Psalms Devotional Series: Psalm 2
The King on the Holy Hill
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.”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.”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.”10 Now therefore, O kings, be wise;
be warned, O rulers 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,
for his wrath is quickly kindled.Blessed are all who take refuge in him.
Psalm 2:1–12 (ESV)
Nothing against God will prosper
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,
The nations—or the peoples—of the world will always live in opposition to God. Historically, Israel would have understood that it was the gentile world in opposition to God. Any way of living apart from God is futile. The psalmist knows and declares that they plot and labor in vain. The might and power of the God of Israel is unrivaled.
4 He who sits in the heavens laughs;
the Lord holds them in derision.
God laughs at the silliness of the world. Our arrogance and pride are utterly foolish. People so finite, small, and weak believe that they can oppose the Lord. He who is eternal, everlasting, and unchangeable… He laughs at those who oppose him because they are unable to sustain anything.
We often forget this. We think we are strong or invincible. We forget that we come from dust, and to dust, we shall return.
Our arrogance leads to our destruction. Often, that destruction will come of our own accord; when it does not, the Lord will enact his power. When the Lord comes against those who seek their own will, he comes with power and wrath—an appropriate response to those who stand in evil and sin.
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.”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.”
God has set forth a King
This king is over Israel. Yet, the earthly king is only a shadow of the true king God intends to send. God has sent Christ, the true king, to rule over the earth. The Son is the Messiah. (Cf. Rom. 1:4; Acts 13:33; Heb. 1:5; 5:5).
In a world filled with nations and people that oppose God, God has sent one to rule over them all. Jesus Christ will indeed break the rule of evil and corruption.
He will come as the everlasting and all-powerful king.
11 Let the evildoer still do evil, and the filthy still be filthy, and the righteous still do right, and the holy still be holy.”
12 “Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”
Revelation 22:11–13 (ESV)
20 He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!
Revelation 22:20
Jesus, our soon-coming king, will cover his people. There is an anomaly at the end of Psalm 2. One line that is largely different than the entirety of the rest of the Psalm.
Blessed are all who take refuge in him.
Psalm 2:12
Those who come to God—who seek after him—will not live in vain. Blessing falls on the people of God. Blessings that come from the King of God’s holy hill. The King of Kings and Lord of Lord—Jesus Christ, the son of God.
Acts of disobedience must be replaced with obedience.
The psalmist writes with eschatological (relating to the end, final judgment, or divine) power. Where most of the world will stand to oppose God, those who find rest in him will experience peace from the true king.
Psalm 2 Details
Genre: Royal
Book I
Attribution: Anonymous
Tags: Messianic
Structure: Chiasm
Themes: Anger Blessing Faith God the Father Wrath of God Government Heaven Holiness Resurrection of Jesus Christ Joy The Kingdom of God Obedience Persecution Prophecy about Jesus Reverence Service Submission Wisdom
