Mazmur 75:2-8
Konteks“At the appointed times, 2
I judge 3 fairly.
75:3 When the earth and all its inhabitants dissolve in fear, 4
I make its pillars secure.” 5 (Selah)
75:4 6 I say to the proud, “Do not be proud,”
and to the wicked, “Do not be so confident of victory! 7
75:5 Do not be so certain you have won! 8
Do not speak with your head held so high! 9
75:6 For victory does not come from the east or west,
or from the wilderness. 10
He brings one down and exalts another. 12
75:8 For the Lord holds in his hand a cup full
of foaming wine mixed with spices, 13
and pours it out. 14
Surely all the wicked of the earth
will slurp it up and drink it to its very last drop.” 15
[75:2] 1 tn The words “God says” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied in the translation to clarify that God speaks in vv. 2-3.
[75:2] 2 tn Heb “when I take an appointed time.”
[75:2] 3 tn Heb “I, [in] fairness, I judge.” The statement is understood in a generalizing sense; God typically executes fair judgment as he governs the world. One could take this as referring to an anticipated (future) judgment, “I will judge.”
[75:3] 5 tn The statement is understood in a generalizing sense; God typically prevents the world from being overrun by chaos. One could take this as referring to an anticipated event, “I will make its pillars secure.”
[75:4] 6 tn The identity of the speaker in vv. 4-6 is unclear. The present translation assumes that the psalmist, who also speaks in vv. 7-9 (where God/the
[75:4] 7 tn Heb “do not lift up a horn.” The horn of an ox underlies the metaphor (see Deut 33:17; 1 Kgs 22:11; Ps 92:10). The horn of the wild ox is frequently a metaphor for military strength; the idiom “exalt/lift up the horn” signifies military victory (see 1 Sam 2:10; Pss 89:17, 24; 92:10; Lam 2:17). Here the idiom seems to refer to an arrogant attitude that assumes victory has been achieved.
[75:5] 8 tn Heb “do not lift up on high your horn.”
[75:5] 9 tn Heb “[do not] speak with unrestrained neck.” The negative particle is understood in this line by ellipsis (note the preceding line).
[75:5] sn The image behind the language of vv. 4-5 is that of a powerful wild ox that confidently raises its head before its enemies.
[75:6] 10 tn Heb “for not from the east or from the west, and not from the wilderness of the mountains.” If one follows this reading the sentence is elliptical. One must supply “does help come,” or some comparable statement. However, it is possible to take הָרִים (harim) as a Hiphil infinitive from רוּם (rum), the same verb used in vv. 4-5 of “lifting up” a horn. In this case one may translate the form as “victory.” In this case the point is that victory does not come from alliances with other nations.
[75:7] 12 tn The imperfects here emphasize the generalizing nature of the statement.
[75:8] 13 tn Heb “for a cup [is] in the hand of the
[75:8] 14 tn Heb “and he pours out from this.”
[75:8] 15 tn Heb “surely its dregs they slurp up and drink, all the wicked of the earth.”
[75:8] sn The psalmist pictures God as forcing the wicked to gulp down an intoxicating drink that will leave them stunned and vulnerable. Divine judgment is also depicted this way in Ps 60:3; Isa 51:17-23; and Hab 2:16.