John Calvin Commentary Psalms 75:4

"I said unto the arrogant, Deal not arrogantly; And to the wicked, Lift not up the horn:" — Psalms 75:4 (ASV)

I said to the fools, Act not foolishly. After the psalmist has fully acknowledged God's authority, both for himself and for the faithful, he now triumphs over all the ungodly. He accuses them of madness and blind rage, which results from their contempt for God and leads them to indulge excessively in pride and self-glorification.

This holy boasting that he expresses depends on the judgment which, in God's name, he declared to be near. For when God's people expect Him to come and execute judgment, and are convinced He will not long delay His coming, they boast even in the midst of their oppressions.

The madness of the wicked may boil over, swell with rage, and pour out floods to overwhelm the faithful; but it is enough for them to know that their life is protected by God's power. He can, with perfect ease, humble all pride and restrain the most daring and presumptuous attempts.

Here, the faithful mock and despise whatever the wicked plot and conspire to do, and they call on them to stop their madness. In doing so, they imply that the wicked are making all this stir and commotion in vain, like madmen drawn here and there by their own disordered imaginations.

It should be observed that the Psalmist represents pride as the cause or mother of all rash and audacious undertakings. The reason people rush so recklessly into unlawful projects is most certainly that, blinded by pride, they form an excessive and exaggerated estimate of their own power.

Since this is a malady not easily eradicated from human hearts, the admonition, Lift not up your horn on high, is repeated again and again. They are next instructed not to speak with a fat or a stiff neck; which means that they should not speak harshly and hurtfully, for it is usual for proud people to straighten their necks and raise their heads when they issue their threats. Others translate the words, Speak not stiffly with your neck; but the other translation is more correct.