Section 1 The author. This psalm, like the one preceding, is without any title prefixed to it, and, like that, is without anything in the psalm itself to indicate its authorship. Its authorship must be learned, therefore, elsewhere, if it can be ascertained at all. There is, however, every reason t... [ Continue Reading ]
WHY DO THE HEATHEN RAGE - “Why do nations make a noise?” Prof. Alexander. The word “heathen” here - גוים _gôyim_ - means properly “nations,” with out respect, so far as the word is concerned, to the character of the nations. It was applied by the Hebrews to the surrounding nations, or to all other... [ Continue Reading ]
THE KINGS OF THE EARTH - This verse is designed to give a more specific form to the general statement in Psalms 2:1. In the first verse the psalmist sees a general commotion among the nations as engaged in some plan that he sees must be a vain one; here he describes more particularly the cause of th... [ Continue Reading ]
LET US BREAK THEIR BANDS ASUNDER - The bands of Yahweh and of his Anointed. They who are engaged in this combination or conspiracy regard Yahweh and his Anointed as one, and as having one object - to set up a dominion over the world. Hence, they take counsel against both; and, with the same purpose... [ Continue Reading ]
HE THAT SITTETH IN THE HEAVENS - God, represented as having his home, his seat, his throne in heaven, and thence administering the affairs of the world. This verse commences the second strophe or stanza of the psalm; and this strophe Psalms 2:4 corresponds with the first Psalms 2:1 in its structure.... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN SHALL HE SPEAK UNTO THEM - That is, this seeming indifference and unconcern will not last forever. He will not always look calmly on, nor will he suffer them to accomplish their purposes without interposing. When he has shown how he regards their schemes - how impotent they are, how much they a... [ Continue Reading ]
YET HAVE I SET MY KING - The word “yet” is merely the translation of the conjunction “and.” It is rendered in the Vulgate “but ..._autem_;” and so in the Septuagint, δέ _de_. It would be better rendered perhaps by the usual word “and:” “And I have set or constituted my king,” etc. This is properly... [ Continue Reading ]
I WILL DECLARE THE DECREE - We have here another change in the speaker. The Anointed One is himself introduced as declaring the great purpose which was formed in regard to him, and referring to the promise which was made to him, as the foundation of the purpose of Yahweh Psalms 2:6 to set him on the... [ Continue Reading ]
ASK OF ME - That is, of God. This is a part of the “decree” or purpose, as mentioned in Psalms 2:7. That decree embraced not only the design to constitute him as his Son, in the sense that he was to be king in Zion, but also the purpose to give him a dominion embracing “the heathen” and “the uttermo... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU SHALT BREAK THEM WITH A ROD OF IRON - That is, evidently, thine enemies, for it cannot be supposed to be meant that he would sway such a scepter over his own people. The idea is that he would crush and subdue all his foes. He would have absolute power, and the grant which had been made to him w... [ Continue Reading ]
BE WISE NOW, THEREFORE, O YE KINGS - This is to be understood as the language of the psalmist. See introduction to the psalm, Section 3. It is an exhortation addressed to the rulers and princes whom the psalmist saw engaged in opposition to the purpose of Yahweh Psalms 2:1 - and hence, to all rulers... [ Continue Reading ]
SERVE THE LORD WITH FEAR - With reverence, and with deep apprehensions of the consequences of not serving and obeying him. That is, serve him in not opposing, but in promoting his purpose of establishing a kingdom under the Messiah, with the deep apprehension that if you do not do it, he will arise... [ Continue Reading ]
KISS THE SON - Him whom God hath declared to be his Son Psalms 2:7, and whom, as such, he has resolved to set as King on his holy hill Psalms 2:6. The word “kiss” here is used in accordance with Oriental usages, for it was in this way that respect was indicated for one of superior rank. This was the... [ Continue Reading ]