I said unto the fools, Deal not foolishly: and to the wicked, Lift not up the horn:
Parallel translations
- WEB I said to the arrogant, “Don’t boast!” I said to the wicked, “Don’t lift 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 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.
- Prov 1:22How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge?
- Prov 8:5O ye simple, understand wisdom: and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart.
- Ps 148:14He 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.
- Ps 94:8Understand, ye brutish among the people: and ye fools, when will ye be wise?
- Ps 89:17For thou art the glory of their strength: and in thy favour our horn shall be exalted.
- Ps 82:2–8How long will ye judge unjustly, and accept the persons of the wicked? Selah.
- Dan 7:20–21And 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.
- Prov 9:6Forsake the foolish, and live; and go in the way of understanding.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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.