Psalm 2

Let's take a look at Psalm chapter 2,

·        In this Psalm, there are four stanzas of three verses each

·        Each stanza has a different focus

·        The focus of the first stanza is mankind

Why do the nations conspire 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.” (Psalm 2:1-3)

We need to know some things about Psalm 2 first.

·        Like many Psalms, it was written by David

o   Acts 4:25: You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David: Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain?

Before we focus on Psalm 2, let’s talk about Acts 4, we’ll work back

·        Acts 2: The Holy Spirit comes on the day of Pentecost

·        Acts 2: Peter addresses the crowd and 3,000 were baptized

·        Acts 2: House churches are formed and begin to spread

·        Acts 3: Peter and John heal a crippled beggar at the temple

·        Acts 3: Peter proclaims the Gospel message of Christ

·        Acts 4: The Priests and Sadducees were disturbed

·        Acts 4: Peter and John were thrown into jail

·        Acts 4: The number of believers grew to 5,000

·        Acts 4: Rulers and teachers of the law

·        Acts 4: Peter proclaims Christ’s message to the leaders

·        Acts 4: The rulers and teachers of the law were astonished

·        Acts 4: They released them with a warning

On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. “Sovereign Lord,” they said, “you made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David: “‘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. (Acts 4:23-26)

You see, Psalm 2 begins with a question about the people of earth;

·        What good is it if they plot against God – they must be fools.

·        Why do they try to outwit God – this is absurd. 

·        Nations might take a stand against God and against His ways

·        Rulers and leaders might gather and make plans against Him

·        They may say, let’s break this slavery that God has us in

·        They may say, why should we submit to this Jesus fellow

·        They may think that without God they will be free

And what is God’s response? 

·        Verse 4 takes the focus from mankind to God.

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.” (Psalm 2:4-6)

God’s Response is, first, an unexpected response

He laughs

·        God merely laughs at them, He is amused by all of their puny plans.

·        Psalm 37:13 says; “the Lord laughs at the wicked,
for he knows their day is coming”

·        And Proverbs 1 goes on; “But since you rejected me when I called
and no one gave heed when I stretched out my hand, since you ignored all my advice and would not accept my rebuke, I in turn will laugh at your disaster; I will mock when calamity overtakes you— when calamity overtakes you like a storm, when disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind, when distress and trouble overwhelm you.”

He rebukes in rage

·        In fierce fury, He rebukes the wicked and the evil doers

·        He speaks to them out of His anger toward them

·        The word anger here is the Hebrew word meaning “anger”, “wrath”, or, ”face”

·        This is the anger of man, an anger that we comprehend.

·        Basically, this is saying that God speaks to these evil doers face-to-face with words of anger that they can understand.

He terrifies in wrath

·        The word terrify is to “make anxious” or “disturb”

·        What’s more, the word wrath is so much different than the word anger used before, this wrath is the wrath of God

o   It is a heated anger, a burning anger

o   It is the word always used for God’s wrath

·        God fills these people with fear,

o   literally putting the fear of God in them

And why?

·        For the Lord declares, this is the King of my choice, and I have enthroned Him in Jerusalem, My Holy city.

You see, God is moving forward with His plan and His purpose and that is the establishment of the throne on which Jesus Christ will sit.

·        This upsets the plans of man, it upsets the plans of world leaders, and it even upsets the plans of religious leaders.

·        But it is God’s plan and for Christ’s throne to be established and so it will be done!

·        We may have to wait a long time before we see Christ enthroned over this world, but it is already a fact in God’s purpose.

·        There is no other King but Jesus!

So then, beginning with verse 7, we focus on Jesus, as He speaks

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.” (Psalm 2:7-9)

To understand this passage, we must understand that this is regarding the second coming of Jesus Christ.

·        This is not the Gospel of grace and mercy that we are to preach today because this is not what Christ came to deliver when He walked on the earth.

·        This passage refers to the judgment that will come to all who disregard His message of grace, mercy, and love.

·        This passage refers to the judgment that will come to all who plot and conspire against God’s ways.

Listen to this paraphrase of verses 7 through 9; His chosen One replies, “I will reveal the everlasting purpose of God [listen up, here it is], for the Lord has said to Me, ‘You are my Son, this is Your Coronation Day. Today I am giving You Your glory.’ Only ask, and I will give You all the nations of the world. Rule them with an iron rod; smash them like clay pots.”

·        You see, that’s the judgment of Christ’s second coming

And then, in the final stanza of chapter 2, the focus changes again

·        First it was on mankind on earth

·        Then it was on God the Father in heaven

·        Next it was on Jesus Christ on His throne

·        And now it is on the Holy Spirit speaking to man

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. (Psalm 2:10-12)

This is the ultimate warning from God, directed at the kings and rulers of this world, through them, aimed at the people under their rule.

·        God is saying; Kings and rulers of the earth, listen while there is still time.

·        God is saying: Serve the Lord with reverent fear; rejoice with trembling. Fall down before The Son and kiss him before His anger is roused and you perish.

·        God says: I am warning you, His wrath with soon begin.

The most famous kiss in the Bible was in the Garden of Gethsemane

·        When Judas walked up to Jesus, armed guards following closely behind Him

o   This had been prophesied for hundreds of years

o   This had been planned since the fall of mankind

o   This had been spoken of by Jesus hours before

§  Clearly Jesus knew what was happening.

·        And what was Jesus’ response to this kiss from Judas?

o   “Friend, what have you come for?”

·        You see, Jesus was giving Judas one more chance to turn this kiss of betrayal into a kiss of friendship.

o   And, this is exactly what God’s Spirit is doing here,

§  Giving mankind one more chance!

But, Psalm 2 ends on a high note;

·        “Blessed are all those who take refuge in Him.”

·        Oh, the joys of those who put their trust in Him.