TRV
Translation
King James Version
I said unto the fools, Deal not foolishly: and to the wicked, Lift not up the horn:
Complete Jewish Bible
To the boastful I say, "Do not boast!"and to the wicked, "Don't flaunt your strength!
Berean Standard Bible
I say to the proud, ‘Do not boast,’ and to the wicked, ‘Do not lift up your horn.
American Standard Version
I said unto the arrogant, Deal not arrogantly; And to the wicked, Lift not up the horn:
World English Bible Messianic
I said to the arrogant, “Don’t boast!” I said to the wicked, “Don’t lift up the horn.
Geneva Bible (1599)
I saide vnto the foolish, Be not so foolish, and to the wicked, Lift not vp the horne.
Young's Literal Translation
I have said to the boastful, `Be not boastful,' And to the wicked, `Raise not up a horn.'
In the KJVVerse 15,076 of 31,102
Study This Verse
Commentary on Psalms 75 verses 1–5
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.
In these verses,
I. The psalmist gives to God the praise of his advancement to honour and power, and the other great things he had done for him and for his people Israel (Psa 75:1): Unto thee, O God! do we give thanks for all the favours thou hast bestowed upon us; and again, unto thee do we give thanks; for our thanksgivings must be often repeated. Did not we often pray for mercy when we were in pursuit of it; and shall we think it will suffice once or twice to give thanks when we have obtained it? Not only I do give thanks, but we do, and I and all my friends. If we share with others in their mercies, we must join with them in their praises. "Unto thee, O God! the author of our mercies (and we will not give that glory to the instruments which is due to thee only), we give thanks; for that thy name is near (that the complete accomplishment of thy promise made to David is not far off) thy wondrous works, which thou hast already done for him, declare." Note, 1. There are many works which God does for his people that may truly be called wondrous works, out of the common course of providence and quite beyond our expectation. 2. These wondrous works declare the nearness of his name; they show that he himself is at hand, nigh to us in what we call upon him for, and that he is about to do some great things for his people, in pursuance of his purpose and promise. 3. When God's wondrous works declare the nearness of his name it is our duty to give him thanks, again and again to give him thanks.
II. He lays himself under an obligation to use his power well, pursuant to the great trust reposed in him (Psa 75:2): When I shall receive the congregation I will judge uprightly. Here he takes it for granted that God would, in due time, perfect that which concerned him, that though the congregation was very slow in gathering to him, and great opposition was made to it, yet, at length, he should receive it; for what God has spoken in his holiness he will perform by his wisdom and power. Being thus in expectation of the mercy, he promises to make conscience of his duty: "When I am a judge I will judge, and judge uprightly; not as those that went before me, who either neglected judgment or, which was worse, perverted it, either did no good with their power or did hurt." Note, 1. Those that are advanced to posts of honour must remember they are posts of service, and must set themselves with diligence and application of mind to do the work to which they are called. He does not say, "When I shall receive the congregation I will take my ease, and take state upon me, and leave the public business to others;" but, "I will mind it myself." 2. Public trusts are to be managed with great integrity; those that judge must judge uprightly, according to the rules of justice, without respect of persons.
III. He promises himself that his government would be a public blessing to Israel, Psa 75:3. The present state of the kingdom was very bad: The earth and all the inhabitants thereof are dissolved; and no marvel, when the former reign was so dissolute that all went to wrack and ruin. There was a general corruption of manners, for want of putting the laws in execution against vice and profaneness. They were divided one from another for want of centering, as they ought to have done, in the government God had appointed. They were all to pieces, two against three and three against two, crumbled into factions and parties, which was likely to issue in their ruin; but I bear up the pillars of it. Even in Saul's time David did what he could for the public welfare; but he hoped that when he had himself received the congregation he should do much more, and should not only prevent the public ruin, but recover the public strength and beauty. Now, 1. See the mischief of parties; they melt and dissolve a land and the inhabitants of it. 2. See how much one head frequently holds up. The fabric would have sunk if David had not held up the pillars of it. This may well be applied to Christ and his government. The world and all the inhabitants of it were dissolved by sin; man's apostasy threatened the destruction of the whole creation. But Christ bore up the pillars of it; he saved the whole world from utter ruin by saving his people from their sins, and into his hand the administration of the kingdom of Providence is committed, for he upholds all things by the word of his power, Heb 1:3.
