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.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The seemingly festive image of a "cup with foaming wine" is actually a grim picture of God's wrath. The "mixture" and "dregs" emphasize that the wicked will be forced to drink the absolute worst of God's judgment, draining it completely until nothing is left.
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.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse dramatically shifts to God's perspective, explaining that any upheaval in leadership is part of His righteous plan to judge the wicked. Following the psalmist's warnings against arrogance, this vivid image shows that God holds a cup of judgment, and all the ungodly will be forced to drink its bitter contents to the very last drop. This ultimate consequence of their actions underscores the inevitability of divine reckoning.
Imagine a banquet, but instead of celebration, it's judgment. God holds a cup, and it's not for sharing blessings.
This verse uses a powerful metaphor: God as a host dispensing a cup of judgment.
The Cup's Contents:
This imagery highlights that God is not a passive observer. He actively administers justice, and for the wicked, this administration is a terrifying draught of wrath.
What's worse than drinking God's wrath? Having to drink every last drop, even the bitter residue.
The phrase 'drain it down to the dregs' carries immense weight. It signifies the totality and severity of divine judgment.
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The Finality of Judgment:
This imagery paints a stark picture of utter devastation and complete accountability for those who stand against God.
Understand the original words
YHWH · Hebrew Noun
A designation for the covenant-keeping God of Israel, revealed to Moses, emphasizing His personal, relational, and unchanging nature toward His people. It is the holy and memorial name of the Almighty.
kos · Hebrew Noun
In scripture, this is frequently a metaphor for the measure of God's wrath, indignation, or the consequences of sin poured out upon the wicked. It represents a divine appointment of judgment that must be experienced to the full.
rasha · Hebrew Adjective/Noun
Those who act in opposition to God’s moral law and purposes. Biblically, they are characterized by their rejection of divine authority, their pride, and their eventual subjection to divine justice.
This passage directly echoes the imagery of a cup of wrath poured out by God, highlighting its widespread application to nations as a consequence of their wickedness.
Revelation 14:10This New Testament passage similarly describes the fate of those who worship the beast, stating they will 'drink the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured full strength into the cup of his anger,' showing the enduring theme of divine judgment.
Isaiah 51:17This verse presents a parallel image of Jerusalem having drunk from God's hand the cup of His fury, emphasizing the severe and unavoidable nature of God's judgment on those who defy Him.
Matthew 20:23Jesus uses the imagery of a 'cup' when speaking to James and John about suffering, illustrating that the experience of God's judgments, or the path of discipleship, can involve drinking a difficult cup prepared by God.
clarkePsalms 75:8: "For in the hand of the LORD there is a cup, and the wine is red; it is full of mixture; and he poureth out of the same: but the dregs thereof, all the wicked of the earth shall wring them out, and drink them."
It is full of mixture - Alluding to that mingled potion of stupefying drugs given to criminals to drink previously to their execution. See a parallel passage to this, Jeremiah 25:15-26 .
poolePsalms 75:8: "For in the hand of the LORD there is a cup, and the wine is red; it is full of mixture; and he poureth out of the same: but the dregs thereof, all the wicked of the earth shall wring them out, and drink them."
This verse is added, either, 1. As a reason or confirmation of the assertion, Psalm 75:7 , and to show that God in removing one king to make way for another did not proceed in a way of absolute sovereignty, which yet he might have done, but in a way of justice and equity. Or…
The seemingly festive image of a "cup with foaming wine" is actually a grim picture of God's wrath. The "mixture" and "dregs" emphasize that the wicked will be forced to drink the absolute worst of God's judgment, draining it completely until nothing is left.
This verse dramatically shifts to God's perspective, explaining that any upheaval in leadership is part of His righteous plan to judge the wicked. Following the psalmist's warnings against arrogance, this vivid image shows that God holds a cup of judgment, and all the ungodly will be forced to drink its bitter contents to the very last drop. This ultimate consequence of their actions underscores the inevitability of divine reckoning.
This verse dramatically shifts to God's perspective, explaining that any upheaval in leadership is part of His righteous plan to judge the wicked. Following the psalmist's warnings against arrogance, this vivid image shows that God holds a cup of judgment, and all the ungodly will be forced to drink its bitter contents to the very last drop. This ultimate consequence of their actions underscores the inevitability of divine reckoning.
"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." — The seemingly festive image of a "cup with foaming wine" is actually a grim picture of God's wrath. The "mixture" and "dregs" emphasize that the wicked will be forced to drink the absolute worst of G…
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Last reviewed October 2026