1 To the director of music, Al-taschith, A Psalm or Song of Asaph. To you, O God, do we give thanks, to you do we give thanks: for that your name is near your wondrous works declare.
Jerome · AD 420 For the end, do not corrupt, a psalm of Asaph, a song. In the Hebrew it does not have "for the end," but has "to the victor." And the Seventy translators did not err greatly, since victory is something perfected. Well did he say, For the end, do not corrupt. This phrase is interpreted in many ways. David says even to one of his friends: "Do not corrupt him" — that is, Saul.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 Behold, we have sung: "We will confess to you, God, we will confess and call upon your name." To confess to God, what is it but to humble oneself to God, not to arrogate any merit to oneself? For by his grace we have been saved, as the Apostle says, not by works, lest anyone should boast; for by his grace we have been saved.
Cassiodorus · AD 585 "We will confess to you, O God; we will confess to you and call upon your name; I will tell all your miracles." In this one verse the rule of holy devotion is explained in an orderly manner, for that Jewish people which would believe in Christ the Lord, whom the title admonishes, "Do not destroy forever," breaks forth in voice and promises most devoutedly its confession.
God’s Righteous Judgment 2 When I shall receive the congregation I will judge uprightly.
Jerome · AD 420 When I shall have received the time, I will judge righteousness. For now he is not a judge, but he will be: for if he were now a judge, sinners would not be lifted up and obtain riches in the world. Does this scandalize you, that the righteous flee, and sinners persecute them? Does this scandalize you, that iniquity reigns in the world?
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 And he saith what? "When I shall have received," he saith, "the time, I will judge justices" (ver. 2). When shall He judge justices? When He shall have received the time. Not yet is the precise time. Thanks to His mercy: He first preacheth justices, and then He judgeth justices.
3 The earth and all its inhabitants are dissolved: I bear up the pillars of it. Selah.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 But now what? "The earth has flowed down" [Psalm 75:3]. If the earth has flowed down, whence has it flowed down except by sins? Therefore also they are called delinquencies. To delinquish is as it were by a kind of liquidity to slip down from the stability of firmness in virtue and righteousness.
4 I said to the fools, Deal not foolishly: and to the wicked, Lift not up the horn:
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 We have heard now, brethren, that which day by day is not kept secret: let us hear now what He has cried through these pillars....He cries what? "I have said to unjust men, Do not unjustly" [Psalm 75:4]....But already they have done, and they are guilty: already there has flowed down the earth, and all they that dwell therein.
5 Lift not up your horn on high: speak not with a stiff neck.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 If you say that, you will not be singing to no purpose, "I said, Lord, have mercy on me; heal my soul, for I have sinned against you." If God is blamed for the evil that you do and you take credit for the good, then you are speaking wickedly against God.
6 For promotion comes neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 Therefore here also in this Psalm (dearly beloved attend), whereas that which He said, "Do not speak iniquity against God," this He saw many men do in heart, He hath also added, "for neither from East, nor from West, nor from the deserts of the mountains (ver. 6), for God is Judge" (ver. 7). Of thine iniquities God is Judge. If God He is, everywhere He is present.
7 But God is the judge: he puts down one, and sets up another.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 Therefore here also in this Psalm (dearly beloved attend), whereas that which He said, "Do not speak iniquity against God," this He saw many men do in heart, He has also added, "for neither from East, nor from West, nor from the deserts of the mountains [Psalm 75:6], for God is Judge" [Psalm 75:7]. Of your iniquities God is Judge. If God He is, everywhere He is present.
8 For in the hand of the LORD there is a cup, and the wine is red; it is full of mixture; and he pours out of the same: but its dregs, all the wicked of the earth shall wring them out, and drink them.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "For the cup in the hand of the Lord of pure wine is full of mixed" [Psalm 75:8]. Justly so. "And He has poured out of this upon this man; nevertheless, the dreg thereof has not been emptied; there shall drink all the sinners of earth." Let us be somewhat recruited; there is here some obscurity....The first question that meets us is this, "of pure wine it is full of mixed." How…
Cassiodorus · AD 585 The cup of the Lord is at any rate "filled with mixed wine." Although it is constantly drunk, nonetheless it is never fully drained. But when he says "mixed wine," he is pointing to the New and Old Testaments, which make a salvific drink for souls when both are mixed.
9 But I will declare for ever; I will sing praises to the God of Jacob.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 ..."There shall drink," he saith, "all the sinners of the earth." But who shall drink the wine? Sinners shall drink, but in order that they may not remain sinners; in order that they may be justified, in order that they may not be punished. "But I," for all drink, but separately I, that is, Christ with His Body, "for ever will rejoice, I will Psalm to the God of Jacob" (ver.
10 All the horns of the wicked also will I cut off; but the horns of the righteous shall be exalted.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "And all the horns of sinners I will break, and there shall be exalted the horns of the Just" [Psalm 75:10]. This is, the one He humbles, the other He exalts. Sinners would not have their horns to be broken, which without doubt will be broken at the end. You will not have Him then break them, do thou today break them.