7. God Blesses the Righteous

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Hymns: RHC 314 Nearer, Still Nearer, 313 O Love that Will Not Let Me Go, 319 It Is Well With My Soul

PSALM 75

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. 6 For promotion comethneither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. 7 But God isthe judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another. 8 For in the hand of the LORD there isa cup, and the wine is red; it is full of mixture; and he poureth out of the same: but the dregs thereof, all the wicked of the earth shall wring themout,anddrink them. 9 But I will declare for ever; I will sing praises to the God of Jacob. 10 All the horns of the wicked also will I cut off; butthe horns of the righteous shall be exalted. Psalms 75:1-10 (KJV)

 GOD BLESSES THE RIGHTEOUS

 

  • The LOVING CARE OF GOD TO HIS PEOPLE PROCLAIMED (v1-3)
    1. His people gratefully thank Him for His presence and His intervention in their lives (v1)
    2. For He receives and presides His people in righteousness (v2)
    3. Although tempest of life will come but He is their stronghold through them all (v3)
  • THE RESISTANCE OF GOD AGAINST THE PROUD (v4-5)
    1. The boastful admonished (v4a)
    2. The evil man’s strength resisted (v4b)
    3. The self-exalting put in their place (v5)
  • GOD SOVEREIGNLY CHOOSES WHOM HE WILL BLESS (v6-7)
    1. He raises up whom He chooses (v6)
    2. For He is the SOVEREIGN JUDGE (v7a)
    3. Putting down one (v7b)
    4. Putting up another (v7c)
  • HIS BLESSING IS UPON THE RIGHTEOUS (v8-10)
    1. His judgment comes upon the wicked (v8)
    2. His blessings are upon His thankful people (v9)
    3. For God favours the righteous (v10)

 

INTRODUCTION

God’s people come before Him the sovereign Judge with nothing to boast. Nothing they could bring to offer but their contrite heart. We could bring nothing to win God’s favour but He does sovereign chooses us and nurtures us. We take heart to consecrate our hearts fully to Him in grateful obedience and love.

The people of God seeking to walk with God, knowing their unworthiness to walk before Him, finds solace and strength, for God condescends to uphold His people in all their afflictions. Indeed, He leads us in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.

  • THE LOVING CARE OF GOD TO HIS PEOPLE PROCLAIMED (v1-3)
  • THE RESISTANCE OF GOD AGAINST THE PROUD (v4-5)
  • GOD SOVEREIGNLY CHOOSES WHOM HE WILL BLESS (v6-7)
  • HIS BLESSING IS UPON THE RIGHTEOUS (v8-10)
  • THE LOVING CARE OF GOD TO HIS PEOPLE PROCLAIMED (v1-3)
    1. His people gratefully thank Him for His presence and His intervention in their lives (v1)
    2. For He receives and presides His people in righteousness (v2)
    3. Although tempest of life will come but He is their stronghold through them all (v3)

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.

The people of God who has tasted of the grace and goodness of God can resist with an overflowing heart of gratitude to praise God. Thanksgiving is the blessed trait of a heart subdued by God’s grace and presence. We have seen it, we have seen it, the glory of God so wonderfully manifested for our blessing. Matthew Henry said well, “There are many works which God oes for His people, that may truly be called wondrous works, out of the common course of providence, and quite beyond our expectation.”

What a Wonderful Saviour

Jesus Christ my Lord

What a Wonderful Saviour

From sin He sets me free

I will praise Him forever

Faithful to death I’ll be

What a Wonderful Saviour

Jesus is to me.

God was looking into the well-being of His people. In fact, He upholds all things with the word of His power (Hebrews 1:3). God’s people can count upon Him to protect them. God is ever with us to

NEARER, STILL NEARER

Nearer, still nearer, close to Thy heart,
Draw me, my Savior—so precious Thou art!
Fold me, oh, fold me close to Thy breast.
Shelter me safe in that “Haven of Rest”;
Shelter me safe in that “Haven of Rest.”

