Psalm 2

Psalm 2

Acts 2:25 says "‭‭You spoke long ago by the Holy Spirit through our ancestor David, your servant, saying, ‘Why were the nations so angry? Why did they waste their time with futile plans?"

So, this Psalm was written by King David.

1

Why are the nations in such an uproar? Why are the people making worthless, rebellious plans?

2

The rulers of the earth make plans to unit against the I AM and His Chosen One.

"Chosen One" here is the word Messiah. Hebrew scriptures apply it to anyone selected by God to do a certain job. 

A couple translations render this "God's chosen king," while most use a synonym for Jesus. Either one is appropriate. 

Certainly, the powerful in the world often try to throw off the rule of God and His chosen leaders (and God very much does call certain humans to serve in political offices). 

But we all try to rule our own lives instead of turning them over to Jesus, to do things our own way.

New testament authors apply this scripture to Jesus.

3

They yell "Let's free ourselves from God's chains! Let's free ourselves from His rules!"

Humans in their pitiful arrogance think of God's rules as handcuffs keeping them from fun, good things. So His chosen rulers are symbols of oppression to them. 

The truth is that humans are either servants of God or servants of Satan. There is no in-between. If you throw off God's "shackles" you put on Satan's. You find what you want to do that God forbid is actually enslaving you to addiction and vice; it's producing depression , violence, poverty, hatred, selfishness, and tyranny. His rules are there to protect you and those around you.

4

The One seated on His throne in heaven laughs at them. The King mocks them.

The most terrifying prophecy I ever heard was directed towards the Biden administration; "God is laughing at you. But He is not smiling." 

5

At His appointed time, God thunders at them in anger! 

6 

Saying, "I have installed My King in Jerusalem on My holy hill!

David probably wrote this for his own coronation, but God was referring more to Christ when He inspired it. Acts makes pthis plain. 

It would not be inappropriate, however, to apply this to anyone God has called to be a ruler of some type who submits himself to God.

7

The King says, "I will proclaim the promise the I AM spoke to me; 'You are My Son. Today I have become Your Father.'

 

Though certainly applicable to David, very much more so to Christ as declared in Acts 13:33 and Hebrews 1:5. 

8

(The King is still quoting what God told him)

" 'Just ask and I will give you all the nations as your inheritance; you will own the ends of the earth.

9
" 'You (the appointed ruler, Christ), will destroy them (the rebels) with an iron rod;

"Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me." - Psalm 23. 

The shepherds staff was used to guide and rescue his sheep. 

The rod (a long thin club, often with a sharpened tip) was a tool used to punish/ correct the sheep, as well as drive off predators. Correction/punishment makes a sheep reluctant to leave safety and travel where there are dangers the shepherd knows of but the sheep can't see. 

Here there is no guiding staff, only the punishing, weapon-like rod for those who lead rebellions against God.

" 'You will destroy them like clay pots.' "

Christ has ultimate authority to rule and punish. He is patient, wanting and encouraging even the worst of us to turn from their sin and follow Him. But the time always comes when those who will not turn are punished, firmly and completely- like hitting a clay pot with an iron stick.

10

Now the psalmist speaks to the rebels of the first part of the chapter.

And so, be smart, O kings! Don't be stupid, all you judges and rulers of planet earth!

11

Serve I AM with fear and reverence. Rejoice, but tremble!

12

Submit to God's chosen one or He will be angry with you, and you will die in your rebellion when His anger flashes out at you. O how happy are all those who trust in God!

Psalm 1

Probably written by King David.

1

O, how happy are those who do not follow the advice or examples of the ungodly; 

Or live the same life as unbelievers;

Or join in with the contemptuous, disdainful, and arrogant.

2

But instead enjoy the  direction and instruction, of the I AM, and thinks about and studys them day and night, in good times and in bad.

3

Those who choose this path/life style are like trees carefully planted along irrigation canals. They never fail to produce fruit in the right season, and their leaves never wither or fall off (they are never disgraced, humiliated, faint, weak, feeble or frail in character, wimpy, or despised). These people succeed in everything they do.

I have a few fruit trees. Here in the alpine desert of Northern Nevada, it is often spring-like warm in February with blizzards in March. My trees put out lots of blooms that are subsequently frozen off... every. Single. Year. Out of eight trees we might get actual fruit off one each year; a different tree each time. So frustrating. 

(A successful life is one where you are surrounded by people who love you and you are doing work that you love that makes a difference in the world. Being a homemaker, waitress, plumber, banker, generous millionaire, etc can all fit this definition.)

The person who lives the lifestyle of turning his back on evil and studying his Bible and following God's instructions isn't like my fruit trees. They produce fruit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control- Galatians 5:22-23)  in their lives reliably all the time. And, just like the cause and effect of the law of gravity, they will always succeed. 

How? First of all, someone so in tune with God and His Word will only try to do things within God's will. Their life focus won't be on getting rich and powerful, but on love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. And they WILL succeed in gaining these characteristics. This may very well look like successful businesses (who wouldn't want to shop at a store or go to a restaurant where the owners are loveing, joyful, peaceful, patient, kind, generous, faithfulness, gentle and self-controled? And God does tell people to open businesses to serve and take care of others), or promotions at work, etc., as well as getting along with your neighbors and building strong families. Their goals and methods will be righteous and pure and the result will be success. Simple law of physics. 

4

A lesson in farming; after grain is harvested, (before machines were invented), it would be scattered on a threshing floor where the farmer would beat it with a stick to loosen the shell-  called chaff (much like the shell of an egg, or an orange peel). Chaff is paper thin and worthless, inedible; much like dust or tiny bits of straw. The farmer would then throw the grain up in the air and the wind would blow away the chaff, while the heavy, delicious grain fell straight down to the floor again. We now resume your previous programming...

But those who do not follow God are different; they are like chaff (empty and worthless) that the wind blows away.

Who would want to do business with, be married to, live nextdoor to someone who is hateful, grumpy, argumentive, impatient, cruel, stingy, disloyal, harsh, or irrational? These people can never succeed. Even if, through ungodly means, they manage to gain wealth, they will eventually loose it... And their family and friends. They will die bitter and alone 

5

 And so the ungodly will have no excuse, be condemned and punished in the day of judgement, and will be kept separate from God's people.

6

Because I AM carefully guides and protects those who listen to and follow Him, but those who choose to ignore God find all their plans fail and they are ruined.

James 4:8 says that if we walk towards God He moves closer to us, much like the father in the story of the prodigal son; when the son decided to go towards his dad the Dad ran to meet him. 

Many places in the Bible tell us that God is our good shepherd, taking care of and guiding us like sheep. We are loved and protected.

By the same principle, if we walk away from God He turns His back on us. Oh, He will try to encourage us to turn around and come towards Him, but we wont have His protection or guidance for anything outside His will (and His will is for everyone to follow Him- 1 Timothy 2:3-4 among many other scriptures). We have to rely on our own understanding and wisdom. I don't know about you, but that's a terrifying thought! I've been known to do some pretty stupid things! God never has.

For this Psalm set to music:

https://youtu.be/tiz8LQkGSlM?si=Xu8sGlE5Y6DqD_md