508_Promotion comes only from God

Psalm 75 We give thanks to you, O God;
we give thanks, for your name is near.
We recount your wondrous deeds.

2 “At the set time that I appoint
I will judge with equity.
3 When the earth totters, and all its inhabitants,
it is I who keep steady its pillars. Selah
4 I say to the boastful, ‘Do not boast,’
and to the wicked, ‘Do not lift up your horn;
5 do not lift up your horn on high,
or speak with haughty neck.’”

6 For not from the east or from the west
and not from the wilderness comes lifting up,
7 but it is God who executes judgment,
putting down one and lifting up another.
8 For in the hand of the Lord there is a cup
with foaming wine, well mixed,
and he pours out from it,
and all the wicked of the earth
shall drain it down to the dregs.

9 But I will declare it forever;
I will sing praises to the God of Jacob.
10 All the horns of the wicked I will cut off,
but the horns of the righteous shall be lifted up.

While Abraham Lincoln was President of the United States, a certain man came to him asking for a political appointment. The man spoke at length about his qualifications and his experience. When he was done, Lincoln quietly responded, “I will see what I can do, but remember this: it is not I who give promotion, nor the cabinet, nor even the people—it is God.”

Whether in the corridors of power or in the ordinary course of life, people strive for recognition, advancement, and honor. Yet the Bible repeatedly reminds us that only God can confer true promotion – not human effort, manipulation, or influence.

Psalm 75 begins with thanksgiving: “We give thanks to you, O God; we give thanks, for your name is near. We recount your wondrous deeds.” It begins with thanksgiving to God. This is always the right place to begin. For unless we lift our eyes to the One who is above all, we will fall into the trap of comparing ourselves with others or striving in our own strength.

The psalmist knew that Israel’s God was awesome in majesty, clothed in light unapproachable, and mighty in His wondrous deeds. Yet, high and exalted as he is, He was near to the lowly among His people. Isaiah 57:15 declares: “For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: ‘I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite.’” Psalm 138:6 echoes this truth: “For though the Lord is high, he regards the lowly, but the haughty he knows from afar.”

Psalm 75 reminds us that in a world filled with injustice, unrighteousness, and power struggles, as verse 2 says, “At the set time that I appoint I will judge with equity.” God has fixed a time and set a day. The world may appear chaotic, but history is not spinning out of control.

He has also appointed the Judge – the risen Lord Jesus Christ. The apostle Paul explained this clearly in Acts 17 when speaking to the people of Athens: “The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”

Therefore, in view of that final day, God warns the wicked. Verses 4 and 5 say: “I say to the boastful, ‘Do not boast,’ and to the wicked, ‘Do not lift up your horn; do not lift up your horn on high, or speak with haughty neck.’” In ancient imagery, the horn symbolized strength and power, like the horn of a bull. To “lift up the horn” was to exalt oneself, to strut with arrogance, to claim power and position apart from God.

This is abominable in the sight of God. For, as verse 6 declares, “For not from the east or from the west and not from the wilderness comes lifting up, but it is God who executes judgment, putting down one and lifting up another.” Promotion does not come from geography, influence, or cleverness. It does not ultimately come from the east, the west, or the south. It comes only from God.

Hannah, the mother of Samuel, affirmed this, centuries earlier: “The Lord makes poor and makes rich; he brings low and he exalts. He raises up the poor from the dust; he lifts the needy from the ash heap to make them sit with princes and inherit a seat of honor. For the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s, and on them he has set the world.” (1 Samuel 2:7–8)

And so the apostle Peter tells us with all seriousness: “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:6–7) The path to true promotion is simply to submit oneself to God’s crushing discipline, for it mandates humility – the trusting heart that relies on God to do what is right at the right time.

The psalmist also speaks of a cup in God’s hand: “For in the hand of the Lord there is a cup with foaming wine, well mixed, and he pours out from it, and all the wicked of the earth shall drain it down to the dregs.” God’s judgment is forced upon all who disobey his commandments. Those who exalt themselves in pride and wickedness will one day have to drink it to the very last drop.

Yet for the righteous, the psalmist closes on a note of hope and praise: “But I will declare it forever; I will sing praises to the God of Jacob. All the horns of the wicked I will cut off, but the horns of the righteous shall be lifted up.”

The psalm begins with thanksgiving and ends with thanksgiving. It begins with God’s nearness and ends with God’s exaltation of the righteous. For one truth runs like a golden thread through scripture: those who humble themselves before Him, those who trust Him and walk in His ways, will in due time be lifted up.

Think of Joseph. He was betrayed by his brothers, sold into slavery, falsely accused, and thrown into prison. Yet he remained faithful to God. When the time came, God lifted him from the dungeon to the throne of Egypt in a single day. Or consider David. Overlooked by his family, hunted by Saul, living in caves in the wilderness—yet God exalted him to be king over Israel.

And most importantly, think of our Lord Jesus Christ. Philippians 2 tells us that though He was in the form of God, He humbled Himself, taking the form of a servant, becoming obedient even to the point of death on a cross. And therefore, God has highly exalted Him and given Him the name that is above every name.

This is the pattern: humility before exaltation, suffering before glory, waiting before promotion. God’s delays are not His denials but an integral part of his awesome design for our welfare. Therefore, when we pass through seasons where it seems the wicked are prospering, where others are being promoted ahead of you, where injustice seems to triumph, let us take heart. For true promotion comes only from God.

While we wait for God to show his hand, we are called to humility, faithfulness, and praise. Like Joseph in prison, we can remain diligent and faithful even in hidden places. Like David in the wilderness, we can trust God’s timing even when the crown seems far away. And like our Lord, we can submit to the Father’s will, knowing that glory comes after the cross.

The world may say, “Push yourself forward, market yourself, exalt yourself.” But the Word of God says, “Humble yourself under His mighty hand, and in due time, He will exalt you.” For he is endlessly kind, and he is eternally and lavishly good and true in his rewarding of those who seek him in humility. Therefore, let us rejoice in Him. Let us give thanks that He is near to the humble and contrite. Let us remember that true promotion—lasting, eternal, God-given promotion—comes only from Him. God bless.