Psalm 75:1-10 / God Is in Control
📖 Scripture
1 We praise you, God, we praise you, for your Name is near; people tell of your wonderful deeds.
2 You say, “I choose the appointed time; it is I who judge with equity.
3 When the earth and all its people quake, it is I who hold its pillars firm.
4 To the arrogant I say, ‘Boast no more,’ and to the wicked, ‘Do not lift up your horns.
5 Do not lift your horns against heaven; do not speak so defiantly.’”
6 No one from the east or the west or from the desert can exalt themselves.
7 It is God who judges: He brings one down, he exalts another.
8 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.
9 As for me, I will declare this forever; I will sing praise to the God of Jacob,
10 who says, “I will cut off the horns of all the wicked, but the horns of the righteous will be lifted up.”
✅ Scripture Summary
✅ Memory verse
– Psalm 74:12
✅ Reflection
Trusting God’s Timing (75:1–5)
The psalmist declares that God is in control, even when it seems that the wicked continue to prosper unchecked. Though we may not understand God’s timing, we can trust that He knows when and how to act. His wisdom far surpasses ours, and His justice will prevail at the appointed time. This truth is a source of comfort, especially when dealing with arrogant people who defy God’s ways. The world may seem chaotic, but God is not absent. He is sustaining creation and orchestrating His perfect plan. Our role is to remain faithful, even when we face uncertainty. We can trust that God will bring justice as we wait on Him with steadfast faith and obedience.
What injustices trouble you the most? Praise God that He will judge all of these situations at the appointed time.
Justice in His Hands (75:6–10)
Many people wrestle with the problem of evil. Why does God allow injustice to persist? The psalmist recognizes that God has the final word. He is sovereign and acts according to His perfect will. The proud and wicked may flourish temporarily, but no one will escape judgment. Ultimately, they will face God’s justice. At the same time, those who walk in righteousness will be lifted up in due time. This truth should not only give us confidence in the face of injustice but also lead us into a posture of worship. The psalmist sings praises to the God of Jacob because He is both just and good. Likewise, our response should be continual praise because of the goodness of our just God.
Contemplate the justice and goodness of God. Praise Him with a song or a psalm.
✅ Prayer
“Nothing can successfully stop any act or any event or design or purpose that God intends to certainly bring about.”
– John Piper
✅ Essay
Blessed Assurance
As a young girl, I enjoyed being outside. There was something comforting about the smell of the trees, the movement of the clouds, and the various colors of the heavily forested town I called home. Each day I was guaranteed to come across the same grass, look up at the same sky, and enjoy the same fresh air. Later, I came to realize that the sense of comfort I felt was not only from the beauty of the nature that covered the landscape, but also from the consistency of my surroundings. There was a sense of security in the guarantee that there would be some form of consistency despite the various changes that would inevitably come with growing up and growing older.
Believers find a similar comfort in the Lord because He is a constant in a life full of change. When everything feels unstable or insecure, God remains a source of security and assurance. In today’s passage, the psalmist extols God by highlighting His divine providence. The psalmist poetically emphasizes that nothing can be done outside of God’s own authority. God’s providential nature should be a comfort to us because it means that He is always involved in our lives. He is God, and His nature remains unchanging. Therefore, we can find comfort in knowing that our God is constant in the provision He brings into our lives. We have blessed assurance that God will always be watching over us.
Written by Lisa Polite