1GOD, I TRUST IN YOUR WORD

Psalm 2
Because we believe in inspiration, we know that what the human writers of
the Bible wrote was exactly what God wanted it to say: it is the Word of God.
In order to know what a human writer means, we must examine what he has
written and determine his intent. In order to know what God means in the
Bible, we must also look at what the human writer has written and determine
his intent. This is what inspiration teaches us.
Psalm 2 is a theocratic kingship psalm, sometimes called a “messianic
psalm,” because they deal with God’s “anointed” (Hebrew, messiah). This
emphasis on God’s promised Davidic dynasty and his universal kingdom
flows from the Davidic Covenant in 2 Samuel 7:12–16. God had promised
David that his dynasty would reign forever over a universal kingdom, and
these psalms are based on that promise. They talk about Israel’s king,
sometimes referring to him as “David” (representing David and his
descendants), other times as “the king,” and other times as the “anointed”
(or “messiah”). As David writes, he refers to himself as God’s anointed king,
but as we look back with the advantage of progressive revelation, we see
that some of these things (such as an eternal and universal kingdom) will
only be realized in the reign of the ultimate Son of David, Jesus Christ.
In Psalm 2, David reflects on a rebellious uprising of some of the surrounding
nations he had conquered. In light of his enemies’ rebellion, David comforts
himself in the faithfulness of God to the promises he has made. God has
promised David an eternal and universal kingdom, and although the situation
appears grim from a human perspective, David affirms his trust in God’s
Word.
WHAT THE E NEMIES OF GOD’S ANOINTED SAY (VV. 1–3)
“We do not want God or the ruler he has appointed to reign over us” (vv. 1–
3).
By rejecting God’s anointed king, they have rebelled against God.
W HAT GOD SAYS (VV . 4–6)
He laughs at their ineptness (v. 4).
He is angry with their rebellion (v. 5).
He has promised to uphold his anointed king (v. 6).
God is in complete sovereign control of the situation.
W HAT DAVID SAYS (VV . 7–12)
God has promised to establish and guide the kingly line of David (v. 7, 9).
God has promised David and his descendants that they will rule the whole
world (v. 8).
Because God is sovereign, and because he has promised this to David and
his descendants, the nations should submit to God’s anointed king (vv. 9–
12).
To fear God is to submit to his anointed king.