Psalms 2:1

Chapter 2

Introduction

• The Prophet David rejoices, that notwithstanding his enemies’ rage, yet God will continue His kingdom forever, and advance it even to the end of the world, and therefore exhorts kings and rulers, that they would humbly submit themselves under God’s yoke, because it is in vain to resist God. Herein is figured Christ’s kingdom.-1599 GB
• We shall not greatly err in our summary of this sublime Psalm is we call it THE PSALM OF MESSIAH THE PRINCE; for it sets forth as in a wondrous vision the tumult of the people against the Lord’s anointed, the determinate purpose of God to exalt His own Son, and the ultimate reign of that Son over all His enemies. Let us read it with the eye of faith, beholding, as in a glass, the final triumph of our Lord Jesus Christ over all His enemies.-CHS
• This glorious Psalm is all over the gospel, and speaks of nothing but of God, and His Christ, from beginning to end. The Holy Spirit, by His servants Peter and John, in one scripture, and by His servant Paul in another, has not left the church to any uncertain reasonings and conjectures respecting this, but decidedly shown to whom the whole belongs. Here is the kingdom of Christ set forth under the type of David’s kingdom, and all the kings of the earth exhorted to bend to it.-Robert Hawker
• David boasts that his kingdom, though assailed by a vast multitude of powerful enemies, would notwithstanding, be perpetual, because it was upheld by the hand and power of God. He adds, that in spite of his enemies, it would be extended even to the utmost ends of the earth. All this was typical, and contains a prophecy concerning the future kingdom of Christ.-JC
• As the foregoing psalm was moral, and showed us our duty, so this is evangelical, and shows us our Savior. There is nothing in it but what is applicable to Christ, but some things are not applicable to David. The Holy Spirit here foretells, I. The opposition that should be given to the kingdom of the Messiah (v. 1-3). II. The baffling and chastising of that opposition (v. 4-5). III. The setting up of the kingdom of Christ, notwithstanding that opposition (v. 6). IV. The confirmation and establishment of it (v. 7). V. A promise of the enlargement and success of it (v. 8, 9). VI. A call and exhortation to kings and princes to yield themselves the willing subjects of this kingdom (v. 10-12). Or thus: We have here, I. Threatenings denounced against the adversaries of Christ’s kingdom (v. 1-6). II. Promises made to Christ Himself, the head of this kingdom (v. 7-9). III. Counsel given to all to espouse the interests of the kingdom (v. 10-12). This psalm… is…. prefixed to this book of devotions, because, as it is necessary to our acceptance with God that we should be subject to the precepts of His law, so it is likewise that we should be subject to the grace of His gospel, and come to Him in the name of a Mediator.-MH

2:1

Note: While in my versions (KJV, NKJV, ESV, Amplified, NIV, NAS, RSV, and 1599 GB) of the bible I couldn’t find one that expressed verse 1 in the past tense it seems that in the original Hebrew it was with the connotation of past tense. Some of the commentaries already assuming this to be known, I suppose, give their notes accordingly. It is presented as if it is already done or being done by the people. “The past tense of this verb (why have they raged?) refers to the commotion as already begun.”-J.A. Alexander

