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Psalm 75

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This article is about Psalm 75 in Hebrew (Masoretic) numbering. For Psalm 75 in Greek Septuagint or Latin Vulgate numbering, see Psalm 76.

Psalm 75
"Unto thee, O God, do we give thanks"
Psalms of Asaph
Shofar
Other name
  • Psalm 74 (Vulgate)
  • "Confitebimur tibi Deus"
LanguageHebrew (original)

Psalm 75 is the 75th psalm of the Book of Psalms, beginning in English in the King James Version: "Unto thee, O God, do we give thanks". The Book of Psalms forms part of the Ketuvim section of the Hebrew Bible and part of the Christian Old Testament. In the slightly different numbering system of the Greek Septuagint version of the bible, and in its Latin translation, the Vulgate, this psalm is Psalm 74. In Latin, it is known as "Confitebimur tibi Deus".[1] It is one of the psalms of Asaph.

This psalm forms a regular part of Jewish, Catholic, Lutheran, Anglican and other Protestant liturgies. The thought of giving thanks has often been set to music, including in works by Heinrich Schütz and Johann Sebastian Bach.

Background and themes

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Attributed to Asaph, Psalm 75 continues the theme of Psalms 57, 58, and 59, which also begin with the words al tashcheth, "Do not destroy".[2] The New King James Version refers to al tashcheth or "Do not destroy" as a musical setting.[3] Like the previous psalms, Psalm 75 speaks of the Jews in exile, and praises God for preserving them.[2]

The psalm references the word "horn" several times. According to Charles Spurgeon, the horn is a symbol of honor or strength, but when possessed by the arrogant, the horn is said to be "cut down" or humbled. While God rejects the horns of the haughty, he exalts the horns of the righteous.[4]

The Midrash Tehillim cites ten scriptural verses that mention horns to identify ten horns that God gave to the Israelites: the horns of Abraham, Isaac (the shofar or ram's horn), Moses, Samuel, Aaron, the Sanhedrin, Heman the Ezrahite, Jerusalem, the Jewish Messiah, and David in the future. When the Israelites sinned, these ten horns were removed from them and transferred to the wicked, as it is written, "Behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and it had ten horns" (Daniel 7:7). The Midrash teaches that as long as the horns of the wicked prevail, the horns of Israel will be cut off; but in future, when God elevates the horns of the righteous, the horns of the wicked will be cut off.[5]

Text

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Hebrew

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The following table shows the Hebrew text[6][7] of the Psalm with vowels alongside an English translation based upon the JPS 1917 translation (now in the public domain).

Verse Hebrew English translation (JPS 1917)
1 לַמְנַצֵּ֥חַ אַל־תַּשְׁחֵ֑ת מִזְמ֖וֹר לְאָסָ֣ף שִֽׁיר׃‎ For the Leader; Al-tashheth. A Psalm of Asaph, a Song.
2 ה֘וֹדִ֤ינוּ לְּךָ֨ ׀ אֱֽלֹהִ֗ים ה֭וֹדִינוּ וְקָר֣וֹב שְׁמֶ֑ךָ סִ֝פְּר֗וּ נִפְלְאוֹתֶֽיךָ׃‎ We give thanks unto Thee, O God, We give thanks, and Thy name is near; Men tell of Thy wondrous works.
3 כִּ֭י אֶקַּ֣ח מוֹעֵ֑ד אֲ֝נִ֗י מֵישָׁרִ֥ים אֶשְׁפֹּֽט׃‎ 'When I take the appointed time, I Myself will judge with equity.
4 נְֽמֹגִ֗ים אֶ֥רֶץ וְכׇל־יֹשְׁבֶ֑יהָ אָנֹכִ֨י תִכַּ֖נְתִּי עַמּוּדֶ֣יהָ סֶּֽלָה׃‎ When the earth and all the inhabitants thereof are dissolved, I Myself establish the pillars of it.' Selah
5 אָמַ֣רְתִּי לַ֭הוֹלְלִים אַל־תָּהֹ֑לּוּ וְ֝לָרְשָׁעִ֗ים אַל־תָּרִ֥ימוּ קָֽרֶן׃‎ I say unto the arrogant 'Deal not arrogantly'; And to the wicked 'Lift not up the horn.'
6 אַל־תָּרִ֣ימוּ לַמָּר֣וֹם קַרְנְכֶ֑ם תְּדַבְּר֖וּ בְצַוָּ֣אר עָתָֽק׃‎ Lift not up your horn on high; Speak not insolence with a haughty neck.
7 כִּ֤י לֹ֣א מִ֭מּוֹצָא וּמִֽמַּעֲרָ֑ב וְ֝לֹ֗א מִמִּדְבַּ֥ר הָרִֽים׃‎ For neither from the east, nor from the west, Nor yet from the wilderness, cometh lifting up.
8 כִּֽי־אֱלֹהִ֥ים שֹׁפֵ֑ט זֶ֥ה יַ֝שְׁפִּ֗יל וְזֶ֣ה יָרִֽים׃‎ For God is judge; He putteth down one, and lifteth up another.
9 כִּ֤י כ֪וֹס בְּֽיַד־יְהֹוָ֡ה וְיַ֤יִן חָמַ֨ר ׀ מָ֥לֵא מֶסֶךְ֮ וַיַּגֵּ֢ר מִ֫זֶּ֥ה אַךְ־שְׁ֭מָרֶיהָ יִמְצ֣וּ יִשְׁתּ֑וּ כֹּ֝֗ל רִשְׁעֵי־אָֽרֶץ׃‎ For in the hand of the LORD there is a cup, with foaming wine, full of mixture, And He poureth out of the same; Surely the dregs thereof, all the wicked of the earth shall drain them, and drink them.
10 וַ֭אֲנִי אַגִּ֣יד לְעֹלָ֑ם אֲ֝זַמְּרָ֗ה לֵאלֹהֵ֥י יַעֲקֹֽב׃‎ But as for me, I will declare for ever, I will sing praises to the God of Jacob.
11 וְכׇל־קַרְנֵ֣י רְשָׁעִ֣ים אֲגַדֵּ֑עַ תְּ֝רוֹמַ֗מְנָה קַֽרְנ֥וֹת צַדִּֽיק׃‎ All the horns of the wicked also will I cut off; But the horns of the righteous shall be lifted up.

