Welcome to Torah Today Ministries and our continuing series Tehillim Talks, our studies in the Psalms. And today we’re going to be looking at Psalm 75, which brings us to the halfway point of the book of Psalms. It’s been a long time getting here and it’s hard to believe that we’re halfway through with this amazing book of prayers and praises and songs and teachings. It’s what an incredible book it’s been. I hope you’ve enjoyed this adventure as much as I have.
In this short psalm, it’s only 10 verses long. There is a lot to unpack. So, I hope you’ll enjoy getting into this as much as I have.
Now, last time in Psalm 74, we looked at a very interesting word, the word netzach (נֶצַח), and you can go back and listen to that and print out the notes to review. But the word netzach is sometimes translated “victory,” sometimes translated “forever” or “eternity.”
And that word netzach is used most frequently in the book of Psalms more than 50 times. And one of the reasons it’s found so frequently is because of the superscript of this psalm. Let’s take a look.
The introduction says:
“To the choirmaster, according to ‘Do Not Destroy,’ a psalm of Asaph, a song.” (Psalm 75:1 superscription)
Now this word “choirmaster” — to the choirmaster in Hebrew is lam’natzeiach (לַמְנַצֵּחַ). Now do you hear that at the end of that word? Netzach? Lam’natzeiach — to the one who is the netzach if you could translate it that way.
So whatever the choirmaster is or however we translate this Hebrew word, the word netzach is planted firmly there in the middle of it. What is it about the choirmaster, the conductor that has to do with victory and has to do with eternity?
Could it be because the psalms, so many of these psalms which are for the m’natzeiach, that they deal with victory and that these words will last for eternity? I don’t know. But I invite you to ponder this along with me.
Well, let’s get right into our psalm, verses 1 through 3. Now, one of the things you’re going to notice is that the psalmist’s voice interweaves with God’s voice all through this psalm. And we’ll see an example here.
In verse one, the psalmist speaks:
“We give thanks to you, oh God. We give thanks, for your name is near. We recount your wonders.” (Psalm 75:1)
Then verse two, God speaks:
“When I choose the appointed time, the mo’ed (מוֹעֵד), I will judge with fairness. When the earth melts and all its inhabitants, it is I who keeps steady its pillars. Selah.” (Psalm 75:2-3)
Now, right away, you can tell that the tone of this psalm is quite different from the previous one. You can think of Psalm 75 as being God’s response to Psalm 74. If you don’t know what I mean by that, go back and reread Psalm 74 because the psalmist Asaph is just crying out to God, “Why are these things happening to us? Why are you so silent? Why aren’t you acting?” Well, in Psalm 75, God acts.
And what I appreciate about this is that God says, “When I choose the appointed time, I will judge with fairness.” In other words, there’s a time not to judge and then comes a time to judge.
And probably like me, you also have been frustrated with God, “Why aren’t you doing something about the immorality going on? For the injustice that’s taking place? For politicians who are getting away with murder? With some of the regimes in foreign countries that are doing such horrible things to their citizens?”
Right now, as I record this, the leaders of Iran are murdering their citizens. More than 10,000 have been murdered already because the citizens are demonstrating because they want freedom. They want an overthrow of this dictatorial tyrannical totalitarian government and they’ve killed thousands of citizens.
And so my heart’s cry along with so many around the world is, “Lord, why won’t you judge? Won’t you move now to do something about this?” But there’s an appointed time when judgment comes and he will judge in fairness.
Now before we move on to this next section, I have two words I want to introduce you to because they occur a number of times in the remaining seven verses.
Rum (רוּם) – This word occurs six times in the psalm. It means “to lift up, to exalt” in some way. In fact, it’s the root of one of the words used for heaven in this psalm.
Keren (קֶרֶן) – This is not a girl’s name. This is the word for a “horn” and it appears four times in the remaining seven verses. It’s like the horn on an animal’s head. But the word keren, horn, is always a symbol for power.
Sometimes the hand is used as a symbol of power. Sometimes the horn is used as a symbol of power.
In fact, if you’re familiar with the daily prayers, you’re familiar with the Amidah (עֲמִידָה), the standing prayer, or also called the Shemoneh Esrei (שְׁמוֹנֶה עֶשְׂרֵה), the 18-faceted prayer. It has 18 parts to it. And in one of those parts near the end of the Amidah prayer, it’s a prayer for Messiah to come. And listen to how it’s worded:
“May the shoot of your servant David soon flourish.”
Now, who is the shoot of David? Who’s this offspring of David’s root? Of course, that’s Messiah.
“May the shoot of your servant David soon flourish. And may his horn, his keren, be raised up” — rum is the word used here just as in our psalm — “may it be raised up by your salvation.”
And what is the Hebrew word for salvation? Yeshua (יְשׁוּעָה).
“For we wait for your salvation. We wait for your Yeshua all day. Blessed are you Adonai who makes the keren, the horn of salvation, Yeshua, flourish.”
