In Psalm 2 the mood changes from Psalm 1. Psalm 2 is a Psalm of national and international uproar. The focus is not on the individual, but on God and the world, and God’s anointed King. I’m not going to comment verse by verse, but rather to focus in on a verse that caught my attention and explore the Psalm by that route.
1 Why do the nations conspire
and the peoples plot in vain?
2 The kings of the earth rise up
and the rulers band together
against the LORD and against his anointed, saying,
3 “Let us break their chains
and throw off their shackles.”4 The One enthroned in heaven laughs;
the Lord scoffs at them.
5 He rebukes them in his anger
and terrifies them in his wrath, saying,
6 “I have installed my king
on Zion, my holy mountain.”7 I will proclaim the LORD’s decree:
He said to me, “You are my son;
today I have become your father.
8 Ask me,
and I will make the nations your inheritance,
the ends of the earth your possession.
9 You will break them with a rod of iron[b];
you will dash them to pieces like pottery.”10 Therefore, you kings, be wise;
Psalm 2:1-12
be warned, you rulers of the earth.
11 Serve the LORD with fear
and celebrate his rule with trembling.
12 Kiss the son, or he will be angry
and your way will lead to your destruction,
for his wrath can flare up in a moment.
Blessed are all who take refuge in him.
My attention was drawn to a phrase in the final verse:
For his wrath can flare up in a moment
In context I think the “he” is the LORD, Yahweh, and so this is quite a stark phrase that seems in conflict with other statements about Yahweh’s anger. For example in Exodus 34, in a foundational verse revealing Yahweh’s character, Yahweh is described as being ‘slow to anger’. Yet here at the end of Psalm 2 we are reading of how he is here quick to anger, of how his anger can flare up in a moment.
I found this rather jarring, perhaps because I’ve spent quite a while studying Exodus 34, and finding great comfort in the idea that Yahweh is slow to anger. So I thought about the Psalm to see why it might be that in the context of Psalm 2 Yahweh is described as being quick to anger.
The first thing to do is to look at the immediate context, and see who is being addressed. If we look back at v10 we see that it is the kings of the earth, the rulers of the nations. In the context of ancient Israel this would be the Egyptian Pharaoh, the Assyrian Emperor, and then the myriad of kings of smaller kingdoms that surrounded Israel. These were the powers of their day.
In our modern world their equivalents are the leaders of nations, and the leaders of the large multinational corporations and their advisors who wield immense power over the lives of so many.
This Psalm closes with a direct appeal to these people. To the kings and the rulers. They are to serve Yahweh with fear – and celebrate his rule with trembling. Yahweh is stronger than any earthly ruler, and the demand is that earthly rulers acknowledge his power and strength.
They need to kiss the Son, in this context an act of homage to Yahweh’s son. To understand the demand we need to read back in the Psalm further. The Psalm proclaims that Yahweh has installed his anointed one as King in Zion, declaring that this King is Yahweh’s son, and that the rulers of the world have opposed this.
In the OT the Israelite nation as a whole could be described as Yahweh’s son (Exodus 4), and individual kings (as here) could also be described as his son. These kings were Yahweh’s sons in the sense that they ruled as Yahweh’s representatives, and in the way that Yahweh would want them to rule – and when they departed from this way they were disciplined.
These kings and rulers described in Psalm 2 were seeking to oppose Yahweh’s rule by Yahweh’s representative – and so Yahweh wants to make it clear that they need to bow the knee and acknowledge Yahweh’s rule – even the non-Israelite rulers need to acknowledge that God is sovereign over the kingdoms of heaven (as Nebuchadnezzar will learn in Daniel 4).
In the NT Jesus takes on this title “Son of God”, and he is both the “Son of God” in the sense of the Israelite Kings – God’s anointed one, who comes to bring God’s rule, and in the sense that he himself is one with God, in a unique relationship with God. In the NT when the early church faces persecution in Acts 4 they turn to God in prayer, and have the words of Psalm 2 about the rulers gathering together to oppose God on their lips.
It is Yahweh’s son who is given the right to rule the nations in Yahweh’s way (Ps 2:8-9) – and therefore those who oppose his rule are placing themselves on the wrong side of God. This is why Yahweh’s wrath might flare up in a moment – and then those rulers might well come face to face with their destruction. In v12 the original says “you (plural) perish on the way” – in other words, this is still addressed to the kings and the rulers of the nations who oppose God, and oppose God’s rule through his Son.
It is a sobering warning – but it comes with a wonderful assurance – while powerful rulers and mighty kings who oppose God’s counsel can be brought down at any moment, those who run to Yahweh and his King will be safe. If we hide in him for refuge we are utterly secure. God is the most powerful being – the only safe place is hidden in him. It is those who are hidden in him who come to know that for those who run to him, he is the God who is slow to anger. Slow to anger – yet the God who will one day respond in righteous anger against all who try to ruin and spoil his world.
As we look at our world right now we see powerful people ruling nations, we see rich people getting ever richer, while the poor are ever more exploited. We see Christians under pressure, and persecuted by nations who fear anyone who will not give ultimate loyalty to the supreme leader, and it seems that the way to safety and security is to play by the world’s rules.
As we look at this Psalm and read of an God whose wrath can flare up in a moment it can seem that it might be safer to put such tales on the shelf. Perhaps it is better to join those who have abandoned a God who has such terrifying anger.
The truth is the opposite. Security is found in abandoning the security of this world, security is found in running towards this God – because he is the source of true security and safety in a world that can deliver neither.
In CS Lewis’ Prince Caspian we read of a dwarf who doesn’t believe in lions coming face to face with the Lion, Aslan himself:
“And now, where is this little Dwarf, this famous swordsman and archer, who doesn’t believe in lions? Come here, son of Earth, come HERE!” – and the last word was no longer the hint of a roar but almost the real thing.
“Wraiths and wreckage!” gasped Trumpkin in the ghost of a voice. The children, who knew Aslan well enough to see that he liked the Dwarf very much, were not disturbed; but it was quite another thing for Trumpkin, who had never seen a lion before, let alone this Lion. He did the only sensible thing he could have done; that is, instead of bolting, he tottered towards Aslan.
Prince Caspian
Read the last line again. At the start of a new year it is time to commit afresh to running towards Jesus rather than away. If we are involved in any kind of leadership this is especially vital. We need to run to Jesus rather than away from him.
The question this Psalm leaves me with is: what am I tempted to find my security in?
Is it in a particular image of who I am?
Is it in what I have?
Is it in what I do?
Is it in the impression I want others to have of me?
Am I seeking their approval, or their admiration?
And if it is in these things how much am I prepared to manipulate others, and even to end up taking counsel with others against the way God has said he does things and wants things done?
We need to commit to his way of doing things. To remembering that his goodness and faithfulness will outlast any amount of plotting and scheming from humans. He is the one who is good and faithful – I love the words of this wonderfully simple but profound song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T5Y8s-Sz_ac
Trust this God and find the blessing offered to all who hide in him.
Joshua's Tree Rooted 