King James Version

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  1. 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 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.
  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.
  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.

Verse 2

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When I shall receive the congregation I will judge uprightly.[8]

Amended to "the proper time" or "the appointed time" in the New International Version and New King James Version. The "appointed time" is "the proper moment foreordained in the Divine counsels and known to God".[9]

Uses

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Judaism

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Psalm 75 is recited during the Motza'ei Shabbat prayers in the Sephardic tradition.[10] In the Siddur Avodas Yisrael, Psalm 75 is said as the Song of the Day for Shabbat Torah reading Ki Tissa and Eikev.[11] This psalm is also recited on the third through sixth days of Passover in some traditions.[12]

Psalm 75 is recited as a "prayer for forgiveness".[13]

Book of Common Prayer

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In the Church of England's Book of Common Prayer, this psalm is appointed to be read on the morning of the 15th day of the month.[14]

Musical settings

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Beginning of Bach's Gratias agimus tibi of the Mass in B minor

Baroque composer Heinrich Schütz set Psalm 75 in German, "Aus unsers Herzen Grunde", for choir as part of his composition of the Becker Psalter, SWV 172.[15] Johann Sebastian Bach used the beginning of Psalm 75 for the opening movement of Wir danken dir, Gott, wir danken dir, BWV 29, a cantata for the inauguration of a town council in Leipzig.[16] He used the music again for the movement Gratias agimus tibi of the Mass in B minor, expressing the same thought of thanks.[17]

Hymns based on Psalm 75 or specific verses include the popular "Now Thank We All Our God", Catherine Winkworth's translation of Rinkart's "Nun danket alle Gott".[18] The German hymn and its English version inspired several settings, including some by Bach.[19]

References

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  1. ^ Parallel Latin/English Psalter / Psalmus 74 (75) medievalist.net
  2. ^ a b Abramowitz, Jack (2019). "Half-Way There!". Orthodox Union. Archived from the original on 18 April 2019. Retrieved 20 January 2019.
  3. ^ Psalm 75: NKJV
  4. ^ Spurgeon, Charles (2019). "Psalm 75 Bible Commentary". Christianity.com. Retrieved 20 January 2019.
  5. ^ "Midrash Tehillim / Psalms 75" (PDF). matsati.com. October 2012. Retrieved 24 January 2019. (password: www.matsati.com)
  6. ^ "Psalms – Chapter 75". Mechon Mamre.
  7. ^ "Psalms 75 - JPS 1917". Sefaria.org.
  8. ^ Psalm 75:2:KJV: King James Version
  9. ^ Kirkpatrick, A. (1906), Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges on Psalm 75, see also Psalm 102:13; Habakkuk 2:3; Acts 17:31
  10. ^ Nulman 1996, p. 26.
  11. ^ Brauner, Reuven (2013). "Shimush Pesukim: Comprehensive Index to Liturgical and Ceremonial Uses of Biblical Verses and Passages" (PDF) (2nd ed.). p. 41.
  12. ^ Tehillim, p. 1747.
  13. ^ "Repentance". Daily Tehillim. Archived from the original on 14 December 2018. Retrieved 10 December 2018.
  14. ^ Church of England, Book of Common Prayer: The Psalter as printed by John Baskerville in 1762, pp. 196ff
  15. ^ Schütz, Heinrich / Der Beckersche Psalter SWV 97a-256a Bärenreiter
  16. ^ "Wir danken dir, Gott, wir danken dir BWV 29; BC B 8 / Sacred cantata (Council election)". Bach Digital. 2015. Retrieved 23 January 2019.
  17. ^ Wolff, Christoph (2003). "Wir danken dir, Gott, wir danken dir, BWV29" (PDF). Bach Cantatas Website. p. 25. Retrieved 28 June 2013.
  18. ^ Hymns for Psalm 75 hymnary.org
  19. ^ "Chorale: Nun danket alle Gott – Text & Translation". www.bach-cantatas.com. Retrieved 4 February 2017.

Sources

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