By Paul Thompson
This is Part 3 of 5 looking at Psalm 1.
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 4 | Part 5
1 Why do the nations rage
and the peoples plot in vain?
2 The kings of the earth set themselves,
and the rulers take counsel together,
against the Lord and against his Anointed, saying,
3 “Let us burst their bonds apart
and cast away their cords from us.”4 He who sits in the heavens laughs;
the Lord holds them in derision.
5 Then he will speak to them in his wrath,
and terrify them in his fury, saying,
6 “As for me, I have set my King
on Zion, my holy hill.”7 I will tell of the decree:
The Lord said to me, “You are my Son;
today I have begotten you.
8 Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage,
and the ends of the earth your possession.
9 You shall break them with a rod of iron
and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.”10 Now therefore, O kings, be wise;
be warned, O rulers of the earth.
11 Serve the Lord with fear,
and rejoice with trembling.
12 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.Psalm 2
The Father’s Reaction
I love the Father’s response to this rebellion.
4 He who sits in the heavens laughs;
Psalm 2:4-6
the Lord holds them in derision.
5 Then he will speak to them in his wrath,
and terrify them in his fury, saying,
6 “As for me, I have set my King
on Zion, my holy hill.”
The Father sees the nations plotting and planning to throw off His authority over them and He laughs. The word carries the idea of laughing with contempt – in confidence. He holds them in derision. He mocks them because they seem to not understand the true reality of his authority, and the King he has set in Zion.
He laughs, but at the same time has wrath and fury. His wrathful response to them is to remind them of His King he has established in Zion.
” As for me, I have set my King
on Zion, my holy hill.”
The Father’s Promise
The Father details a promise he made to this King he has set in Zion.
7 I will tell of the decree:
Psalm 2:7-9
The Lord said to me, “You are my Son;
today I have begotten you.
8 Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage,
and the ends of the earth your possession.
9 You shall break them with a rod of iron
and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.”
Theologians call this the Covenant of Redemption – the covenant made between the Father and Son before the foundation of the earth to provide redemption for a people. The Son would take on flesh, and die, and would be given the nations, and would rule over them.
The Son succeeded – He took on Human Flesh – He laid his life down – He rose again, and is now seated at the right hand of the Father. He is a victor – listen to how Paul describes God’s conquest of the rulers and authorities in in Colossians 2.
And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.
Colossians 2:13-15
Did you catch who is doing what? The Father nailed our sins to the cross – the father disarmed the rulers by triumphing over them IN CHRIST.
I’ve read this in the past as being the Actor here, but Paul is saying God is the one doing these thing WITH Christ, USING Christ. This King he established is means by which the nations are reconcilled.
The father fulfilled the exact promise he made in Psalm 2!