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I said to the arrogant, “Don’t boast!” I said to the wicked, “Don’t lift up the horn.
Psalms 75:4 · World English Bible
Parallel translations
  • KJV I said unto the fools, Deal not foolishly: and to the wicked, Lift not up the horn:
  • BSB I say to the proud, ‘Do not boast,’ and to the wicked, ‘Do not lift up your horn.
  • NKJV “I said to the boastful, ‘Do not deal boastfully,’ And to the wicked, ‘Do not lift up the horn.
  • NASB “I said to the boastful, ‘Do not boast,’ And to the wicked, ‘Do not lift up the horn;
  • NLT “I warned the proud, ‘Stop your boasting!’ I told the wicked, ‘Don’t raise your fists!

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

God warns the arrogant not to boast and the wicked not to lift up the horn of proud strength.

Overview

The horn is a common biblical symbol of power and pride. God directly commands the arrogant to cease their self-exalting boasting. This warning exposes the folly of human pride before the sovereign Judge and calls all people to humble themselves, the very posture the gospel requires.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 9

  • Zech 1:21Then I asked, “What are these coming to do?” He said, “These are the horns which scattered Judah, so that no man lifted up his head; but these have come to terrify them, to cast down the horns of the nations, which lifted up their horn against the land of Judah to scatter it.”
  • Prov 1:22“How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity? How long will mockers delight themselves in mockery, and fools hate knowledge?
  • Prov 8:5You simple, understand prudence. You fools, be of an understanding heart.
  • Ps 148:14He has lifted up the horn of his people, the praise of all his saints; even of the children of Israel, a people near to him. Praise Yah!
  • Ps 94:8Consider, you senseless among the people; you fools, when will you be wise?
  • Ps 89:17For you are the glory of their strength. In your favor, our horn will be exalted.
  • Ps 82:2–8“How long will you judge unjustly, and show partiality to the wicked?” Selah.
  • Dan 7:20–21and concerning the ten horns that were on its head, and the other horn which came up, and before which three fell, even that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spoke great things, whose look was more stout than its fellows.
  • Prov 9:6Leave your simple ways, and live. Walk in the way of understanding.”

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (1)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Psalms videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Psalms 75:4YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on PsalmsMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

The Psalms are Christ's own prayer book and a gallery of his portraits — the suffering one of Psalm 22, the risen Lord of Psalm 16, the priest-king of Psalm 110, the Son to whom the nations are given.

How Psalms 75:4 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.