Photo by Tim Wildsmith on Unsplash
By Mike Chaffin
Why do the nations rage, and the people plot a vain thing?
2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together,
Against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying,
3 “Let us break Their bonds in pieces and cast away Their cords from us.”
4 He who sits in the heavens shall laugh; The Lord shall hold them in derision.
5 Then He shall speak to them in His wrath, and distress them in His deep displeasure:
6 “Yet I have set My King on My holy hill of Zion.”
7 “I will declare the decree: The Lord has said to Me,
‘You are My Son, today I have begotten You.
8 Ask of Me, and I will give You the nations for Your inheritance,
And the ends of the earth for Your possession.
9 You shall break them with a rod of iron; You shall dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel.’”
10 Now therefore, be wise, O kings; Be instructed, you judges of the earth.
11 Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling.
12 Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and you perish in the way,
When His wrath is kindled but a little.
Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him.
Sometimes we Christians don’t understand why, when presented with the Gospel, people reject the good news of Jesus Christ. Psalm 2 starts out by rhetorically asking that same question. Then the Psalm goes on to answer this question. People who reject Jesus are those who don’t want to be held accountable, who don’t want to have a King to answer to, and want to hold onto their false sense of control and security. God laughs at them.
Psalm 2 is a prophetic psalm, quoted widely in the New Testament. Direct quotes are in Acts 4:25-26, Acts 13:33, Hebrews 1:5, Hebrews 5:5, Revelation 2:26-27, Revelation 12:5, and Revelation 19:15. In Mark 9:7 during the transfiguration God quotes verse seven. Further, when God tells Peter, James, and John to ‘listen to Jesus,’ verse twelve is invoked. Where the ESV and similar translations say “Kiss the Son, lest He be angry…” Other translations interpret this to mean “listen to the Son.”
The Psalm details Christ coming to set up the kingdom of God. Jesus brings the Kingdom of God to earth with His birth and teaches the Kingdom of God is at hand. When we accept Christ as Savior and are filled by the Holy Spirit we become members of His kingdom. We can partake in the blessings of the kingdom now. This magnifies the ending of Psalm 2, “Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him.” Living and drawing on the benefits of the Kingdom of God is truly a blessing and aid for living in this world.
While Jesus proclaimed during His earthly ministry the Kingdom of God has come. Currently the kingdom is available to all of us who believe in a spiritual sense. His quoting of Psalm 2 in Revelation foretells the Kingdom of God coming to earth in a physical sense when He comes again.
This psalm is packed with teaching, preaching and theology pointing to Jesus and our need for a Savior.
