I say to the proud, ‘Do not boast,’ and to the wicked, ‘Do not lift up your horn.
Parallel translations
- WEB I said to the arrogant, “Don’t boast!” I said to the wicked, “Don’t lift up the horn.
- KJV I said unto the fools, Deal not foolishly: and to the wicked, Lift not up the 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 1:21“What are these coming to do?” I asked. And He replied, “These are the horns that scattered Judah so that no one could raise his head; but the craftsmen have come to terrify them and throw down these horns of the nations that have lifted up their horns against the land of Judah to scatter it.”
- Prov 1:22“How long, O simple ones, will you love your simple ways? How long will scoffers delight in their scorn and fools hate knowledge?
- Prov 8:5O simple ones, learn to be shrewd; O fools, gain understanding.
- Ps 148:14He has raised up a horn for His people, the praise of all His saints, of Israel, a people near to Him. Hallelujah!
- Ps 94:8Take notice, O senseless among the people! O fools, when will you be wise?
- Ps 89:17For You are the glory of their strength, and by Your favor our horn is exalted.
- Ps 82:2–8“How long will you judge unjustly and show partiality to the wicked? Selah
- Dan 7:20–21I also wanted to know about the ten horns on its head and the other horn that came up, before which three of them fell—the horn whose appearance was more imposing than the others, with eyes and with a mouth that spoke words of arrogance.
- Prov 9:6Leave your folly behind, and you will live; walk in the way of understanding.”
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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.