THE RISE AND FALL
Opening Prayer
Lord, help me to know the truth that You have the whole world in Your hands.
Read Psalm 75
Psalm 75[a]
For the director of music. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” A psalm of Asaph. A song.
1 We praise you, God,
we praise you, for your Name is near;
people tell of your wonderful deeds.
2 You say, “I choose the appointed time;
it is I who judge with equity.
3 When the earth and all its people quake,
it is I who hold its pillars firm.[b]
4 To the arrogant I say, ‘Boast no more,’
and to the wicked, ‘Do not lift up your horns.[c]
5 Do not lift your horns against heaven;
do not speak so defiantly.’”
6 No one from the east or the west
or from the desert can exalt themselves.
7 It is God who judges:
He brings one down, he exalts another.
8 In the hand of the Lord is a cup
full of foaming wine mixed with spices;
he pours it out, and all the wicked of the earth
drink it down to its very dregs.
9 As for me, I will declare this forever;
I will sing praise to the God of Jacob,
10 who says, “I will cut off the horns of all the wicked,
but the horns of the righteous will be lifted up.”
Footnotes
a Psalm 75:1 In Hebrew texts 75:1-10 is numbered 75:2-11.
b Psalm 75:3 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.
c Psalm 75:4 Horns here symbolize strength; also in verses 5 and 10.
New International Version (NIV)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
Have you ever felt that God was “too late”?If you read a condensed history of the world, an overriding theme is how each empire and kingdom rises and falls. Some last longer than others, but each is thirsting for power, which leads to wars. It’s still going on today, and sometimes we wonder just how long it will be before God does something about it! And that brings other questions: Why does God allow it to happen? Why is there so much suffering? Why am I going through this?
Psalm 75 shows us not only that the Lord is above all earthly kingdoms (2–5), but that we perhaps ask the wrong questions because we see such a small part of God’s sovereign plans. We look from our perspective, our human timescale, rather than God’s eternal timing (2). He chooses the timing, and one day he will judge the evils of the world (2, 4, 7, 10). He judges fairly (2, 7, 10) and gives warning that it will happen (4, 5).
It’s sometimes hard to understand why we face difficulties (3). Yet we can trust God even in the middle of chaos and injustice. His sovereignty is geared to his timetable for a larger redemptive purpose, and not to our immediate needs and desires – God’s clocks are never wrong!
Apply
Our times are in God’s hands (Psalm 31:14, 15). What do you need to leave in His hands today? Write it down, surrender it to God in prayer and then throw away the paper.
Closing prayer
I praise You, Lord, that You are in control. Fill me with trust in You today.
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