Psalm 2

Introduction to Psalm 2

Let us read what it says:

Psalm 2 NKJV

1 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.

This Psalm sets the scene of world history and the One to whom it all belongs.

1 -3

The stupidity of people is on full display here. It is the sin of Babylon when they tried to build the tower instead of spreading around the world. It is the rebellion of trying to live without reference to God. They ask: Who are You to judge us?! As if they were more powerful than He. They make careful but useless plans to overthrow God and dethrone Him because they want to rule without thinking about God’s commands. (If only they used the same effort to plot to serve rather than rebel). They consider serving God akin to slavery where they have to break their chains.

This Psalm is quoted in Acts 4 when Peter and John were commanded not to speak in the name of Jesus to the people by the Sanhedrin after the healing of the lame man.

When was this fulfilled, this Psalm? Like so many prophesies it has an application when it was written, a future fulfilment and perhaps an even future fulfilment.

Part of this was fulfilled when they killed Jesus, the Messiah. In fact, this is called a Messianic Psalm because of the mention of the Anointed in verse 2. [Anointed means Messiah or Christ.] In the Old Testament there were three kinds of people who were anointed: They were Prophet, Priest and King. Jesus is the fulfilment of all three though the last one is yet to become clearly evident to our eyes.

4-6

God just laughs at the their plots. Puny people. God looks down and what happens? Can you imagine? I can picture God who is bigger than the planet picking each one of them off. Why do people think they can defeat Him? He is Almighty.

In fact, we are told that they kings, to whom God says He will speak and will terrify them, will call for the mountains to cover them for fear of the One who is coming as we are told in:

Revelation 6:15–16 NKJV

15 And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains, 16 and said to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb!

No matter what you think you can do I can do better says God. This Jesus , whom you told was king for He came on a donkey as prophesied by Zechariah, whom you crucified is king and He will reign in Jerusalem (Zion) God says in verse 6, and nothing can stop it from happening for God Himself has installed Him. Indeed, we see this revealed in

Revelation 20:4 NKJV

4 And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.

Jesus is coming to reign on the earth as King for a thousand years and He will rule over the nations

7-9

Here we are told of the Virgin Birth, as if we have no already worked out that this Psalm is all about Jesus. He is the self-existent One. His reign is established by decree. Jesus reign is worldwide. Even at the end of the thousand years there will be a further rebellion even after a peaceful existence with Jesus reigning as King. But they shall be broken. He will be able to shatter nations like a cup or mug dropped on concrete. Just drop one and it breaks into pieces but then stomp on it and it is grounded to tiny shards and dust. They will feel the anger of God and be wiped off this planet.

10-11

It’s obvious what rulers should do. Be humble before the Almighty. Serve Him rather than be against Him. He is worthy of bowing the knee to for all things came from Him and will go back to Him. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.

12

But above all serve His Son, Jesus. Kiss Him means to worship Him. If you are not willing, if you continue in rebellion, then you shall die and what becomes of your plans in that day? But if you would love Him and trust Him and rely on Him then you shall be blessed considerably instead.

Remember who God is, do what He says: Come to Jesus and serve Him and the blessing you will receive will last forever.