Psalm 75:3 - Printer Friendly

ESV: When the earth totters, and all its inhabitants, it is I who keep steady its pillars. Selah

NIV: When the earth and all its people quake, it is I who hold its pillars firm.

NASB: The earth and all who inhabit it are unsteady; It is I who have firmly set its pillars. Selah

CSB: When the earth and all its inhabitants shake, I am the one who steadies its pillars. Selah

NLT: When the earth quakes and its people live in turmoil, I am the one who keeps its foundations firm. Interlude

KJV: The earth and all the inhabitants thereof are dissolved: I bear up the pillars of it. Selah.

NKJV: The earth and all its inhabitants are dissolved; I set up its pillars firmly. Selah

Psalm 75:1–3 thank God for His intimate love of Israel (Deuteronomy 7:6). This includes celebrating the miracles He has used to help them in the past. The psalmist knows that judgment will happen in God's own time. No matter how powerful these consequences are, God can and will keep the earth intact until His will is accomplished. The construction of the phrases makes it clear that the Lord, not the psalmist, is speaking in verses 2 and 3.

This psalm begins by thanking the Lord for His many incredible actions. It then speaks from the Lord's perspective as He states that judgment will occur only on His timing. This comes with warnings to those tempted to reject God's authority. Those who oppose the Lord will suffer wrath beyond their imagination. In contrast, the psalmist intends to praise the Lord. He expects God's judgment to separate the righteous from the wicked.

The prior psalm, also associated with the name Asaph, was an appeal for God to answer an enemy's horrific attack. Now, this psalmist acknowledges that God has His own timing for judgment. This follows a pattern seen in songs connected Asaph: recognition of a problem (Psalm 73:2–3; 74:1–3) followed by reassurance that God is ultimately in control (Psalm 73:15–18; 74:12–13). What is probably the tune of this song, "Do Not Destroy," is also mentioned in psalms 57—59.

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.

Accessed 11/23/2024 7:14:36 PM