Psalm 2: Why do the nations conspire

available from end Dec 2022

"Let us break their chains,"
"Let us throw their fetters away."

Why do the nations conspire
And the peoples they plot in vain?
The kings of the earth take their stand
And the rulers they gather together
Against the LORD, against the LORD,
Oh and against his Anointed One.
Oh against the LORD, against the LORD,
Oh and against his Anointed One.

"Let us break their chains," they say,
"Throw their fetters away."
"Let us break their chains," they say,
"Throw their fetters away."

The One enthroned in heaven laughs;
The LORD scoffs at them.
Then he rebukes them in his anger
Terrifies them in his wrath.
"I have installed my King on Zion, my holy hill.”
And I will proclaim the decree of the LORD:

He said to me, "You are my Son;
Today I have become your Father.
Ask of me, and I will make
The nations your inheritance,
Oh the ends of the earth, the ends of the earth,
The ends of the earth
Will be your possession.
Your possession, your possession.

You’ll rule them with an iron sceptre;
You’ll dash them to pieces,
Dash them to pieces, dash them to pieces,
You’ll rule them with an iron sceptre;
You’ll dash them to pieces,
Dash them to pieces,
Dash them to pieces, like pottery."

Blessed are all who take refuge in the Lord,

Blessed are all who take refuge in him.

Blessed are all who take refuge in the Lord,

Blessed are all who take refuge in him,

And his Anointed One

His Anointed One.

Comment

You only have to watch a news broadcast with its disturbing daily litany of corrupt politicians, manipulative tycoons and megalomaniac despots to recognise those kings of the earth about whom the psalmist speaks. As Bible scholar Michael Wilcock wrote, “It is not just the political powers of the world which have no desire to be ruled by him [God]. There is scarcely a commercial or intellectual interest anywhere on earth which would not resent his claims on it. Few of those who reject God think much about him; none, I dare say, ever thinks of his actually ridiculing them! And while a God who derides, scoffs, rebukes and terri es is disconcerting enough, even worse is one who speaks as this one does in verse 6.” That verse “I have installed my King on Zion, my holy mountain” is oneof cold anger as it spells it out, both for those corrupt ancient kings of Tyre and Egypt, and those current presidents of nations and banks, that it is Jehovah who is the true ruler of the world. More than that, this

anointed king, as God recognised the historical David, has now in our time found fulfilment in the Lord Jesus Christ. The ferocity of Psalm 2 will shock some clinging to the anaemic stereotype of Jesus as meek and mild. But meditating on this psalm can leave us in no doubt that today’s crazed terrorists and drug cartel gangsters engender the same wrath, judgement and promise of destruction that was once heaped on those corrupt kings and henchmen of the psalmist’s time. They will truly be broken to pieces by God’s wrath. But the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom and so we must celebrate the rule of the Judge of mankind with reverence. The psalmist’s counsel to the rulers of the earth and how they might escape God’s judgement is extraordinary – “kiss his Son”. One of the definitions of the word “worship” is “to draw near as to kiss”. So if those rulers are to avoid the destruction that ultimately awaits the ungodly, they must begin to worship the Son of God.
In that worship they will and protection and refuge.

Jeff Lowe: lead vocal, backing vocals, guitars, keys, bass, drums

Richard Nelmes: electric guitar