Limitless Word
But God is the judge. He puts down one, and lifts up another.
Psalms 75:7 · World English Bible
Parallel translations
  • KJV But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another.
  • BSB but it is God who judges; He brings down one and exalts another.
  • NKJV But God is the Judge: He puts down one, And exalts another.
  • NASB But God is the Judge; He puts down one and exalts another.
  • NLT It is God alone who judges; he decides who will rise and who will fall.

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 is the true Judge who puts down one and lifts up another, ruling over every rise and fall.

Overview

This is the heart of the psalm: God alone determines who is humbled and who is raised. All authority and standing come from His sovereign decree, not from human power plays. This truth gives hope to the humble and warning to the proud, and finds its supreme display in God exalting the crucified Christ to highest honor.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 19

  • Luke 1:52He has put down princes from their thrones. And has exalted the lowly.
  • Dan 2:21–22He changes the times and the seasons; he removes kings, and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise, and knowledge to those who have understanding;
  • Ps 147:6Yahweh upholds the humble. He brings the wicked down to the ground.
  • Ps 113:7–8He raises up the poor out of the dust. Lifts up the needy from the ash heap;
  • 2 Sam 6:21David said to Michal, “It was before Yahweh, who chose me above your father, and above all his house, to appoint me prince over the people of Yahweh, over Israel. Therefore I will celebrate before Yahweh.
  • Ps 50:6The heavens shall declare his righteousness, for God himself is judge. Selah.
  • 1 Sam 2:7–8Yahweh makes poor, and makes rich. He brings low, he also lifts up.
  • Jer 27:4–8Give them a command to their masters, saying, ‘Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel says, “You shall tell your masters:
  • John 15:16You didn’t choose me, but I chose you, and appointed you, that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain; that whatever you will ask of the Father in my name, he may give it to you.
  • 1 Sam 16:1Yahweh said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go. I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite; for I have provided a king for myself among his sons.”
  • Ps 58:11so that men shall say, “Most certainly there is a reward for the righteous. Most certainly there is a God who judges the earth.”
  • 1 Sam 15:28Samuel said to him, “Yahweh has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today, and has given it to a neighbor of yours who is better than you.
  • 1 Sam 15:23For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as idolatry and teraphim. Because you have rejected Yahweh’s word, he has also rejected you from being king.”
  • Dan 2:37You, O king, are king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, and the strength, and the glory;
  • 2 Sam 5:2In times past, when Saul was king over us, it was you who led Israel out and in. Yahweh said to you, ‘You will be shepherd of my people Israel, and you will be prince over Israel.’”
  • Gal 1:15But when it was the good pleasure of God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me through his grace,
  • 2 Sam 3:17–18Abner had communication with the elders of Israel, saying, “In times past, you sought for David to be king over you.
  • Dan 5:18You, king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar your father the kingdom, and greatness, and glory, and majesty:
  • Rom 11:15For if the rejection of them is the reconciling of the world, what would their acceptance be, but life from the dead?

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 75:7YouTube · 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 75:7 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.