What an amazing prayer to think that many Jewish people around the world are praying for Yeshua to come, for him to flourish, and they’re praying for him by name and don’t even realize it.
Just a couple other things, some trivia here just for extra:
Keren (קֶרֶן) – The first time it appears in scripture is in Genesis 22. This is the story of the Akedah (עֲקֵדָה), the binding of Isaac. When Abraham takes his only begotten son up to the top of Mount Moriah and as he’s about to kill his son to sacrifice him, the angel stops him and then he shows him a ram that is caught by his horn, singular horn, in the thicket. So Abraham brings the ram in place of his son. That’s the first time the word keren, horn, appears in scripture.
Rum (רוּם) – The first time it occurs is also in Genesis, in Genesis 7:17. It says:
“The flood continued 40 days on the earth. The waters increased and bore up the ark, and it rose up (rum) above the earth.” (Genesis 7:17)
So there you can see some examples of how these words are used. We’re going to see rum six times in the remaining verses. We’re going to see keren four times.
Verse four:
“I say to the boasting, ‘Do not boast.’” (Psalm 75:4a)
I struggle with how to translate this word because in Hebrew, the word for boasting or for the boasters is the word holelim (הוֹלְלִים). And to boast is halal (הָלַל). And you may recognize this as the word that is part of the word hallelujah (הַלְלוּיָהּ). It’s the word halal to praise.
So “I say to the praisers, do not praise.”
But what we see here is that these are wicked people. These are wicked people and they’re not praising God. What they’re doing is praising themselves. So I went along with some of the translators who translate this as “boasting” and “boast” because it seemed to fit the tone of the psalm more accurately.
Now, what I find really interesting is back in Psalm 73, Asaph, who also wrote this psalm, he says this:
“For I was envious of the holelim, of the boasters, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.” (Psalm 73:3)
So in Psalm 73, Asaph says, “I was jealous. I was envious of the boasters, the holelim.” But now God says, “I say to the holelim, do not halal. Do not boast.”
“And to the wicked, ‘Do not lift up (rum) your horn (keren). Do not lift up your horn on high.’” (Psalm 75:4b-5a)
Now remember, keren, horn, is a symbol for power. Don’t lift up your power. Don’t be flaunting it like it’s something to boast about.
“Do not lift up your horn on high or speak with haughty neck.” (Psalm 75:5b)
Now, “haughty neck,” what does that mean? And there’s a couple ways we can translate this. Haughty neck would mean like somebody when they stick their chin out like they’re threatening you, trying to intimidate you, they put their heads up and stick their chins out and expose their neck like “I’m not afraid of you.” That could be what’s being expressed here.
But this word for “haughty neck” is also the word v’tzavar (וְצַוָּאר) and the Septuagint translates this as “do not speak against the rock” because tzur (צוּר) is rock.
So it can be both. My philosophy is if a verse or a word can be translated two different ways, translate it both ways because God can teach us two things from the same verse. So don’t be boasting with a haughty neck with your chin stuck out. But also don’t boast against the Rock. And of course, the Rock is God’s Messiah.
Verse six:
“For not from the east or from the west, not from the wilderness is one lifted up (rum). But it is God who executes judgment, putting down this one and lifting up (rum) this one.” (Psalm 75:6-7)
God is the one who puts down and lifts up. He does that with each of us at different times in our lives. He does it with cities and countries. He does it with the world. He does it with individuals and has been doing it from the beginning of time.
This reminds me of a passage from the Midrash Tanchuma, which is an interesting collection of insights on the Torah and some of the other books of the Bible. And in this passage:
A noble woman asked Rabbi Shimuel bar Nachman, “How many days did the Holy One, blessed is he, create the world?”
He replied, “In six days, as it is stated, ‘For in six days Adonai made the heavens and the earth.’”
She said to him, “And from then until now, what has he been doing?”
He replied, “He is sitting and making ladders. God is making ladders, elevating this one and lowering that one. That is why it is stated, ‘For God is the judge. This one he humbles and this one he raises.’”
Making ladders. To think of God occupying himself throughout history, elevating one individual and lowering another. Sometimes he’ll elevate a wicked person because there’s some purpose he wants to accomplish through that wicked person. And sometimes he lowers the righteous.
But then in due time he’ll lift up the humble and he’ll lower and reduce the proud. But God is in the ladder-making business.
So, if you’re going through a low time, well, God’s making a ladder for you to go back up. And if you’re at the top of your game right now, don’t be surprised if God decides it’s time to reduce you a little bit. It’s all good. It’s all for our best. He is sovereign. He loves us. He has our best in mind at all times. So, don’t fear the ladder when God has us go up or has us brought down.
Verse 8:
“For in the hand of Adonai there is a cup with strong wine well mixed and he pours out from it and all the wicked of the earth shall drain it down to the dregs.” (Psalm 75:8)
Some translations instead of “strong wine” will say “foaming wine.” But the commentators agree that the foaming wine is referring to a wine that’s been mixed with certain spices or whatever to increase its alcohol content. So this is a wine that is strong and it’s going to make those who drink from it drunk. And when they become drunk, they become confused and they also become unstable.