“the heathen rage… imagine a vain thing”:
• We have, in these first three verses, a description of the hatred of human nature against the Christ of God. The Psalm begins abruptly with an angry interrogation; it is surely to be wondered at, that the sight of creatures in arms against their God should amaze the psalmist’s mind. We see the heathen raging, roaring like the sea, tossed to and fro with restless waves, as the ocean in a storm; and then we mark the people in their hearts imagining a vain thing against God. Where there is much rage there is generally some folly, and in this case there is an excess of it. It was not a temporary rage, but deep-seated hate.-CHS
• Herod plotted against Christ, to hinder the course of His ministry and mediatorship, but he could not perform his enterprise; ‘tis so all along, therefore it is said, “Why do the heathen imagine a vain thing?” A vain thing, because a thing successless, their hands could not perform it. It was vain, not only because there was no true ground of reason why they should imagine or do such a thing, but vain also because they labored in vain, they could not do it, and therefore it follows, “He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.”-Joseph Caryl
• Observe how triumphantly it opens, in contemplating the Redeemer’s kingdom, speaking of it as a thing already granted and done, although the Psalm was written under the spirit of prophecy, at least a thousand years before Christ became incarnate. Yea, the Psalm looks back to the annals of eternity. The Holy Spirit has decided the point by His servants Peter and John (Acts 4:25-26).-Robert Hawker
• The emphasis falls on the word “vain”; that is, why do the nations plot in vain? The enemies of God think they are victorious against God’s church. They crucify Jesus and imprison His apostles with impunity, and yet their actions are futile. Psalm 2 reveals the utter foolishness of the nations in plotting against God, for all their efforts are thwarted. The kingdom of God’s Son shall last forever.-Simon J. Kistemaker (Hendriksen NT Commentary Vol. 5)
• That David prophesied concerning Christ, is clearly manifest from this, that he knew his own kingdom to be merely a shadow. And in order to learn to apply to Christ whatever David, in times past, sang concerning himself, we must hold this principle, which we meet with everywhere in all the prophets, that he, with his posterity, was, made king, not so much for his own sake as to be an [ectype] of the Redeemer. If we attentively consider the nature of the kingdom, we will perceive that it would be absurd to overlook the end or scope, and to rest in the mere shadow. That the kingdom of Christ is here described by the spirit of prophecy, is sufficiently attested to us by the apostles, who, seeing ungodly conspiring against Christ, arm themselves in prayer with this doctrine (Acts 4:24-26). Let this; therefore, be held as a settled point, that all who do not submit themselves to the authority of Christ make war against God. Since it seems good to God to rule us by the hand of His own Son, those who refuse to obey Christ Himself deny the authority of God, and it is in vain for them to profess otherwise. A twofold consolation may be drawn from this passage: First, as often as the world rages, in order to disturb and put an end to the prosperity of Christ’s kingdom, we have only to remember that, in all this, there is just a fulfillment of what long ago was predicted, and no changes that can happen will greatly disquiet us. Nor is it at all wonderful, or unusual, if the world begins to rage as soon as a throne is erected for Christ. The other consolation which follows is, that when the ungodly have mustered their forces… and… furiously assault heaven itself, we may safely laugh them to scorn, relying on this one consideration, that he whom they are assailing is the God who is in heaven. Let us remember that they are making war against God over whom they shall not prevail, and therefore their attempts, whatever they may be, and however increasing, will come to naught, and be utterly ineffectual.-JC
• We have here a very great struggle about the kingdom of Christ, hell and heaven contesting it; the seat of the war is this earth, where Satan has long had a usurped kingdom and exercised dominion to such a degree that he has been called the prince of the power of the very air we breathe in and the god of this world we live in. He knows very well that, as the Messiah’s kingdom rises and gets ground, his falls and loses ground; and therefore, thought it will set up certainly; it shall not be set up tamely. Never were the notions of any sect of philosophers, though ever so absurd, nor the powers of any prince or state, though ever so tyrannical, opposed with so much violence as the doctrine and government of Christ – a sign that it was from heaven, for the opposite was plainly from hell originally. They rage and fret; they gnash their teeth for vexation at the setting up of Christ’s kingdom; it creates [for] them the utmost uneasiness, and fills them with indignation, so they have no enjoyment of themselves. It is a deliberate and [shrewd] opposition. They imagine or meditate, that is, they contrive means to suppress the rising interests of Christ’s kingdom and are very confident of the success of their contrivances; they promise themselves that they shall run down religion and carry they day. It is a resolute and obstinate opposition.-MH


Personal Summary:

We see here the natural hate mankind has in his heart for God as a result of the fall. Who can deny Original Sin when the practical reality of it exists all around us and is clearly testified to in scripture through such passages as this? Our sin leads us to have a natural enmity between ourselves and God. Apart from God we grow in our hate for Him and His ways. We pit ourselves against Him with whatever perceived strength we can muster. We loath to see His purposes accomplished. We become angry and violent at the mere sound of His name proclaimed and His doctrines preached to us or even indirectly to others. Who that has had the unfortunate experience and memory of being lost cannot remember this in their lives and in the lives of their friends and perhaps their family? WE have done this and been guilty of this and thus we are assured fully that this exists and will until the Lord comes back and takes what is rightfully His and His eternal victory is finally and fully accomplished. Perhaps my disgust and impatience of this stems ever more from the scars I bear in my memory from acting the same.
Yet we have been saved. Should we not yearn that others too will be like us? That they too will be called and saved? That they too will no longer revile the things of God but delight in them? I pray that we do and that we live lives that glorify God and share the gospel at every opportunity.
But though we acted like the heathen and they happily still do, there is an end in sight. As Calvin said, “…we have only to remember that, in all this, there is just a fulfillment of what long ago was predicted, and no changes that can happen will greatly disquiet us. Let us remember that they are making war against God over whom they shall not prevail, and therefore their attempts, whatever they may be, and however increasing, will come to naught, and be utterly ineffectual.” What a consolation this is! Nothing they can or will do is anything more than we have known they will do and thus their ultimate effect on us is nothing. But not only that! We know that Christ will be victorious and we along with Him. For though we suffer temporarily we are bound to Him for eternity, Rom. 8:17, “And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.” His victory is our victory and with Abraham we will be “glad to see His day” (Jn 8:56). Their plotting against God is in vain and will ultimately amount to nothing. His victory is assured and He in His word tells us to contemplate it from the perspective as a thing already accomplished, past tense… it is done!
How wonderful to know that Christ has been so openly proclaimed and testified to for so many thousands of years. Yet, it is even better to know that what we see and know now is only in part, a shadow of what will be, and the true beauty of Christ in all its anticipated fullness still leaves us looking forward in hope. I Jn. 3:2-3, “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is. And every man that hath this hope in Him purifieth himself, even as He is pure.” Amen!