1We give thanks to you, God. Yes, we give thanks!
Your name is near. Your marvelous deeds are declared.
2 God says,[a] “When I decide the time is right,
I will establish justice just so.
3 The earth and all its inhabitants will melt,
but I will keep its pillars steady.” Selah
4 I said to the arrogant,
“Don’t be arrogant!”
To the wicked I said,
“Don’t exalt your strength!
5 Don’t exalt your strength so highly.
Don’t speak so arrogantly against the rock.”[b]
6 Because what exalts someone
doesn’t come from the east or west;
it’s not from the south either.
7 Rather it is God who is the judge.
He brings this person down,
but that person he lifts up.
8 Indeed, there’s a cup in the Lord’s hand
full of foaming wine, mixed with spice.
He will pour it out,
and all of the earth’s wicked people
must drink it;
they must drink every last drop!
9 But I will rejoice[c] always;
I will sing praises to Jacob’s God!
10 God says:[d]
“I will demolish every bit of the wicked’s power,
but the strength of the righteous will be lifted up.”
Reflection
To the people of Israel and Judah, conquered first by the Assyrians in the northern kingdom of Judah and later conquered by Babylon in the southern kingdom of Israel, captivity was a daily trial. Enslaved and deported from their homeland and resettled among a foreign population that worshipped many gods, the people of God struggled against a foreign culture that pressured them to assimilate and abandon their God. This psalm praises God’s protection and care for God’s people in captivity while they await the day of God’s righteous judgement on their behalf. God has not forgotten God’s people in their captivity.
This psalm was a comfort and a reassurance to those living in exile, far from their home. It begins with giving thanks to God, whose name is near and will not abandon them. Calling on the name of the God of Jacob reminds the people that they, like Jacob before them, struggled with God in the darkness before the dawn. That they should not let go of their hope in the Lord for they are blessed. They recall all that God has done for them in the history of their people, from God’s covenant with Abraham through Moses leading them out of Egypt, guiding them towards the Promised Land. Their hope is renewed that they will someday return to their homeland.
The people cry out to God for justice, and God will humble the arrogant, and cause the wicked to drink the bitter cup of justice to the last drop. Psalms 75 reminds us that only God is righteous and “when the time is right” God will judge and establish justice on earth. God will lift up the humble and the faithful, and give them justice, and they will sing praises to God and rejoice in their salvation.
by Jeneene Reduker
For Pondering and Prayer
The events of the last several weeks have highlighted how close our world is to a World War. We cry out to God for peace for all people. Even while it feels that “the earth and all its inhabitants will melt,” God “will keep its pillars steady.” God is our shelter in the storm. This psalm highlights for us God’s faithfulness in adversity. No matter what we are going through in this life, God draws near to us, we are not alone. We can cry out to God, and God will be with us. As children of God we have a relationship with God where we can confess our fear, our anger and our hopes for the future. We can put our trust in God who cares for us.
It can be difficult for us to rejoice in all that God has done for us when we are angry and afraid of the events happening around us. Worship, singing hymns and praying the psalms are all ways we can remember God’s faithfulness, God’s salvation promises through Christ, our eternal hope and what God is doing in our lives right now through the Spirit. Start today by listening to your favorite worship music and ask God to draw near to you and renew your hope. Share your feelings with God so that you can know that the Lord is near.
Prayer: Holy and Loving God, draw near to us, let us be conscious of your presence with us throughout the day. Move our hearts to worship you, with music and song so we can be transformed by your Spirit and trust in your promises. And renew our hope that your Kin-dom will come, bringing peace to all your children. Amen.
