Psalm 2

 

Read: Psalm 2:1 – 4; Isaiah 17:12 – 13; Matthew 12:14; Ephesians 2:1 – 3

In Psalm 2 the psalmist wrote prophetically about the Messiah Jesus. The psalm predicts the rebellion of the nations against the Lord.

Think About It:  According to Psalm 2:1 – 2, who rebels against the Lord? How is that rebellion expressed? According to Ephesians 2:1 – 3, who is the real ring-leader of the rebellion against God?  Can anyone succeed in their rebellion against God?

Prayer: Lord, that there might be no rebellion against your Sovereignty in my heart.

 

Read: Psalm 2:3; Luke 19:14; Micah 6:8

Psalm 2:3 deals with the issue of why the nations rebel against the Lord: because they regard the Lord as placing them in bondage and restriction, and they desire to burst free. This is exemplified in Luke 19:14 by the king who was hated by his citizens, who did not want him to rule over them.

Think About It: The nations, rulers, and kings of the world view God’s sovereignty as involving bondage. What does God actually demand of us, according to Micah 6:8?  Does that sound like bondage? What is man’s rebellion against God really about?

Prayer: Lord, help me to do justice, love kindness, and to walk humbly with You.

 

Read: Psalm 2:4 – 5; Psalm 37:13; 59:8; Proverbs 1:26; Isaiah 40:22; Psalm 90:7; Revelation 6:16 – 17

Psalm 2:4 describes God’s response to man’s rebellion as derisive laughter. This description is called “anthropomorphism” – a description of God in human terms. Psalm 2:5 says that God speaks to man in His wrath.  Before God destroys in wrath, He speaks in wrath – He warns, He calls to repentance.

Think About It: Why is human rebellion against God deserving of God’s derisive laughter? What are some of the ways that God has spoken (and continues to speak) in His wrath against the rebellion of mankind? Is anybody listening?

Prayer: Thank the Lord for His prophetic warnings of the wrath to come.

 

Read: Psalm 2:6 – 9; 2 Samuel 5:7; John 1:14; Acts 13:33. Hebrews 1:5; 5:5

God not only laughs and speaks in response to man’s rebellion, He also acts. His action is to set His King in Zion. Zion is the term used for the Temple mount in Jerusalem, and sometimes for the whole city of Jerusalem.  Zion signifies the people of God who live in God’s kingdom under His sovereign reign. Psalm 2:7 reveals the identity of God’s King: it is His only begotten Son, the Messiah Jesus. The New Testament writers viewed Psalm 2:7 as a significant prophecy of Jesus.

Think About It:  What are the clues in Psalm 2:6 – 7 that the reference is to something more than an earthly king? According to Psalm 2:8 – 9 what will the reign of the Messiah be like? (See also Daniel 7:14; Revelation 12:5; 19:15).

Prayer: Even so, come Lord Jesus; begin Your reign over all the earth.

 

Read: Psalm 2:11 –  12; Philippians 2:12; Hebrews 12:28; 1 Samuel 10:1; 1 Kings 19:18; Hosea 13:2

The last three verses of Psalm 2 tell us how we should respond to God’s warning. Psalm 2:11 means we should worship God, recognize His greatness, bow before Him in reverence and awe, find our joy in Him, and tremble before His majesty. “Kiss the Son” (Psalm 2:12) is a strange phrase in contemporary western culture. It means we should recognize Jesus’ rightful authority by submitting to His Lordship, and we should worship Him.  

Think About It: How can I combine “trembling” and “joy” in worship? Do I experience joy in worshiping God?

Prayer: Lord, I stand in awe of You; I rejoice in You.

 

Read: Psalm 2:10, 12; John 3:18; 2 Thessalonians 1:7 – 8

Psalm 2:10 exhorts rebellious kings and rulers to “be wise and be warned.”  This warning applies to anyone who sets himself up in opposition to God’s sovereignty. Rebels need to think through their rebellion, measure their chance of success, and do the only reasonable thing – surrender to the Lord Jesus Christ.

Think About It: What are the consequences for not heeding the warning to “be wise and be warned”?

Prayer: For rebels against God to be wise and be warned.

 

Read: Psalm 2:12; Isaiah 30:18; Jeremiah 17:7; 1 Thessalonians 1:10

Although the Messiah is the source of wrath and destruction for all who reject Him, Psalm 2 ends with a gracious promise: blessed are all who take refuge in Him.  

Think About It: Have I heeded the warning to “be wise and be warned”? Have I taken refuge in Jesus?

Prayer: Praise the Lord Jesus for being my safe refuge from the wrath to come.