Psalms 75 · Verse 4

Psalms 75:4

I said unto the fools, Deal not foolishly: and to the wicked, Lift not up the horn:
Psalms 75:4, King James Version

Psalms 75:4 in other translations

BSBI say to the proud, ‘Do not boast,’ and to the wicked, ‘Do not lift up your horn.
WEBI said to the arrogant, “Don’t boast!” I said to the wicked, “Don’t lift up the horn.
ASVI said unto the arrogant, Deal not arrogantly; And to the wicked, Lift not up the horn:
YLTI have said to the boastful, ‘Be not boastful,' And to the wicked, ‘Raise not up a horn.'
DARBYI said unto the boastful, Boast not; and to the wicked, Lift not up the horn:
BBEI say to the men of pride, Let your pride be gone: and to the sinners, Let not your horn be lifted up.
WebsterI said to the fools, Deal not foolishly; and to the wicked, Lift not up the horn:

What does Psalms 75:4 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Psalms 75:4-8
4-8. Here the writer speaks in view of God's declaration, warning the wicked. Lift ... up the horn--to exalt power, here, of the wicked himself--that is, to be arrogant or self-elated.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 4 I said unto the fools - I have given the idolatrous Chaldeans sufficient warning to abandon their idols, and worship the true God; but they would not. I have also charged the wicked, to whom for a season I have delivered you because of your transgressions, not to lift up their horn - not to use their power to oppress and destroy. They have, notwithstanding, abused their power in the persecutions with which they have afflicted you. For all these things they shall shortly be brought to an awful account. On the term horn, see the note on Luk 1:69.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Psalms 75:1-5

We often pray for mercy, when in pursuit of it; and shall we only once or twice give thanks, when we obtain it? God shows that he is nigh to us in what we call upon him for. Public trusts are to be managed uprightly. This may well be applied to Christ and his government. Man's sin threatened to destroy the whole creation; but Christ saved the world from utter ruin. He who is made of God to us wisdom, bids us be…

Read the full comment on Psalms 75:1-5 →

Psalms 75:4 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

אָמַ֣רְתִּי'a.Mar.tiI sayH559
לַֽ֭הוֹלְלִיםLa.ho.limto the boastersH1984
אַל\־'al-may notH408
תָּהֹ֑לּוּta.Ho.luyou boastH1984
וְ֝לָרְשָׁעִ֗יםve.la.re.sha.'Imand to the wicked [people]H7563
אַל\־'al-may notH408
תָּרִ֥ימוּta.Ri.muyou lift upH7311
קָֽרֶן\׃Ka.rena hornH7161

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Psalms 75:4

  • Zechariah 1:21

    Then said I, What come these to do? And he spake, saying, These are the horns which have scattered Judah, so that no man did lift up his head: but these are come to fray them, to cast out the horns of the Gentiles, which lifted up their horn over the land of Judah to scatter it.

  • Proverbs 1:22

    How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge?

  • Proverbs 8:5

    O ye simple, understand wisdom: and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart.

  • Psalms 82:2-8

    How long will ye judge unjustly, and accept the persons of the wicked? Selah. Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy. Deliver the poor and needy: rid them out of the hand of the wicked. They know not, neither will they understand; they walk on in darkness: all the foundations of the earth are out of course. …

  • Psalms 94:8

    Understand, ye brutish among the people: and ye fools, when will ye be wise?

  • Psalms 89:17

    For thou art the glory of their strength: and in thy favour our horn shall be exalted.

  • Psalms 148:14

    He 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.

  • Proverbs 9:6

    Forsake the foolish, and live; and go in the way of understanding.

  • Daniel 7:20-21

    And of the ten horns that were in his head, and of the other which came up, and before whom three fell; even of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows. I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them;

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
I said.
82:2-8; 94:8; Pr 1:22; 8:5; 9:6
Lift.
89:17; 148:14; Da 7:20,21; Zec 1:21

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Psalms 75:3

    The earth and all the inhabitants thereof are dissolved: I bear up the pillars of it. Selah.

  • Psalms 75:4

    I said unto the fools, Deal not foolishly: and to the wicked, Lift not up the horn:

  • Psalms 75:5

    Lift not up your horn on high: speak not with a stiff neck.

Read all of Psalms 75

Psalms 75:4 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Dije á los insensatos: No os infatuéis; y á los impíos: No levantéis el cuerno:
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		La terre et tous ses habitants se sont fondus; moi, j’affermis ses piliers. Sélah.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Ich sprach zu den Übermütigen: Seid nicht übermütig! und zu den Gesetzlosen: Erhebet nicht das Horn!
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Ibi confregit potentias arcuum, scutum, gladium, et bellum.