3
When the earth quakes and its people live in turmoil, I am the one who keeps its foundations firm. Interlude
4
“I warned the proud, ‘Stop your boasting!’ I told the wicked, ‘Don’t raise your fists!
5
Don’t raise your fists in defiance at the heavens or speak with such arrogance.’”
6
For no one on earth—from east or west, or even from the wilderness— should raise a defiant fist.
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It is God alone who judges; he decides who will rise and who will fall.
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For the LORD holds a cup in his hand that is full of foaming wine mixed with spices. He pours out the wine in judgment, and all the wicked must drink it, draining it to the dregs.
9
But as for me, I will always proclaim what God has done; I will sing praises to the God of Jacob.
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For God says, “I will break the strength of the wicked, but I will increase the power of the godly.”
To the chief Musician, Altaschith, A Psalm [or] Song of Asaph. Of the word "altaschith," See Gill on "Ps 57:1," it signifies "do not destroy," or "do not corrupt"; the Targum renders it, "do not destroy thy people;" so Jarchi, "do not destroy Israel;" perhaps it may be considered as a petition, that God would not suffer the man of sin to go on to destroy the earth, and corrupt the inhabitants of it with his false doctrine, idolatry, and superstition, Revelation 11:18, for the psalm respects the times of the Gospel dispensation, and includes both the first coming of Christ in the flesh, and his second coming to judgment; the argument of it with the Syriac version is, "the divinity of Christ, and a remembrance of the judgment;" it is said to be a psalm or song of Asaph, but is thought to be written by David, and delivered to Asaph; for it may be rendered "for Asaph" {k}; and so the Targum, "by the hands of Asaph;" though some think it was written after the Babylonish captivity; perhaps by some person whose name was Asaph, or was of the family of him that lived in David's time. Theodoret supposes it was written in the person of the captives in Babylon.