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The Reign of the Lord’s Anointed
2 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.”
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.”
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.”
Now therefore, O kings, be wise;
be warned, O rulers of the earth.
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.
(ESV)
Psalm 2 Commentary
by Brad Boyles
This royal psalm was a familiar one, as it was recited often by God’s followers. We read of two instances in the book of Acts where this Psalm is quoted. The one I want to discuss is found in Acts 4 after John and Peter have just been questioned by the council as to why they are preaching Jesus among the people. After the council finds no fault with the men, they threaten them and release them. We then read that the believers gather together to pray for boldness. In that prayer, they recite part of the second Psalm.
When they had been released, they went to their own companions and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them. 24 And when they heard this, they lifted their voices to God with one accord and said, “O Lord, it is You who MADE THE HEAVEN AND THE EARTH AND THE SEA, AND ALL THAT IS IN THEM, 25 who by the Holy Spirit, through the mouth of our father David Your servant, said, ‘WHY DID THE GENTILES RAGE, AND THE PEOPLES DEVISE FUTILE THINGS? 26 ‘THE KINGS OF THE EARTH TOOK THEIR STAND, AND THE RULERS WERE GATHERED TOGETHER AGAINST THE LORD AND AGAINST HIS CHRIST.’
Acts 4:23-26 NASB
This amazing psalm which was penned by David years prior was being fulfilled right before their eyes. The authorities of the earth had indeed continued to take their stand against anything and everything that had to do with Jesus. Interestingly, the early church had a “fill-in-the-blank” moment as they recited the Psalm by inserting “Christ” at the end instead of “Anointed” as the original stated. This was because it had all come to pass before their eyes, and now they understood how the prophecies fit together under Jesus Christ the Messiah.
We must remember that when we take a stand for Jesus, there will always be persecution and suffering that follow. Because of the freedoms we have in our country, we don’t entirely understand what that looks like. However, the fact remains; the Name of Jesus Christ is the Name above all names. It is that Name which causes the powers of darkness in this world to rise up with hostility toward the people of God. We must rejoice, like the early church, in the fact that Jesus is still on the throne and everything is coming to pass just as God predicted. We find comfort and security within the Name of Jesus Christ.