Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

Open to Psalm 2, that’s the book of Psalms chapter 2.

On Wednesday we got to meditate on approaching the psalms with an attitude of worship.

This book was

written over 1000 years

many different authors

Is poetry which means it communicates on a picture level.

A picture is worth 1000 words

Lets Read Psalm 2 verse 1 - 12

Transition

The Psalm is in 4 stanzas, four powerful poetic images, but the core question is the one we ended with last time.

Calvin said,

“But it is now high time to come to the substance of the type.

That David prophesied concerning Christ, is clearly manifest from this, that he knew his own kingdom to be merely a shadow.

... [this leads us] to place our faith beyond the reach of all cavils, [(make petty or unnecessary objections.)] it is plainly made manifest from all the prophets, that those things which David testified concerning his own kingdom are properly applicable to Christ.

[1]

It is the sovereignty of God that places our faith beyond cavils.

Even if the nations rage and the peoples plot it is in vain because God has decreed.

Look at verse 1-3.

Body

The Peoples Plot in Vain

Psalm 2:1–3 ESV 1 Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? 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 burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us.”

Rage, like a sea tossed in fury

“plot” same Hebrew word as meditate, mumble.

They make deals with each other to defeat the Lord

Who is the Anointed?

“Great salvation he brings to his king, and shows steadfast love to his anointed, to David and his offspring forever.”

(Ps 18:50, ESV)

“Paul, a servant (slave) of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, 2 which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, 3 concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh 4 and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord” (Ro 1:1–4, ESV)

“Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us.” (Ps 2:3, ESV)

Calvin said, “We know how many conspired against David, and endeavoured to prevent his coming to the throne, and from their hostile attempts, had he judged according to the eye of sense and reason, he might have been so full of apprehension, as forthwith to have given up all hope of ever becoming king.”[2]

Before he was King

Saul

Philistines

Amorite

Isreal

After he was King

Absalom

There are many today that plot, in vain against the king.

The world will always plot

Transgenderism

CRT

Secularism fueled by Darwinian Evolution

What about those that are supposedly not of the world?

The downgrade of the infallible authority of scripture

The humanistic gospel

You don’t want to go to hell so just sprinkle on a little Jesus.

“this is the betrayal of the ages” Pastor Reidhead said and he was right.

[3]

Those that make Christ servant to their salvation rather then His rulership over it one day will hear the dreaded words, I never knew you.

Transition

Think of verse 4-6, “He who sits in the heavens laughs.”

The Heavens Laugh

Psalm 2:4–6 ESV “4 He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision.

5 Then he will speak to them in his wrath, and terrify them in his fury, saying, 6 “As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill.”

“heavens laughs” all of the nations, all of the peoples, and all of the rulers making plans is a joke to God.

He holds them in derision

He has blinded there eyes so that see that do not see and hearing they do not hear.

“This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.”

(Mt 13:13, ESV)

Think of Pharaoh

These people are to many, lets kill all the males

His daughter adopts one

I am a god, I will not let this people go, rivers of blood

I am a god, I will not let this people go, fire and hail

I am a god, I will not let this people go, Locus

I am a god, I will not let this people go, the first born died

I am a god, I will go a reclaim my slaves, even with the pillar if fire right there, even with the sea parting, drowns in the red sea.

The people of God sang and danced, “the horse and rider He has thrown into the sea.

God laughs because their piloting and planning is according to his will and his purpose

The Jews said, we don’t want this king, even pilot knew he was the king of the Jews.

But the Jew said, this is not the king we want so we will kill him, but guess what the Apostle Peter said, “this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God.” (Ac 2:23, ESV)

Their plans and schemes to over-throw the God appointed one were all according to God’s definite plan.

“he will speak to them in his wrath, and terrify them in his fury, “As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill.”

The picture is all the nations plotting then God speaks and they are unable to answer.

Transition

They have no answer because that King rules, he “break[s] them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.”

Powerful poetic imagery here, wonderful poetic verse 7-9

The Decree of God Rules All

Psalm 2:7–9 ESV “7 I will tell of the decree: The Lord said to me, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you.

8 Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession.

9 You shall break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.”

The decree of the Lord is that you are my son

This is quoted so many places in scripture

“And we bring you the good news that what God promised to the fathers, 33 this he has fulfilled to us their children by raising Jesus, as also it is written in the second Psalm, “ ‘You are my Son, today I have begotten you.’”

(Ac 13:32–33, ESV)

“For to which of the angels did God ever say, “You are my Son, today I have begotten you”?

Or again, “I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son”?

(Heb 1:5, ESV)

God decreed he is the Son, God proved it be razing him from the dead, and God has giving him all power in heaven and on earth.

(Matthew 28:18)

He wields that power to the destruction of his enemy.

“You shall break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.”

The picture is of an army coming against this King with they are raging against him.

They have their armor and but his mace smashed through them like pottery.

I love how Calvin explains that David is a type of this warrior Christ.

Calvin says, “Of this unconquerable power in war God exhibited a specimen, primarily in the person of David, who, as we know, vanquished and overthrew many enemies by force of arms.

But the prediction is more fully verified in Christ, who, neither by sword nor spear, but by the breath of his mouth, smites the ungodly even to their utter destruction.’

[4]

“Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse!

The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war.

12 His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself.

13 He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. 14 And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses.