Studies in Psalms - Psalm 2

 Talk about God and you don’t usually get much complaint, but bring up the name Jesus and suddenly the world is in an uproar. Television and movies will quite often include God in their dialogue or story, but few movies, short of those directly produced by the Christian movie makers, will speak of Jesus. It’s acceptable to thank God and we hear many celebrities and athletes doing so in award ceremonies and after the game interviews, but rarely will the media let someone give glory to Christ. The world hates Him.

Psalm 2 is considered by most scholars to be messianic in nature. To be messianic in the Old Testament means that it is speaking of the coming Christ. So, as Psalm 2 opens, we see a glimpse of the hatred that the world would have for Jesus.

Psalm 2:1-3
Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and against his Anointed, saying, “Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us.”

Jesus is God’s anointed Son and as this Psalm looks to the future we now know they would reject and even crucify Him.

Sometimes we think God is just sitting by letting all this rebellion against Him go. He is not. Listen to God’s response to those who “set themselves” against the Messiah.

Psalm 2:4-6
He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision. Then he will speak to them in his wrath, and terrify them in his fury, saying, “As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill.”

God has set His King in place and it is Jesus. He is coming back to rule and when He comes He shall bring judgment to those who reject Him. Jesus, Himself, spoke of the judgment to come. Revelation 19:15-16 speaks of the coming day when “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. On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.”

Make no mistake, Jesus is king. Notice the similarity of Revelation 19 and Psalm 2.

Psalm 2:7-9
 I will tell of the decree: The LORD said to me, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you. Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.”

So, what is the application for us today?

For one thing, we can rest in faith that the evil in our world will be judged. But what about us? Well, for us, this should be a reminder of the importance of letting Jesus actually be, Lord of our lives.

Psalm 2:11-12
 Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. 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.

Serve the Lord with fear, rejoice with trembling, kiss the Son, seek obedience to Him, for no one, not even kings and nations, can escape the wrath of the Lord in that day. So, take refuge in Christ. That is the key to being blessed. That is the key to eternal life.