Psalm 75:7
ESV
but it is God who executes judgment, putting down one and lifting up another.
NIV
It is God who judges: He brings one down, he exalts another.
NASB
But God is the Judge; He puts down one and exalts another.
CSB
for God is the Judge: He brings down one and exalts another.
NLT
It is God alone who judges; he decides who will rise and who will fall.
KJV
But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another.
NKJV
But God is the Judge: He puts down one, And exalts another.
What does Psalm 75:7 mean?
Please see our chapter commentary on Psalm 75, verse-level content coming soon!Psalm 75:4–8 continues to speak from God's point of view. The Lord warns anyone whose arrogance keeps them from obeying their Creator (Psalm 10:11–13). In Scripture, obstinate refusal of God's will is depicted as a stiff neck: one that refuses to bow or move as its master requires (Exodus 33:5; Proverbs 29:1). The psalm then returns to the psalmist's voice by declaring that rescue and salvation don't come from earth, but from the Lord alone. Using the common metaphor of a cup of wine (Isaiah 51:17; Revelation 14:10), those who refuse the Lord will suffer every single bit of His judgment.
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.