Psalms 2 Introduction
Why Do the Heathen Rage
We see all this terrorist madness that is going on every hand. It’s not just here in our country, there’s an ever-growing pattern of terrorist bombings and killings around the world. And according to God’s Word, it is not going to get better but worse, that is until He says enough is enough.
2 Timothy 3:1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. KJV
2 Tim 3:13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. KJV
So let us be reminded that God said it would be this way in the last days.
God is not surprised at all that these ungodly terrorists are doing what they are doing, in fact, it should in one way of looking at it be a reminder to us that are saved and that God is allowing this ungodliness to run its course, it’ll not always be this way.
Let’s keep in mind that the people who do these ungodly killings are religious people, they reject our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ as the Son of God.
Osama Ben Loden said that Jesus couldn’t save anybody, years ago (1/1/2011) these poor deceived people think if people don’t believe as they do that the only remedy is to destroy them. Little do they know that they are on a sure road that will destroy them all, and they’re surely going to be destroyed.
It is an empty, and futile thing that has brought these Terrorist together in trying to kill God’s people no matter where they might be in Israel here, or in England are any place else in the world.
This is a great worldwide movement that is against God and against Christ, and all Christians. It’s all a vain and hopeless thing that they are in “…Acts 4:24–25.
Acts 4:24 And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, Lord, thou art God, which hast made heaven and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is:
25 Who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things? KJV
This is a movement against God and His Christ. It has been snowballing as it has come down through the centuries, and it will break out finally in a worldwide revolution against God and against His Christ. There is an opposition against Jehovah God and Christ today like the world has never seen.
As I look about at the world situation with all of its gloomy uncertainty, all of its unrest, and tension, all of the evil in high places, and ungodly nations and leaders making a bid for supremacy. It makes you feel kind of discouraged about the future of everything.
When we begin to feel this way, we need to think of this 2nd Psalm. It has a way of comforting our hearts and reminds me that God is in control. It reminds me that this is my Father’s world; He created it and He still rules over it and that one day righteousness WILL triumph.
THE HEBREW HYMNBOOK begins with two according to John Phillips “orphan” psalms, that is, with two psalms the authors of which are not given. During the entire Old Testament period, like its companion, it stood fatherless on the sacred page. There they are, two psalms without author or inscription, owning no stated author but God.
There is something fitting in the grand isolation of these first two Hebrew hymns, for the first has to do with law, and the second with prophecy. The Law and the prophets!
On these two great hinges, all Old Testament revelation hangs. On these same two hinges, all the vast themes that make up the Psalms are suspended as well.
They have other points in common.
Psalm 1 is emotional. It begins with an overflowing rush of emotion: Oh, the happiness of the man who delights in the law of God.
Psalm 2 is intellectual. It deals with a moral problem. It begins with the word “Why?” so it is ok to ask why. But know this He probably will not answer the way you want. But he will answer. Ex. Ship in the storm.
Psalm 1 begins with a blessing and ends with a curse;
Psalm 2 begins with a curse and ends with a blessing.
Psalm 1 is essentially a psalm of Christ;
Psalm 2 is essentially a psalm of Antichrist.
Psalm 1 shows the meditation of the godly;
Psalm 2 shows the meditation of the ungodly.
These two psalms form the introduction to the Hebrew hymnbook and they summarize for us the content of the whole.
What is so special about this Psalm? Let us read it and listen to God as He speaks out of His Word to His people and against the rulers of the world.
Psalms 2
2:1 Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine 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 bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.
4 He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.
5 Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure.
6 Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.
7 I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.
8 Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.
9 Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.
10 Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth.
11 Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling.
12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him. KJV
In this Psalm, there are four stanzas of three verses each. Each is perfectly balanced and each is almost the same number of words. The picture in each stanza is perfectly finished without the slightest hint of hurry and crowding. It is excellently written.
God Is On The Throne
In this Psalm, we are reminded that God is still in control.
This Psalm exalts our Savior and gives the prophetic references to our Lord Jesus Christ.
On the human level, this psalm is about the coronation of a new king in Israel and the desire of the nations and peoples to rebel against him. As it often was in the old Biblical days.
In days of old when a king died there was political instability and often those in the far reaches of his kingdom would take this opportunity to rebel before a new king could be appointed.
Sounds like us here in the U.S. We as Christians need to trust God is in control and can and will put in office the right person, whether to bless us or even the possibility of cruising us.
Yet, this psalm plainly says God has appointed the King, and therefore God will crush His enemies, It is futile to rebel against God’s anointed king, and so the nations are called on to submit to the king and avoid certain judgment and destruction.
This psalm is about the enthronement of King Jesus and all of mankind’s rebellion against HIM.
Yet, because God the Father has appointed Jesus to be the King of kings and Lord of lords, He will crush His enemies, therefore mankind is called on to submit to Jesus as Lord and escape His judgment and wrath.
Notice the terms the psalmist uses to show the universal nature of this rebellion
1. “The nations are in an uproar”–
- “The peoples devise a vain thing”–
- “The kings of the earth take their stand”–
- “The rulers take counsel together against Him”
This is a universal call to salvation. This psalm breaks down into 3 parts and we look at them in the coming weeks.