And this is the time, this is the mo’ed being described here where God says, “It’s time for those who are persecuting my people to drink this cup and they will become confused and they will become unstable and they are going to fall.”
This picture of a cup of wine that is drunk and brings judgment is a motif found many times throughout the scriptures. You find it over in Revelation. And also here’s an example from Isaiah 51:17. And here he’s speaking to Israel:
“Wake yourself. Wake yourself. Stand up, O Jerusalem. You who have drunk from the hand of Adonai the cup of his wrath, who have drunk to the dregs the bowl, the cup of staggering.” (Isaiah 51:17)
So here Jerusalem has drunk this cup of wrath and now God’s saying it’s time to stand up. You took the ladder down. Now it’s time to take the ladder up.
So when you see a cup of wine in scripture, it can mean one of two things:
So, as with so many things, it can be good if used in the right context, the right way, right degree, right time, or it can be something that’s destructive when it’s used outside the borders and the guidelines that God has set for it.
So don’t just make a blanket statement. Wine is always good. Wine is always bad. Depends on the context.
And then we come to the concluding two verses, verses 9 and 10:
“But I will declare it forever. I will sing praises to the God of Jacob.” (Psalm 75:9)
This echoes back to verse one. And it seems like God is speaking in the final verse:
“All the horns of the wicked I will hack off.” (Psalm 75:10a)
The word there is not just “cut.” It’s more like a word for a lumberjack using to chop down a tree. So I use the word “hack.” I will hack off.
“But the horns of the righteous shall be lifted up (rum).” (Psalm 75:10b)
So the power of the righteous will be exalted and the horns of the wicked will be hacked off.
Some people have recognized a similarity between this psalm and Hannah’s prayer in 1 Samuel chapter 2 and she talks about horns being lifted up and she talks about God being victorious over enemies. So read the first chapter of 1 Samuel to get the context. But then read Hannah’s prayer in chapter 2 and you’ll see the same spirit of God speaking through her as is speaking through Asaph here in Psalm 75.
Now Psalm 73, 74, 75 are all written by Asaph. They’re the first three of a set of 11 found from 73-83. And there’s definitely a flow.
And so when you read each of these psalms, read it in the context of the psalm before and the psalm that comes after. And you’ll definitely notice this program and this panorama of God’s work in the world. It’s an amazing set of psalms Asaph has given us here.
So, I hope you’ve enjoyed this and I look forward to meeting you as we begin the second half of the book of Psalms next time. So, until then, I wish you shalom and may God bless.
“May the shoot of your servant David soon flourish. And may his horn (keren) be raised up (rum) by your salvation (Yeshua). For we wait for your salvation (Yeshua) all day. Blessed are you Adonai who makes the horn of salvation (Yeshua) flourish.”
To the choirmaster: according to Do Not Destroy. A Psalm of Asaph. A Song.
1-3 We give thanks to You, O God; we give thanks, for Your name is near. We recount Your wonders. 2 “When I choose the appointed time, I will judge with fairness. 3 When the earth melts, and all its inhabitants, it is I who keep steady its pillars.” Selah
קרן (keren) = “horn”
רום (rum) = “lift up”
4-8 “I say to the boasting [הוללים, holelim], ‘Do not boast [הלו, holu],’ and to the wicked, ‘Do not lift up your horn. 5 Do not lift up your horn on high, or speak with haughty neck [or ‘against the Rock’].’” 6 For not from the east or from the west and not from the wilderness is one lifted up, 7 but it is God who executes judgment, putting down this one and lifting up this one. 8 For in the hand of Adonai there is a cup with strong wine, well mixed, and He pours out from it, and all the wicked of the earth shall drain it down to the dregs.
9-10 But I will declare it forever; I will sing praises to the God of Jacob. 10 All the horns of the wicked I will hack off, but the horns of the righteous shall be lifted up.
REFERENCES
Verse 4
Genesis 7:17 The flood continued forty days on the earth. The waters increased and bore up the ark, and it rose up (רום, rum) above the earth. [1st occ.]
Genesis 22:13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horn (קרן, keren). And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. [1st occ.]
Psalm 73:3 For I was envious of the boasting (הוללים, holelim) when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
From the Amidah Prayer
May the shoot of Your servant David soon flourish, and may his horn (קרן, keren) be raised high (רום, rum) by Your salvation [yeshua] for we wait for Your salvation [yeshua] all day. Blessed are You, Adonai, who makes the horn (קרן, keren) of salvation [yeshua] flourish.
Verse 8
Isaiah 51:17 Wake yourself, wake yourself, stand up, O Jerusalem, you who have drunk from the hand of Adonai the cup of His wrath, who have drunk to the dregs the bowl, the cup of staggering.
