were written specifically during or after times of battle, when the people of Israel were reminded that the Lord was indeed their "refuge and strength", and to be "exalted and praised", not only in Jerusalem and Judah, but among all nations. God is indeed a loving, faithful, merciful and righteous judge, and there are so many other adjectives we can use to describe Him too; but most of all the Israelite people in their day just wanted to SING HIS PRAISES! We too can do the same today!
"Clap your hands, all you nations; shout to God with crys of joy." Psalm 47:1
"Sing praises to our God, sing praises; sing praises to our King, sing praises." Psalm 47:6
"Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise, in the city of our God, His Holy mountain. It is beautiful in its loftiness, the joy of the whole earth." Psalm 48:1&2
Churchyard, Gordon, 2002, "Earthquakes, Horns & Cups of Wine", www.easyenglish,com.
Guzik, David, 2020, "Psalm 75 - "The Righteous Judge Exalts and Brings Low",
www.theenduringword.com
Lucado, Max, 2014, "Before Amen" Thomas Nelson
Spurgeon, Charles, 2020, "Treasury of David - Update", www.christianity.com
Holy Bible, New International Version, 2011, Biblica
Lucado, Max, 2003, "New Century Version - Devotional Version", Thomas Nelson
Moen, Don, 2016, "Thank You Lord", Integrity Music, YouTube
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