Psalm 2.

Psalm 2 Psalm 2 is the most frequently quoted psalm in the New Testament. David (Acts 4:25) exhorted the pagan nations surrounding Israel to forsake their efforts to oppose the Lord and His anointed king (cf. Acts 4:27-28). He urged them to submit to the authority of the son (Son) whom God has ordained to rule them (cf. 2 Sam. 10). As Psalm 1 deals with two ways that individuals may follow, Psalm 2 deals with two ways that nations may follow. This is a royal psalm referring to the coronation of a Jewish king and the rebellion of some vassal nations that hoped to gain their freedom and, also more specifically a messianic psalm referring to Jesus (Luke 24:27, 44). Psalm 2 has four vivid scenes relating to the mutiny of mankind against God: Scene One: Human Rebellion (2:1–3) Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the LORD and against his Anointed One. “Let us break their chains,” they say, “and throw off their fetters.” The first stanza focuses on the rebellious plot of the nations. It begins with a rhetorical question, “Why do the nations rage?” This is an expression of amazement and even indignation at their rage. The verb “rage” can be used to describe something like the raging of the sea, but here it refers to the tumultuous meeting of rebels to plan an attack, a meeting going on at the time of the coronation. The coronation of a new king was a particularly vulnerable time, for the surrounding nations would have seen it as an opportunity to raid across the borders, capture cities, and in general, try to end Israelite control over them. Accordingly, one of the first tasks of a new king would have been to solidify the borders by defeating the enemies. The rebels are called “nations” and “peoples,” terms that often refer to the tribes around Israel, such as Aramaeans, Ammonites, Moabites, Edomites, Phoenicians, and Philistines— all perennial enemies of Israel. These surrounding people were constantly fighting with Israel so that Israel’s kings regularly had to drive them back into their territory. Allen P. Ross, Op.Cit., 199-200. What these rulers plot against the Lord‘s anointed is presented by the psalmist as an act against the Lord himself and their plot is to break and throw off the bonds over them. Mutinous mankind, instead of understanding that these are God’s love-bonds (Hos. 11:4) views them as yoke-bonds (Jer. 5:5). Scene Two: Divine Reaction (2:4–6) The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them. Then he rebukes them in his anger and terrifies them in his wrath, saying, “I have installed my King on Zion, my holy hill.” In this section, the scene shifts from earth to heaven, where we catch a glimpse of God laughing at and mocking the feeble attempts of the rulers. Above the turbulence (“rage”) of the nations, God sits and reacts to their rebellion against him (“plot,” “gather together,” vv.1-2) with laughter. His laughter is an expression of ridicule, for he knows their end (cf. 37:13). The confidence of God’s people rests in God himself, who is unmoved by the political machinations on earth. As earthly creatures, we can hardly avoid becoming involved; yet our hope is in the God who laughs and scoffs at our enemies (cf. 59:6-8). “The One enthroned in heaven” is “Lord” (lit., Adonai), i.e., the Master of the universe. Willem A. VanGemeren, Op.Cit.,148. In his appointed time, God speaks with words as well as with acts, so that the nations will be terrified by his anger. The “anger” of God is an expression of his “jealousy” (Na 1:2-6). He tolerates no opposition, competition, or apathy but requires absolute loyalty to his person and to his will (vv.11-12). His words in verse 6 match the rulers’ words in verse 3: ‘I have installed my king.’ The Lord is enthroned in the heavens, and his king is installed on Zion, the mountain on which Jerusalem and the temple was built, and from where the king exercised his reign on God’s behalf. Scene Three: Divine Rule (2:7–9) I will proclaim the decree of the LORD: He said to me, “You are my Son; today I have become your Father. Ask of me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession. You will rule them with an iron scepter; you will dash them to pieces like pottery.” Now the Lord's Anointed speaks. The decree enlarges on the pledge of adoption given to David's heir in 2 Samuel 7:14, ‘I will be his father and he shall be my son.' God is the Davidic king’s “father” (cf. 2Sa 7:14; also cf. Ps 89:27). In actuality, this relationship is confirmed at the moment of the coronation. Jesus is the Christ, the “Son” of God, by the Father’s proclamation (Mt 3:17; Mk 1:11; Lk 3:22). He is seated at the right hand of the Father (Ac 2:33; Heb 1:3), the place of kingly rule and authority. The father graciously grants to his son the promise of the worldwide rule as his “inheritance.” Since God is the Ruler of the world, he authorizes the Davidic king to extend his kingdom to “the ends of the earth.” In it lies the hope of the saints (cf. Rev 2:26-27; 6:10; 19:15). The world, which was broken up into nations and languages after the rebellion at Babel (Ge 11:1-9), continues in a rebellious state against the Lord. Ibid.,150. From the moment God gave his promises to David (2Sa 7:13-16) and sealed them in an unconditional covenant (2Sa 23:5), God’s people have looked for a ruler of David’s lineage who would usher in the era of peace and prosperity spoken of by the prophets (Isa 2:2-4; 4:1-6; 9:6-7; 11:1-16; Jer 33:14-26; Eze 37:24-28; Mic 4:1-5; Zec 9:9-10:1). And what will the exalted Son of God do with the nations God gives to Him? Will He grant their wish for autonomy and self-rule? No! He will rule them with an iron scepter and will shatter them, dash them into pieces, like a piece of pottery. Scene Four: Human Responsibility (2:10–12) Therefore, you kings, be wise; be warned, you rulers of the earth. Serve the LORD with fear and rejoice with trembling Kiss the Son, lest he be angry and you be destroyed in your way, for his wrath can flare up in a moment. Blessed are all who take refuge in him In the last stanza the psalmist gives advice to the disruptive kings and rulers who tried to rebel. Verse 10 is the general statement of warning to the rebels. The verb “be wise” ( s.v. Ps. 36:4) instructs the kings to make correct choices, choices that will lead to their success with God and not to their destruction. The main choice will be to submit to the LORD’s chosen king, for that will bring life. The second verb is “receive instruction,” or “be instructed” ( s.v. Ps. 6:1); it has the idea of discipline, instruction, even child training, any of which carries a good deal of irony when addressed to the judges of the earth. Allen P. Ross, Op.Cit., 207. God warns them to serve him and to submit to his divinely appointed human king. Not only should Israel and its rulers pay homage to the Lord, but all the kings of the earth should do so. The claim of the psalmist is that the Lord is not a mere local deity, but the God of the whole earth. They should approach God with fear (Prov. 1:7), the attitude that God is the centre of all existence and power, and that human beings, even kings who are powerful on a human level, are not. Rather, they are dependent on God for everything. God rules all (v. 11), but he has also established his human representative on the throne in Jerusalem. Because of God’s appointment, the kings of the earth also owe obeisance, ritually represented by a kiss, to this king. They should fear him because the power of God is with him. Angering him is dangerous, because his wrath triggers dire consequences (your destruction). Tremper Longman, Psalms TOTC (Leicester: IVP, 2014), 59.To survive and to obtain God’s blessing, these kings must change their social status to that of refugees under his appointed messiah. This is a stumbling block for all human beings, to surrender position and power voluntarily. Craig C. Broyles, Psalms NIBC (Grand Rapids : Baker, 2012), 61.