Bible Commentaries
Psalms 2

Verses 1-12

II. Messiah’ s Reign.— Also without a title. Here we have a distinctly Messianic Ps., put in this place, possibly, as an introduction to other Messianic Pss. which follow. Messianic it is in the strictest sense of the word, for it does not look forward to a dynasty of Davidic kings ( cf. Jeremiah 23:4 ff., Ezekiel 34:23), or to the direct intervention of Yahweh, as 2 Is. and Malachi do. Rather the Kingdom of God is to be founded and maintained by an anointed King who is the Son of God and His vicar on earth. The poet speaks as if the ideal King had already ascended His throne. But we cannot be sure that the Ps. refers to an actual king then alive. He is present to the imagination of the Psalmist: that is all we can say. Much less can we point to any contemporary in whom his dream was already realised. Commentators have put the Ps. back as far as David’ s time or on to that of Alexander Jannæ us (p. 608), a bloodthirsty prince of Maccabean race who died in 78 B.C. The Ps. is frequently quoted in the NT ( Acts 4:25; Acts 13:33; Hebrews 1:5; Hebrews 5:5; Revelation 2:27; Revelation 19:15). But it does not, except in a very general sense and with large allowance, prepare the way for the Christian Messiah. Certainly it does not breathe Christ’ s spirit. See p. 372.

Psalms 2:1-3 . The heathen strive to rid themselves of Messiah’ s yoke.

Psalms 2:4-6 . But in vain: Yahweh enthroned on high laughs at this conspiracy and will at the appointed time annul it. According to the LXX it is the Messiah who speaks. “ But I have been installed by him on Zion his holy mountain.”

Psalms 2:7-9 . Men are Yahweh’ s servants. Israel collectively is Yahweh’ s child ( Hosea 11:1): Israel’ s kings are individually sons of Yahweh ( 2 Samuel 7:14). The Messiah is Son of Yahweh in a unique sense. As such he is the Lord of the world, and the heathen have no chance against Him. The Psalmist includes all this in the oracle (“ the decree” ) given to Him on the day of His coronation.

Psalms 2:10-12 . Kings of other lands are invited to do homage, ere is too late. “ Kiss the son” in Psalms 2:12 a is an impossible rendering, and those in mg. are no better. The text is hopelessly corrupt, though probably some outward mark of submission is referred to.