This psalm assures the saints that, though the wicked exalt themselves against them, the Lord will be the final judge of all men. He will promote and He will cast down. We must look to Him and not to man.

What Does It Say?

1. The __________ and all the inhabitants thereof are ____________.
2. He said to the wicked, Lift not up the _________.
3. For _____________ cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south.
4. The wicked shall wring out the __________ of the cup of the Lord and ________ them.
5. But I will ________ for ever; I will sing _________ to the God of Jacob.

What Does It Mean?

1. Read verse six and tell the direction from which promotion comes. From verse seven, we see that this is the direction in which God dwells. Read Psalm 48:2Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King.
   See All... and Isaiah 14:13For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
   See All.... Why do you think the north is connected with the Lord?
2. In verse eight, the Lord has a cup in His hand. He pours it out and the wicked drink of it. The picture of the Lord’s cup is found several times in the Bible. Read the following scriptures and tell what you think is the significance of the cup: Isaiah 51:17Awake, awake, stand up, O Jerusalem, which hast drunk at the hand of the LORD the cup of his fury; thou hast drunken the dregs of the cup of trembling, and wrung them out.
   See All..., Isaiah 51:22Thus saith thy Lord the LORD, and thy God that pleadeth the cause of his people, Behold, I have taken out of thine hand the cup of trembling, even the dregs of the cup of my fury; thou shalt no more drink it again:
   See All...; Jeremiah 25:15-17 [15] For thus saith the LORD God of Israel unto me; Take the wine cup of this fury at my hand, and cause all the nations, to whom I send thee, to drink it. [16] And they shall drink, and be moved, and be mad, because of the sword that I will send among them. [17] Then took I the cup at the LORD's hand, and made all the nations to drink, unto whom the LORD had sent me:
   See All..., Jeremiah 25:27-28 [27] Therefore thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Drink ye, and be drunken, and spue, and fall, and rise no more, because of the sword which I will send among you. [28] And it shall be, if they refuse to take the cup at thine hand to drink, then shalt thou say unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Ye shall certainly drink.
   See All...; Revelation 14:10The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:
   See All...; Revelation 16:19And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.
   See All...; Revelation 18:3For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.
   See All...).
3. In this psalm, the wicked are told not to lift up their horn (v.4, 5). The horns of the wicked will be cut off (v.10), but the horns of the righteous shall be exalted (v.10). Horns come from the horns of animals and are used in scripture as a symbol of power, strength, honor, and grandeur. What does it mean for someone to lift up their own horn (v.4, 5; see Amos 6:13Ye which rejoice in a thing of nought, which say, Have we not taken to us horns by our own strength?
   See All...)? What does it mean to have your horns cut off (v.10; Jeremiah 48:25The horn of Moab is cut off, and his arm is broken, saith the LORD.
   See All...; Lamentations 2:3He hath cut off in his fierce anger all the horn of Israel: he hath drawn back his right hand from before the enemy, and he burned against Jacob like a flaming fire, which devoureth round about.
   See All...; Amos 3:14That in the day that I shall visit the transgressions of Israel upon him I will also visit the altars of Bethel: and the horns of the altar shall be cut off, and fall to the ground.
   See All...)? What does it mean to have your horns exalted (v.10; 1 Samuel 2:1And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart rejoiceth in the LORD, mine horn is exalted in the LORD: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation.
   See All..., 10; Psalm 89:17For thou art the glory of their strength: and in thy favour our horn shall be exalted.
   See All..., Psalm 89:24But my faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him: and in my name shall his horn be exalted.
   See All...; Psalm 92:10But my horn shalt thou exalt like the horn of an unicorn: I shall be anointed with fresh oil.
   See All...; Psalm 112:9He hath dispersed, he hath given to the poor; his righteousness endureth for ever; his horn shall be exalted with honour.
   See All...; Psalm 148:14He also exalteth the horn of his people, the praise of all his saints; even of the children of Israel, a people near unto him. Praise ye the LORD.
   See All...)?

What Does It Mean to Me?

1. The psalm speaks against those who speak with a stiff neck (v.5). A stiff neck is related to rebellion (Deuteronomy 31:27For I know thy rebellion, and thy stiff neck: behold, while I am yet alive with you this day, ye have been rebellious against the LORD; and how much more after my death?
   See All...). In 2Chronicles 30:8Now be ye not stiffnecked, as your fathers were, but yield yourselves unto the LORD, and enter into his sanctuary, which he hath sanctified for ever: and serve the LORD your God, that the fierceness of his wrath may turn away from you.
   See All..., God tells Israel, “Now be ye not stiffnecked, as your fathers were, but yield yourselves unto the LORD.”  Why is a stiff neck used as a picture of rebellion? In what ways have you had a stiff neck in your own life? What is God’s solution to a stiff neck? Explain how God’s solution can be put to practice.
2. The psalmist says of the Lord, “for that thy name is near thy wondrous works declare.” What is the significance of the name of the Lord? What does it mean that the Lord’s name is near? How do the wondrous works of the Lord declare the nearness of His name?

Suggested Memory Verses

Psalm 75:1Unto thee, O God, do we give thanks, unto thee do we give thanks: for that thy name is near thy wondrous works declare.
See All...; Psalm 75:6-7 [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.
See All...