Chuck Larsen

The nations rage against God and His anointed king at the beginning of this Psalm. God laughs with derision at their rebellion. Opposition to God’s will cannot alter God’s plans nor hinder its fulfillment.  When God speaks, it will come to pass. The question put forth in Numbers 23:19 is relevant to all biblical assertions. It says, “God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?” Thus, in Psalm 2:8, God himself speaks to his anointed son and says, “Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession.” Before Jesus left his disciples after the resurrection, he commissioned his followers to go into “all the earth” and make disciples of all the Nations. He begins this commission by asserting that the Psalmist’s prophecy in Psalm 2:8 has been fulfilled. In Matthew 28:18, we read, “And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.’”

The next verse, Psalm 2:9, has not yet been fulfilled. It says, “You shall break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.” That has been reserved for His second coming. Since God cannot lie, and as sure as all authority has been given to the Messiah according to verse 8, so too will the ultimate reign of Jesus upon the earth come to pass. Nobody knows when, but there appear to be hints in some Old Testament prophets. According to Gingrich, “During the forty-five days following the Second Advent of Christ, Daniel 12:11–12, preparations will be made to establish the Millennial Kingdom. At the close of this period, God will set Christ upon the throne of this world: (1) in fulfillment of his decree, (2) in the realization of His ultimate purpose in bringing Christ into this world (at the time of His virgin birth), and (3) despite all the desperate efforts of His enemies to keep Him from doing so.”^[1] Jesus’ reign will not be a four-year term. It will be eternal, as John writes in Revelation 11:15. It says, “Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.”

There is more to life than the short years we live on this earth. A believer’s life in the kingdom to come has been the subject of the Bible since Genesis 3:15. We, too, will share in the glory of God throughout all eternity. How do I know? Because God cannot lie. Some commentators will argue that life after death is not mentioned in the Old Testament, but that’s incorrect. Life after death, eternal life, has been the destiny of all believers who will once again have access to the tree of life. When Paul writes to Titus, he affirms this truth as well when he begins his letter by reminding Titus that the Gospel of Jesus, which is the “knowledge of the truth,” contains for all believers the “…hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began.” The glorious hope of all believers in Jesus!

^[1] Gingrich, Roy E. 2005. The Book of Psalms (Book One). Memphis, TN: Riverside Printing.

The Lord’s anointed in Verse 2 of Psalm 1 and the King established on Mount Zion in verse 6 are the same. Now in verse 7, the chosen one to rule the world speaks and says, “I will tell of the decree: The Lord said to me, ‘You are my Son; today I have begotten you.’” He often referred to himself as the “son of man.” He was the son of man in that Mary was his mother. It seems that all history acknowledges the humanity of Jesus. Dr. Robert Price is an exception. He argues that Jesus is a fictional character with no basis in reality. It’s interesting that Price, an atheist, and mythicist, finds it far easier to believe in aliens than in the actual existence of a person named Jesus from the first century. He is outside the realm of the belief of legitimate historians. Josh McDowell’s website says, “Historian Bart Ehrman, who also rejects Jesus as God, still counters that Price and other scholars skeptical of Jesus the historical person are simply choosing to disregard clear evidence.” Yet, the historicity of the person of Jesus is only half of the story. Over two hundred times in the New Testament is the phrase “Son of God” used to refer to Jesus.

It is not the recognition of Jesus as the son of man; that’s the real issue. The question is whether he’s the Son of God mentioned in the Old Testament who will come and reign on earth according to Psalm 2. Jesus once asked his disciples who they thought he was, and in Matthew 16:16, “Simon Peter replied, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’” Psalm 2 will end with a beatitude, “Blessed are all who take refuge in Him.” Jesus pronounces that blessing on Peter in Matthew 16:17-18, “Jesus answered him, ‘Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” The “rock” here is not the human named Peter, but his profession of faith in Christ as the son of God. Those in every generation that acknowledge Jesus as the Son of Man and the Son of God will become stones in the church of Christ.

Whereas the title “Son of Man” informs Jesus’ humanity, the title “Son of God” informs his deity. The humanity of Christ is a historical fact and well established. What establishes his deity? It is seen in his teachings in his life as well as the many miracles he performed, but it finds its conclusive evidence in the resurrection.  In his sermon in Acts 13:32-33, Paul says, “And we bring you the good news that what God promised to the fathers, this he has fulfilled to us their children by raising Jesus, as also it is written in the second Psalm, ‘You are my Son, today I have begotten you.’” Paul also informs the Romans that Jesus is the fulfillment of Psalm 2:7. Romans1:3-4 says, speaking of Jesus, “who was descended from David according to the flesh and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord.” Believing that there was a human, historical person named Jesus means no more to God than believing that George Washington existed. Paul tells us what matters in Romans 10:9. He says, “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

Vladimir Putin is attacking Ukraine as I write this. He’s determined to take the land and people of that Nation as his own. Putin is just another one following along the lines of Assyria, Babylon, Egypt, Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, Mohammed, Etc., etc. including Napoleon, Hitler, and others who set their hearts on advancing their domination. In Psalm 2, when the Psalmist speaks of the nation’s “raging,” it appears that this is what he’s talking about. There is this scramble for power and wealth. History is organized around these people and their efforts and wars. God laughs at them according to verse 4 of Psalm 2. Then, in verses 5 and 6, he adds, “Then he will speak to them in his wrath, and terrify them in his fury, saying, ‘As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill.’”

When I think of God’s wrath and fury, I think of the natural consequences of ignoring the simple laws of physics. Man cannot fly! God did not make him with wings as he did the birds. When man attempts to fly by jumping off of a cliff, he faces God’s wrath and fury and has to suffer the consequences. In Greek mythology, there is the story in which Icarus fell to his death after flying too close to the sun, which melted the wax holding his feather wings together. One cannot violate God’s laws and come away unscathed. But, as we’ve learned since Wilbur and Orville Wright, if we submit ourselves to God’s established laws and accommodate our lives that acknowledge them and cooperate with them, we can even send a man to the moon. The point is that we must learn to submit ourselves to God’s laws in life. He laughs when we ignore them to our peril. One of the most important laws of God is the reign of His Chosen King.

When earthly kings rage against God to usurp His position, God is not threatened by them. He laughs at them, and they must face his judgment. The law of God includes the enthronement of His son on the holy hill of Zion, who will rule the world with truth and grace. Alexander Maclaren says, “All the self-will in the world does not alter the fact that the authority of Christ is sovereign over human wills. We cannot get away from it, but we can either lovingly embrace it, and then it is our life, or we can set ourselves against it, like an obstinate ox planting its feet and standing stock-still, and then the goad is driven deep and draws blood.”^[1]

^[1] Maclaren, Alexander. 1903. “The Psalms.” In The Expositor’s Bible: Psalms to Isaiah, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll, 3:12. Expositor’s Bible. Hartford, CT: S.S. Scranton Co.

There are many different kinds of laughs in human experience. One website says, “Though there are many ways to laugh, from giggles to guffaws and from chuckles to cackles, it turns out that we humans laugh for many reasons, some of them odd. And it’s more than just the latest David Sedaris book or episode of ‘Saturday Night Live’ that has us doubled over — 90 percent of our laughter has nothing to do with somebody telling a joke.”[1] This website goes on to explain 10 different kinds of laughter. There is 1) Etiquette laughter, 2) Contagious laughter, 3) Nervous laughter, 4) Belly laughter, 5) Silent laughter, 6) Stress-relieving laughter, 7) Pigeon laughter, 8) Snorting laughter, 9 Canned laughter and 10) Cruel laughter. But they missed one. It’s God’s laughter as recorded in Psalm 2:4. It says, “He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision.”

I would call it “derision laughter.” Eveson says, “The dramatic imagery is meant to convey the utter stupidity of human scheming against God. This is why such plotting is useless. We might be impressed or intimidated by the hostile intentions and forceful efforts of those opposed to God and his people, but from God’s vantage point it is ludicrous. How absurd, how irrational, how futile the attempts made by puny humans to rebel against God! They are like a race of pygmies where the ruling giant is in a position to put an end to them all with one stamp of his foot.”^[2] God did not laugh at the Cross. He wept at the experience Jesus had to go through for the sake of all mankind. The sky turned black at midday as his only son, whom he loved, cried out in agony “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me.” That was not funny at all. What was funny is the arrogance of Satan who thought he had victory over the Christ. What was funny is the human arrogance that asserted itself above God and every good thing on the earth. The Father knew that the suffering of His Son, as painful and sorrowful as it was, would only last for a few days. Like many preachers have said, “It was Friday night, but Sunday was coming.”

The Lord is “enthroned.” It’s interesting that when God is said to sit, the Hebrew text translates it as “enthroned.” When Jesus sat down at the right hand of the Father, he was “enthroned” in heaven. From the position of sovereign rule, God watches the affairs of man on earth and is not in the least perturbed by the turmoil among the nations. Van Gemeren identifies God’s laughter for us. He says, rather than being worried or perturbed, “A scornful laugh comes from his throne.” The movement of the Psalm is from earth to heaven. He continues, “In this section the scene shifts from earth to heaven, where we catch a glimpse of God laughing at and mocking the feeble attempts of the rulers. The OT commonly uses anthropopathic language to describe God in terms of human emotions. Above the turbulence of the nations, God sits and reacts to their rebellion against him with laughter. His laughter is an expression of ridicule, for he knows their end. The confidence of God’s people rests in God himself, who is unmoved by the political machinations on earth. As earthly creatures we can hardly avoid becoming involved; yet our hope is in the God who laughs and scoffs at our enemies.” So, no matter how much chaos and confusion and rage we see on earth always remember that the one “enthroned in heaven” is our Lord, who is for us. It might be Friday night in our lives in some ways, but God knows that Sunday is coming. So, do we. The stone will be rolled away and the “Master of the Universe” will show himself.^[3]

[1] https://science.howstuffworks.com/life/inside-the-mind/emotions/5-types-of-laughter.htm

^[2] Eveson, Philip. 2014–2015. The Book of Psalms: From Suffering to Glory. Vol. 1. Welwyn Commentary Series. Welwyn Garden City, UK: EP.

^[3] VanGemeren, Willem A. 1991. “Psalms.” In The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, edited by Frank E. Gaebelein, 5:68. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.

When Jesus spoke with the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, he made it clear that the Old Testament was about himself. Then when in the upper room, he specifically included the current book of the Bible I’m looking at. He told them, “Everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” The next verse, Luke 24:25, is significant to anyone genuinely interested in understanding the Scriptures. Jesus “Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.” Williams is right then when he says, “The Bible, as the written Word of God, reveals both God’s plan for the world and its center, the living Word of God, Jesus Christ (John 1:1–2, 14). Thus the psalms and the whole of the Bible must be interpreted christocentrically. As Luther puts it, in the Bible, we have the words of God, which are to be understood by the Word of God, Jesus Christ. All meditation on Scripture, therefore, and all movement in history must take us to Christ.”^[1]

How do we look at this verse christocentrically? Psalm 2:1 says, “Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain?” Rage is an exciting word. According to one dictionary, related words are “acerbity, acrimony, asperity; frenzy, hysteria, mania; agitation, perturbation, upset.”^[2] A word under which all of these might be is “chaos.” If God is a God of order, why all this chaos? God plans to bring order out of chaos, as demonstrated in the first book of the Bible. The world was “formless and void.” The Hebrew phrase is “tohu va bohu.” God’s spirit, through his word, hovers over the face of the deep and begins to bring order out of chaos. We read in both John’s Gospel and the book of Colossians that Jesus is the creator and the one who brings order from the chaos. There has always been war and confusion in the history of humanity. From the wars with the Canaanites in Genesis 15, through the Persian and Assyrian world conquests, Alexander the Great, the Roman empire, the countries of eastern and western Europe, the first and second world wars, the struggles in Korea, Vietnam, and the current war in Ukraine as I write this now, there has always been worldwide chaos. NATO has not been able to bring order! But Jesus will. We will see how every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. The beginning of bringing order out of chaos started in Genesis 1 and will be fulfilled with Christ’s return according to Revelation 22.

The Nations will one day unite against the King of Kings. There is a sense in which that unity has already come. All the nations’ raging for control and power throughout history will come to naught. The forces united against Jesus, and together they crucified him at Golgotha. The resurrection exposed the vanity of their raging against the true king of kings. Neither the Romans nor the King of Israel would surrender their power and position to Jesus, so they killed him. Courson says it well, “Why do the kings of the earth create federations of those who would normally be at odds with each other? I think of Herod and Pilate, an Idumean and a Roman. Normally, they would be at each other’s throats. But they came together in their hatred of Jesus, in their desire to destroy Him.”^[3]

^[1] Williams, Donald, and Lloyd J. Ogilvie. 1986. Psalms 1–72. Vol. 13. The Preacher’s Commentary Series. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.

^[2] Merriam-Webster, Inc. 1996. In Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Thesaurus. Springfield, MA: Merriam-Webster.

^[3] Courson, Jon. 2006. Jon Courson’s Application Commentary: Volume Two: Psalms-Malachi. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson.

The first two Psalms are the introduction to the whole book. Neither of them has an intro explaining the song’s setting or its author. In some of the older manuscripts, the first Psalm is not even numbered, as are the others. Psalms 1 and 2 are combined into one Psalm in some other ancient manuscripts. That makes sense because the first Psalm begins with a beatitude, “Blessed is the one who…,” and Psalm 2 ends with a beatitude, “Blessed are all who….” The opening beatitude speaks of “one” man. Gaebelein says, The righteous, negatively, has nothing evil in him, no fellowship with sinners. Positively, he is fully obedient and devoted to God. He then acknowledges that this one man is not any of us. He says, “The godly One is the perfect One who walked down here separated from sinners and devoted to God. He walked in obedience, in dependence on God, and communion with Him, and therefore the blessing, honor, and glory are His.” The one man in the opening beatitude is the Lord Jesus Christ.

The closing beatitude says, “Blessed are all who take refuge in him.” Psalm 1 begins with the description of Jesus’ perfection. Psalm 2 ends with the transfer of that happiness, blessedness, from the one perfect man to imperfect sinners who will run to him for protection. He has taken care of their sins on the cross. When he said “it is finished,” all our sins have been taken care of, and the blessedness belonging to the righteous man of Psalm 1 is deposited in our accounts by faith.

Gaebelein adds another feature to these two Psalms and makes them prophetic for the whole nation of Israel. The blessed man of Psalm 1 transfers his righteousness to all believers in this age and depicts all of Israel’s future. He writes, “It is still more a description of what the true-believing remnant of Israel will be someday ‘like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season.’ Such is converted, redeemed Israel’s future as revealed here and by Isaiah: ‘Thy people shall all be righteous, they shall inherit the land forever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified (Isaiah 60:21). We behold then in these opening verses of the Psalms the Lord Jesus Christ as the perfect Man, the individual believer in his separation and devotion, and what Israel, saved and converted, will be in the future.”^[1]

^[1] Gaebelein, Arno C. 2009. The Annotated Bible: Ezra to Psalms. Vol. 3. Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.

I often think that nobody sees me. I remember recruiting for the Navy in 1977 in Detroit, Michigan, and hearing the civil servant who issued autos to the recruiters tell us that if we get in an accident, be sure to say to the police that we were wearing our seatbelts, whether we were or not. He said, “No one knows but you and God, and he’s not talking!” I remember how that shocked me at the time. In Luke 16:15, Jesus confronted the Pharisees for similar attitudes. He said, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God.” It might appear that God is not talking, but there will come a day when he will not only speak but judge. I think that’s the point of Psalm 1:6. It says, “for the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.” Although the verse only talks about God’s knowledge of the righteous, it’s implied that he also knows the ways of the wicked. God knows everything.  In John 2:25, we read that Jesus did not need to be informed about the thoughts and intentions of any man because he already knew what was in them.

God’s omniscience is viewed in different ways. The fact that God knows everything is a bit frightening at times. It’s scary for those wrapping fig leaves around themselves to hide sin. It’s not frightening for those who love God and seek to do His will, even when they fail. It’s very frightening if you try to hide something from God, but it’s not when your heart is pure toward God. Jeremiah 12:3 tells us how the prophet looked at the trials of life and reflected on the faithfulness of God, and wrote, “But you know my heart, Lord. You see me and test my thoughts about you.” Matthew Henry, the old bible commentator, writes, “Let this support the drooping spirits of the righteous, that the Lord knows their way, knows their hearts, knows their secret devotions, knows their character, how much soever it is blackened and blemished by the reproaches of men, and will shortly make them and their way manifest before the world, to their immortal joy and honour. Let this cast a damp upon the security and jollity of sinners, that their way, though pleasant now, will perish at last.”^[1]

The righteous man is not the one who does all the things in the first part of this Psalm. The righteous man is the man who lives by faith. The whole book of Job presents us with the case of the righteous suffering. This causes Job to speak out in Job 21:7-9. He says, “Why do the wicked live on, reach old age and grow mighty in power? Their children are established in their presence, and their offspring before their eyes. Their houses are safe from fear, and no rod of God is upon them.” Job’s friends tell him that in some way he has brought these trials on himself, but Job will not accept this argument and insists on his innocence. I think Job’s claim is prophetic, not actual. He knows he’s not perfect, but he also knows that his deliverer lives. We too can make that claim. We’re not perfect but our redeemer is. Williams says, “It is He who lives in perfect communion with the Father. It is He who delights in the Word of God, and it is He who prospers in all His ways. In Christ, we become the blessed person of Psalm 1. It is He who gives us His own righteousness.”^[2]

^[1] Henry, Matthew. 1994. Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible: Complete and Unabridged in One Volume. Peabody: Hendrickson.

^[2] Williams, Donald, and Lloyd J. Ogilvie. 1986. Psalms 1–72. Vol. 13. The Preacher’s Commentary Series. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.