Nearer, still nearer, nothing I bring,
Naught as an offering to Jesus, my King;
Only my sinful, now contrite heart.
Grant me the cleansing Thy blood doth impart.
Grant me the cleansing Thy blood doth impart.

Nearer, still nearer, Lord, to be Thine!
Sin, with its follies, I gladly resign,
All of its pleasures, pomp and its pride,
Give me but Jesus, my Lord, crucified.
Give me but Jesus, my Lord, crucified.

Nearer, still nearer, while life shall last.
Till safe in glory my anchor is cast;
Through endless ages ever to be
Nearer, my Savior, still nearer to Thee;
Nearer, my Savior, still nearer to Thee!

The sinner who mourns for his sins and finds relief in Christ receives much comfort from the nearness of God as he abides in His presence.

The righteous will never cease to give thanks. Their mercies shall never cease to flow; and their hearts shall never be unmoved by the divine kindness. [Plumer]

  • THE RESISTANCE OF GOD AGAINST THE PROUD (v4-5)
    1. The boastful admonished (v4a)
    2. The evil man’s strength resisted (v4b)
    3. The self-exalting put in their place (v5)

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.

 The word “fools” literally refers “boasters”. The lifting up of the horn is a description of pride. The stiff neck speaks of a hardness of heart openly manifested, of arragancy.

Proverbs 6:16-19 These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.

God resists the proud. He is against their boastfulness. Horns are a symbol of strength and therefore a basis for boasting. [Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary of the Old Testament] This metaphor is borrowed from the habits of horned animals with reference to the act of holding the head high, as a sign of pride.

  • GOD SOVEREIGNLY CHOOSES WHOM HE WILL BLESS (v6-7)
    1. He raises up whom He chooses (v6)
    2. For He is the SOVEREIGN JUDGE (v7a)
    3. Putting down one (v7b)
    4. Putting up another (v7c)

6 For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. 7 But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another.

 God is the One who sovereign bless Whom He will. The king Nebuchadnezzar realized this truth to the blessing of his heart when He kowtow to the God of heaven. He realizes that reign of God over him and his domain. He realizes that he has no control but to submit to His rule. He loses the control of his physical faculty when God struck him to live like an animal for 7 long years!

Daniel 4:31-37 While the word was in the king’s mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken; The kingdom is departed from thee. And they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field: they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will. The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles’ feathers, and his nails like birds’ claws. And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation: And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou? At the same time my reason returned unto me; and for the glory of my kingdom, mine honour and brightness returned unto me; and my counsellers and my lords sought unto me; and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added unto me. Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase.

  • HIS BLESSING IS UPON THE RIGHTEOUS (v8-10)
    1. His judgment comes upon the wicked (v8)
    2. His blessings are upon His thankful people (v9)
    3. For God favours the righteous (v10)

8 For in the hand of the LORD there is a cup, and the wine is red; it is full of mixture; and he poureth out of the same: but the dregs thereof, all the wicked of the earth shall wring them out, and drink them.

 God’s judgment will come upon the wicked. This metaphor of the cup of red wine and its mixture describes God’s judgment – When wine ferments, it produces a froth from the released gases, so the metaphor perhaps suggests a particularly well-fermented product. The word picture is expanded with the description “mixed.” At times wine was mixed with water, but spices were often used to increase the pungency of the drink (Song 8:2). The allure and potentially damaging effect is described in Proverbs 23:29-35, so it serves as a fitting metaphor of judgment (Ps. 60:3; Isa. 51:17; Jer. 25:15, 27). The “dregs” are the sediment at the bottom of the jar.[1]

9 But I will declare for ever; I will sing praises to the God of Jacob. 10 All the horns of the wicked also will I cut off; but the horns of the righteous shall be exalted.

The psalmist sings of God’s justice meted out upon the wicked who spurns God’s laws. But God’s favour is upon the righteous. He is the repentant. He whose sins are washed by the blood of the Lamb. The clear conscience is a blessed state of well-being. Thank God for His grace.

CONCLUSION

Praise God for protecting His people Amen.

[1]Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary of the Old Testament – Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary of the Old Testament – Minor Prophets, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs.