Who Reigns?

Psalm 2

Author

No heading in Psalm, but attributed to David in Acts 4:25

Acts 4:25 ESV

25 who through the mouth of our father David, your servant, said by the Holy Spirit, “ ‘Why did the Gentiles rage, and the peoples plot in vain?

Perhaps written sometime after the covenant God announced to David regarding his throne:

2 Samuel 7:12–16 ESV

12 When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14 I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. When he commits iniquity, I will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men, 15 but my steadfast love will not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you. 16 And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever.’ ”

Type

Not a typical psalm (Praise, thanksgiving, lament, etc). More of a poetic sermon than a prayer or song.

Sometimes considered a “Royal Psalm” or even a “Coronation Psalm.”

Used or read at the coronation of Judah’s kings??

Psalm 2 combines with Psalm 1 to provide an introduction to the greater collection of Psalms.

Psalm 1 Begins with “Blessed” and Psalm 2 ends with “Blessed.”

Psalm 1: The way of the righteousness vs. the way of wickedness

Psalm 2: Submission vs. Rebellion

New Testament Usage

If the psalm was meant as a coronation psalm, no king fulfilled the complete picture of this psalm.

During the exile and return eras, Jews realized there must be a greater fulfillment to come via the messiah.

Thus, Psalm 2 is definitely a Messianic Psalm.

Referenced or quoted in at least 14 different passages in the New Testament!

Outline of Psalm 2

Vv. 1-3: Rebellion of earth’s king’s

Vv. 4-6: Response of the King of Heaven

Vv. 7-9: Rule of God’s Anointed King

Vv. 10-12: Refuge or Wrath: Choose your King

Structural Notes

Various Perspectives:

Narrator (who turns out to be God’s Anointed King (v. 7)

Kings of the earth speak (v. 3)

God speaks (v. 5)

Anointed tells what God decreed (vv. 7-9)

Narrator (vv. 10-12)

Theme:

Will we bow to the Lordship of God and His anointed King, or will we rebel and seek lordship for ourselves?

Verses 1-3

Why?

The question is rhetorical. The raging and plotting of the nations is vain (v. 1b) and futile. We can choose to rebel against God, but there is no hope of success in doing so.

Picture

Submission to God is a choice everyone must make. While kings of the earth are given special note, they are representatives of their people. The Psalmist’s opening consideration involves not just kings and rulers, but nations and peoples.

While people, nations, and kings are often at war with one another, sadly one thing they often unify over is rebellion against God. The sit together and take counsel together—they are unified in their desire to cast of God’s authority

the word “plot” in 2:1 is the same Hebrew word rendered “meditates” in 1:2. Will we consider teh things of God, or the counsel of men?

Desire

The desire of kings and people is to cast of God’s yoke of authority. They desire to rule themselves instead of submitting to God.

Their rebellion is not just against God—it is against his “Anointed.” Thus, earthly kings rebel against the King that God has installed, and thus they rebel against God Himself.

Verses 4-6

Sits in Heaven

The kings of the earth are rebelling against the King of Kings. “Sits in heaven” alludes to the throne of God.

Psalm 11:4 ESV

4 The Lord is in his holy temple; the Lord’s throne is in heaven; his eyes see, his eyelids test the children of man.

Sitting in heaven does not distance God from the affairs of man as though He is too far away to intervene. Sitting in heaven demonstrates His superiority and His ability to see and respond to all that takes place on earth.

The King’s Response

A unified coalition of the nations and kings of the world is a powerful and frightening force, but not to God. God’s response is laughter—not the laughter of mirth, but the laughter of derision.

The laughter of derision quickly turns to wrath and fury

Rebellion angers God!!

God emphasizes His plan—He has established a King in Zion that all are to submit to.

Verses 7-9

God continues to speak, but in these verses He does so through His anointed King. The anointed recounts what God declared and decreed:

You are my son

Adam is called the son of God (Lk. 3:38), but Adam failed to be a perfect son

Israel is called God’s firstborn son (Exodus 4:22), but Israel failed to be a perfect son

Davidic Kings are called God’s son (2 Sam. 7:14; 1 Chron. 28:6), but David and all subsequent kings failed to be perfect sons.

Jesus is the perfect Son of God. He is a son of David, and thus rightful heir to the throne of Israel. But He is the Son of God in an even greater sense, as the New Testament demonstrates.

Global Possession

What belongs to a king belongs to the king’s son. Since God rules over everything, then everything belongs to His Son.

God promises the nations and the ends of the earth as a possession for His anointed king.

Again—this is never realized during the Davidic dynasty. Solomon’s kingdom was great and expansive, but even he didn’t rule all the nations.

The true anointed King—the true Son of God rules over all that nations.

Even though it may not seem like a direct quote, we should likely think of this Psalm when we hear Jesus say:

Matthew 28:18–20 (ESV)

18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Rod of Iron

The LXX renders verse 9 as “you shall rule…” When this verse is quoted in Revelation 12:5 and 19:15, the New Testament uses “rule” or “shepherd.”

The “rod” is a shepherd’s instrument (cf. Psalm 23:4), but it is primarily an instrument used for protection against predators, thus it is primarily a weapon!

2 Options

1. You shall rule with a rod of iron and dash those who rebel

2. Parallel statements referring to the destruction of the King’s enemies

Either way, the rod is one of iron, indicating the Anointed King’s power and unbreakable strength. And the enemies, as strong as they may appear to us (they are the kings of the earth) offer no more resistance to God’s anointed king than a fragile piece of pottery that can be easily shattered.

This passage provides both comfort and warning. It is a dire warning to us if we find ourselves rebelling against God. It is a comfort, however, to those who trust in Him. It often appears that the world is strong and powerful, but the might of the enemy is nothing compared to the strength of God. Thus, however bad things look, we can find comfort and solace if we are on the Lord’s side.

Verses 10-12

While God is angered by sinful rebellion, He does not immediately crush and destroy the rebels. He offers them (us) an opportunity to find refuge and shelter instead of destruction.

The wise choice is the choice of submission!

Serve with Fear

While many look for what God gives to them, or others reject God because they feel His ways are burdensome, the appropriate view and response to God is reverent submission and service.

While God loves us and does so much for us, it is our role to serve Him.

The desire of the kings and peoples in Psalm 2 is really nothing other than the choice Eve made in the Garden long before, when tempted by the serpent to “be like God.” The great temptation Satan ever lays before us is to be lord instead of servant. But that is not our place—our role is to serve the Lord.

This service is done in reverence—a respectful awe of God and Who He is.

Hebrews 12:28 ESV

28 Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe,

Rejoice with Trembling

Joy and trembling may not seem to go together, but they do. When we fear the Lord and thus submit to Him, we find the one path that leads to true, eternal joy.

What can be more joyful that salvation? And salvation comes through submission to God.

Philippians 2:12 ESV

12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,

Kiss the Son

There is some debate about the best way to translate this phrase (“Son” is if the word is Aramaic. If Hebrew, more akin to “kiss his feet”).

What is clear is that we owe God (and HIs anointed) our absolute loyalty and sincere allegiance.

Token submission is not enough. Mere words of affirmation are not enough. We must truly bow before the King, “kiss the ring” so to speak, and be faithful servants of the Anointed King.

Destruction or Refuge

Again, the anger of God is brought up. Those who will not serve the Anointed Son (and thus God) will face the fierce wrath of God. And that wrath is one we will not survive—it is a wrath that will cause us to perish.

On the other hand, if we will bow to king, give him our allegiance, and serve Him, then we have found the way of blessing. And more, not only will we have a king, we will have a safe and eternal refuge.

Psalm 2 and the New Testament

David wrote Psalm 2, and perhaps did so in reflection upon God’s covenant promise with Him concerning an everlasting kingdom. Perhaps this Psalm was used at coronation ceremonies of later kings. But no king, including David or Solomon, come close to fulfilling the grandeur of the Lord’s Anointed in Psalm 2. Thus they are at best pale shadows pointing to the true Anointed King. This is demonstrated extensively in the New Testament to show that Jesus is the Anointed King and Son of God that God has enthroned over all the world.

Jesus’ Baptism (Mt. 3:17; Mk. 1:11; Lk. 3:22)

Mark 1:11 ESV

11 And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”

Jesus’ Transfiguration (Mt. 17:5; Mk. 9:7; Lk. 9:35)

Luke 9:35 ESV

35 And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, my Chosen One; listen to him!”

Understanding of the Early Church

Acts 4:24–30 ESV

24 And when they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God and said, “Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them, 25 who through the mouth of our father David, your servant, said by the Holy Spirit, “ ‘Why did the Gentiles rage, and the peoples plot in vain? 26 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers were gathered together, against the Lord and against his Anointed’— 27 for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, 28 to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place. 29 And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, 30 while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”

Paul’s Sermon in Antioch Pisidia

Acts 13:32–33 ESV

32 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.’

Hebrews

Hebrews 1:5 ESV

5 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”?

Hebrews 5:5 ESV

5 So also Christ did not exalt himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed by him who said to him, “You are my Son, today I have begotten you”;

Hebrews 5 demonstrates the superior nature of Jesus over all other kings. David, Solomon, and all subsequent kings were just that—kings. But God’s true declared Son is not just a king, but He is also Priest!

Revelation

Revelation 12:5 ESV

5 She gave birth to a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, but her child was caught up to God and to his throne,

Revelation 19:15 ESV

15 From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty.

Conclusion

Psalm 2 is a royal psalm, but more than that, it is a call to us to recognize and bow before the true King of Kings. It is a psalm of warning to those who would rebel against God’s anointed, but also a psalm of comfort and hope to those who will serve Him faithfully.

David and the generations after him had to consider this psalm and look in hope to the future. We have the blessed privilege of seeing and knowing the anointed king and Son of God—Jesus the Christ. But Psalm 2 is not finished. The world is still being given a choice. Peoples, nations, and kings are still allowed to rebel, and many do. And the rebellion of the world and the rulers of this world can be frightening. Often, those in rebellion appear to be much stronger than those who are faithful. But we must not lose hope. We know how the story ends. We know the Anointed King will reign victorious. He will vanquish His enemies and save His faithful servants. And when all is set right, then those who chose faithfulness will be able to live in true fulfilment of God’s original design for His created children.

Revelation 2:25–29 ESV

25 Only hold fast what you have until I come. 26 The one who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations, 27 and he will rule them with a rod of iron, as when earthen pots are broken in pieces, even as I myself have received authority from my Father. 28 And I will give him the morning star. 29 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’