IV. He checks those that opposed his government, that were against his accession to it and obstructed the administration of it, striving to keep up that vice and profaneness which he had made it his business to suppress (Psa 75:4, Psa 75:5): I said unto the fools, Deal not foolishly. He had said so to them in Saul's time. When he had not power to restrain them, yet he had wisdom and grace to reprove them, and to give them good counsel; though they bore themselves high, upon the favour of that unhappy prince, he cautioned them not to be too presumptuous. Or, rather, he does now say so to them. As soon as he came to the crown he issued out a proclamation against vice and profaneness, and here we have the contents of it. 1. To the simple sneaking sinners, the fools in Israel, that corrupted themselves, to them he said, "Deal not foolishly; do not act so directly contrary both to your reason and to your interest as you do while you walk contrary to the laws God has given to Israel and the promises he has made to David." Christ, the son of David, gives us this counsel, issues out this edict, Deal not foolishly. He who is made of God to us wisdom bids us be wise for ourselves, and not make fools of ourselves. 2. To the proud daring sinners, the wicked, that set God himself at defiance, he says, "Lift not up the horn; boast not of your power and prerogatives; persist not in your contumacy and contempt of the government set over you; lift not up your horn on high, as though you could have what you will and do what you will; speak not with a stiff neck, in which is an iron sinew, that will never bend to the will of God in the government; for those that will not bend shall break; those whose necks are stiffened are so to their own destruction." This is Christ's word of command in his gospel, that every mountain will be brought low before him, Isa 40:4. Let not the anti-christian power, with its heads and horns, lift up itself against him, for it shall certainly be broken to pieces; what is said with a stiff neck must be unsaid again with a broken heart, or we are undone. Pharaoh said with a stiff neck, Who is the Lord? But God made him know to his cost.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 1–5. Public domain.
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Augustine of HippoAD 430
Exposition on Psalm 75
We have heard now, brethren, that which day by day is not kept secret: let us hear now what He has cried through these pillars....He cries what? "I have said to unjust men, Do not unjustly" [Psalm 75:4]....But already they have done, and they are guilty: already there has flowed down the earth, and all they that dwell therein. Pricked to the heart were they that crucified Christ, [Acts 2:37] they acknowledged their sin, they learned something of the Apostle, that they might not despair of the pardon of the Preacher. For as Physician He had come, and therefore had not come to the whole. "For there is no need," He says, "to the whole of a physician, but to them that are sick. I have not come to call righteous men, but sinners to repentance." [Matthew 9:12-13] Therefore, "I have said to unjust men, Do not unjustly." They heard not. For of old to us it was spoken: we heard not, we fell, were made mortal, were begotten mortal: the earth flowed down. Let them hear the Physician even now in order that they may rise, Him that came to the sick man, Him whom they would not hear when whole in order that they might not fall, let them hear when lying down in order that they may rise...."I have said to unjust men, Do not unjustly; and to the delinquent, Do not exalt your horn." There shall be exalted in you the horn of Christ, if your horn be not exalted. Your horn is of iniquity, the horn of Christ is of majesty.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Psalms 75:4 delivers a direct, authoritative divine warning to both the foolish and the wicked, commanding them to cease their arrogant and rebellious behavior. Through the psalmist, God asserts His ultimate sovereignty and impending judgment, reminding all humanity that true power and wisdom reside not in self-exaltation but in humble submission to the Creator, who alone determines the destiny and standing of individuals and nations.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Psalm 75:4 employs several potent literary devices to convey its message with force and clarity. The most prominent is Direct Address, where God speaks directly to "the fools" and "the wicked" through the psalmist, lending immense authority and urgency to the warning. This creates a sense of immediate divine intervention and accountability. The verse also utilizes Parallelism, specifically a form of synonymous or complementary parallelism, by pairing "fools" with "wicked" and "deal not foolishly" with "lift not up the horn." While not perfectly synonymous, these pairs reinforce the overarching message against arrogance and moral rebellion, addressing different facets of ungodly behavior and emphasizing the comprehensive nature of God's rebuke. Furthermore, the "horn" serves as a powerful Metaphor for strength, power, and pride. Its "lifting up" metaphorically represents arrogant self-exaltation and defiance against God. The use of the Imperative Mood ("Deal not," "Lift not up") emphasizes the divine decree, making the commands absolute and non-negotiable. This combination of devices makes the verse a concise yet profound statement of divine judgment and a compelling call to humility.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Psalms 75:4 is a profound theological statement on God's active involvement in human affairs, His righteous character as Judge, and the nature of sin as both foolishness and wicked rebellion. It underscores the biblical truth that human pride, self-sufficiency, and defiance are ultimately futile and deeply offensive to God. The verse serves as a divine summons to humility, reminding all people that true wisdom lies in acknowledging God's supreme authority and living in accordance with His will. It highlights the universal call to repentance, urging a turning away from self-exaltation and a submission to the one who truly holds all power and judgment. This theme of God humbling the proud and exalting the humble is a consistent thread throughout Scripture, demonstrating His justice and His preference for a contrite spirit, which is the only proper posture before a holy God.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Psalms 75:4 stands as a timeless challenge to the human heart, which is often prone to pride and self-reliance. It compels us to examine our own lives: In what ways might we be "lifting up our horn," subtly or overtly asserting our own strength, wisdom, or control in defiance of God's sovereign will? Are there areas where we "deal foolishly," making decisions or living in ways that disregard divine wisdom and moral principles, perhaps prioritizing our own desires over God's clear commands? This verse calls us to cultivate a spirit of profound humility, recognizing that all true power and authority belong to God alone. For believers, it reinforces the call to walk in humility, trusting in God's perfect timing and righteous judgment rather than relying on our own perceived strengths or striving for self-exaltation. For those who do not yet acknowledge God, it serves as a solemn warning about the inevitable consequences of living in rebellion and the ultimate reckoning before the ultimate Judge. It reminds us that true security, peace, and flourishing are found not in human arrogance, but in humble submission to the One who "puts down one and exalts another."
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What is the significance of the "horn" in this verse?
Answer: The "horn" (Hebrew, qeren) in Psalms 75:4 is a powerful and multi-layered metaphor. In ancient Near Eastern cultures, animal horns universally symbolized strength, power, dignity, and authority. Therefore, to "lift up the horn" signifies arrogant self-exaltation, pride, and defiance. It's a vivid image of someone presumptuously asserting their own strength or authority in opposition to God's supreme reign. The verse warns against this human tendency to elevate oneself, emphasizing the futility of such pride when confronted with divine power and judgment, as God is the one who ultimately "puts down one and exalts another" (see Psalms 75:7).
Who are the "fools" and "wicked" mentioned in this verse?
Answer: The "fools" (Hebrew, hâlal from H1984) are not simply unintelligent people, but those who are morally deficient, stubbornly resistant to divine wisdom and instruction. They choose to live without regard for God's principles, often acting impulsively, boastfully, and destructively. The "wicked" (Hebrew, rāšâʻ from H7563) are those who are actively unrighteous, deliberately opposing God's ways and pursuing injustice. While related, "fools" often imply a lack of moral understanding or a willful disregard for it, whereas "wicked" implies active rebellion and hostility towards righteousness. Both groups are commanded to cease their destructive and defiant behavior, underscoring God's call for all humanity to align with His righteous and wise standards.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Psalms 75:4, with its divine warning against human arrogance and folly, finds its ultimate Christ-centered fulfillment in several profound ways. Jesus Christ stands as the perfect antithesis of the "fools" and "wicked" who "lift up the horn." Unlike those who defiantly assert their own power, Christ perfectly embodied humility and obedience, even to the point of death on a cross (see Philippians 2:5-8). He did not "lift up His horn" in self-exaltation, but rather emptied Himself, becoming a servant. Yet, it is precisely because of His profound humility and perfect obedience that God highly exalted Him, bestowing upon Him "the name that is above every name," so that every knee should bow to Him (see Philippians 2:9-11). Furthermore, while human "fools" reject wisdom, Christ is revealed as the very "wisdom of God" (see 1 Corinthians 1:24 and 1 Corinthians 1:30). He is the ultimate "horn of salvation" (see Luke 1:69), raised up by God for His people, contrasting sharply with the self-exalted horns of the wicked that God will ultimately break. Finally, the judgment foreshadowed in Psalm 75 is ultimately entrusted to Christ, who is appointed by the Father to be the Judge of all (see John 5:22 and Acts 17:31). Thus, Psalms 75:4 not only warns against human pride but also points forward to the one who perfectly humbled Himself and will ultimately execute righteous judgment, establishing a kingdom founded on divine wisdom and humility, not human arrogance.