Psalm 75

“We give thanks to You, O God, we give thanks! For Your wondrous works declare that Your name is near: ‘When I choose the proper time, I will judge uprightly. The earth and all its inhabitants are dissolved; I set up its pillars firmly.’ – Selah”  Psalm 75:1-3 (NKJV)

Every major league baseball player is capable of hitting a home run, but very few do with predictable regularity.  In actuality, major league players strike out 20-30% of the time.  Can you imagine any other industry where an employee fails at ¼ of their project attempts and remains employed, much less earns a multi-million dollar salary? So, if all major league players are capable of home runs, what is the difference between a strike-out, a base hit, and a homer?  TIMING....split-second timing.  

God always has perfect timing.  He only hits home runs.  But so often, we feel like He is striking out when it comes to our lives.  Somehow, we accuse Him of swinging and missing because we are not receiving the deliverance we hope for within the expected time frame.  Other times, we know He has home run power, yet it feels like He lets the perfect pitches fly past into the catcher’s mitt.  Asaph, in today’s psalm, is telling us that God’s timing is perfect.  He chooses the perfect time to judge.  And He chooses the perfect time to deliver.  The apostle Peter gives us some insight into why God does not swing at every prayer request we throw across His home plate.

“The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9 (NKJV)

There is another familiar image we find in today’s passage: a cup.

“For exaltation comes neither from the east nor from the west nor from the south. But God is the Judge: He puts down one, and exalts another. For in the hand of the Lord there is a cup, and the wine is red; it is fully mixed, and He pours it out; surely its dregs shall all the wicked of the earth drain and drink down. But I will declare forever, I will sing praises to the God of Jacob. ‘All the horns of the wicked I will also cut off, but the horns of the righteous shall be exalted.’” Psalm 75:6-10 (NKJV)

When we read of this cup, we should be reminded of two cups in the New Testament, both referred to in the same chapter of Matthew.  The first cup is found in Matthew 26:27-29, the "Cup of Redemption" in the Passover meal, which represents God’s deliverance.  Jesus redeemed us with His blood.  The second cup is the "Cup of Wrath," akin to today’s psalm: God’s redemption follows retribution.

“He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, ‘O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.’” Matthew 26:39  (NKJV)