CORPUS-PSALTERIUMVol. III
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Corpus Psalterium · Vol. III

Psalm LXXV (75)

Cantillated — Dialogical Judgment

Paul Whitehorn

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Study the Word

Psalm 75 in Hebrew and English, and the words as they are sung.

Heb 1

For the Chief Musician. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” A Psalm by Asaph. A song.

לַמְנַצֵּ֥חַ אַל־תַּשְׁחֵ֑ת מִזְמ֖וֹר לְאָסָ֣ף שִֽׁיר׃

1Heb 2

We give thanks to you, God. We give thanks, for your Name is near. Men tell about your wondrous works.

ה֘וֹדִ֤ינוּ לְּךָ֨ ׀ אֱֽלֹהִ֗ים ה֭וֹדִינוּ וְקָר֣וֹב שְׁמֶ֑ךָ סִ֝פְּר֗וּ נִפְלְאוֹתֶֽיךָ׃

2Heb 3

When I choose the appointed time, I will judge blamelessly.

כִּ֭י אֶקַּ֣ח מוֹעֵ֑ד אֲ֝נִ֗י מֵישָׁרִ֥ים אֶשְׁפֹּֽט׃

3Heb 4

The earth and all its inhabitants quake. I firmly hold its pillars. Selah.

נְֽמֹגִ֗ים אֶ֥רֶץ וְכָל־יֹשְׁבֶ֑יהָ אָנֹכִ֨י תִכַּ֖נְתִּי עַמּוּדֶ֣יהָ סֶּֽלָה׃

4Heb 5

I said to the arrogant, “Don’t boast!” I said to the wicked, “Don’t lift up the horn.

אָמַ֣רְתִּי לַֽ֭הוֹלְלִים אַל־תָּהֹ֑לּוּ וְ֝לָרְשָׁעִ֗ים אַל־תָּרִ֥ימוּ קָֽרֶן׃

5Heb 6

Don’t lift up your horn on high. Don’t speak with a stiff neck.”

אַל־תָּרִ֣ימוּ לַמָּר֣וֹם קַרְנְכֶ֑ם תְּדַבְּר֖וּ בְצַוָּ֣אר עָתָֽק׃

6Heb 7

For neither from the east, nor from the west, nor yet from the south, comes exaltation.

כִּ֤י לֹ֣א מִ֭מּוֹצָא וּמִֽמַּעֲרָ֑ב וְ֝לֹ֗א מִמִּדְבַּ֥ר הָרִֽים׃

7Heb 8

But God is the judge. He puts down one, and lifts up another.

כִּֽי־אֱלֹהִ֥ים שֹׁפֵ֑ט זֶ֥ה יַ֝שְׁפִּ֗יל וְזֶ֣ה יָרִֽים׃

8Heb 9

For in Yahweh’s hand there is a cup, full of foaming wine mixed with spices. He pours it out. Indeed the wicked of the earth drink and drink it to its very dregs.

כִּ֤י כ֪וֹס בְּֽיַד־יְהוָ֡ה וְיַ֤יִן חָמַ֨ר ׀ מָ֥לֵא מֶסֶךְ֮ וַיַּגֵּ֪ר מִ֫זֶּ֥ה אַךְ־שְׁ֭מָרֶיהָ יִמְצ֣וּ יִשְׁתּ֑וּ כֹּ֝֗ל רִשְׁעֵי־אָֽרֶץ׃

9Heb 10

But I will declare this forever: I will sing praises to the God of Jacob.

וַ֭אֲנִי אַגִּ֣יד לְעֹלָ֑ם אֲ֝זַמְּרָ֗ה לֵאלֹהֵ֥י יַעֲקֹֽב׃

10Heb 11

I will cut off all the horns of the wicked, but the horns of the righteous shall be lifted up.

וְכָל־קַרְנֵ֣י רְשָׁעִ֣ים אֲגַדֵּ֑עַ תְּ֝רוֹמַ֗מְנָה קַֽרְנ֥וֹת צַדִּֽיק׃

Hebrew: Westminster Leningrad Codex (public domain), from the Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible. English: World English Bible (public domain). Verse numbers follow the English Bible; the Hebrew numbering is shown beneath where it differs.

We give thanks

We give thanks

Your name is near

Your wonders are told

We give thanks

We give thanks

Your name is near

Your wonders are told

God is judge

God is judge

He brings low

He lifts high

God is judge

God is judge

When I take the time

I judge in truth

The earth melts

All who dwell

I set the pillars

I hold it firm

I say to the proud

Do not boast

Do not lift your horn

Do not lift it high

Do not speak

With a stiff neck

God is judge

God is judge

He brings low

He lifts high

God is judge

God is judge

Not from the east

Not from the west

Not from the wilderness heights

God is judge

He brings one low

He lifts another

There is a cup

In the hand of the Lord

There is a cup

In the hand of the Lord

Foaming wine

Fully mixed

He pours it out

He pours it out

The wicked will drink

They will drain it

They will drink

The dregs

God is judge

God is judge

God is judge

God is judge

He brings low

He lifts high

God is judge

God is judge

I will declare

Forever

I will sing

To the God of Jacob

The horns of the wicked

Cut down

The horns of the righteous

Lifted up

Lyrics by Paul Whitehorn: a singable English rendering of the Hebrew, as sung on this recording.

Corpus Psalterium sets each psalm to music by its Hebrew grammar. Didactic psalms teach; Cantillated psalms are spoken, sung or performed before God. Hear all 150 psalms free.

About these songs. They are a summary and a commentary on the Psalms, not a word-for-word translation. Read what these songs are →

What These Songs Are, and What They Are Not

These songs are not a word-for-word translation of the Psalms. They were never meant to be. Nor do they try to capture every idea in every psalm. In a song, that would be impossible.

What we have done is capture the essence of each psalm: what matters most in it. Think of each song as a summary. Think of it as a cheat sheet. The purpose of the psalm is still being met. God's word to mankind is still being heard.

Behind many of these lines is word research: deep study of the meaning of the Hebrew. So where a line sounds different from your translation, and you think it is wrong, study it. We believe you will find that the essence of what we sing is true.

The truth is that no one can set the Psalms to music without also becoming a commentator. That is what this is. It is a modern commentary on the Psalms: not only the Psalms themselves, and not only the Psalms being sung. So do not think that every word of the psalm is here. It is not. Read the psalm itself, in full.

Why do this at all? Because we believe God intended humanity to be surrounded by His word. This was always the entertainment He wanted us to have: not hours of television, not a day lost in a phone looking at nonsense. The blessed man of Psalm 1 meditates on God's word day and night. How can we meditate on His word if we do not surround ourselves with it?

As ministers, our first responsibility is to share God's word with people. That is what these songs are for.

Paul Whitehorn