Psalm 2

 

1)      We have spent some Sunday nights considering how Jesus is the subject of prophecy.

2)      Now we want to shift our attention to a different matter.

3)      Jesus is also the focus of some Old Testament Psalms.

4)      One of the first places where we see the Lord is Ps. 2, tonight’s primary text.

a)      Some of the Psalms are very short and others are quite lengthy.

b)      Ps 2 is fairly brief – it has only 12 verses.

 

5)      For our purposes I want to read the text in its entirety -  READ

6)      In the first three verses of this Psalm we find hatred.

a)      The person being described was someone people were not going to like.

b)      Nations would rage, earthly powers would be prepared to fight, and “evil plans would be laid.”

c)      God’s anointed servant would be rejected by some mighty forces.

 

7)      We were asked to keep Ps. 2 handy along with Acts 4:27-28.

8)      Let’s now interject what we find in Acts 4:27-28 – READ

9)      If we look carefully at these verses we find a precise fulfillment of Ps. 2.

a)      A king and governor opposed Jesus.

b)      Gentiles opposed the Lord.  The nation of Israel by in large was hostile to Jesus.

c)      We can predict that someone is not going to be like by someone else.

d)     No skill is necessary to make this type of claim.

e)      This is not the type of prediction we have in Ps. Ps. 2.

f)       David, many years before, said so many people would hate Jesus it would be like an all out war.

g)      That is precisely what we find happening.

h)      The apostles said Ps. 2 was fulfilled in Jesus and people did not say they were wrong.

 

10)  Nations raging (Ps. 2:1) sounds like a roaring sea; violent waves during a terrible storm.

11)  This was the kind of environment Jesus had to endure.

12)  Then in Ps. 2 we find a reference to kings “setting themselves” against the anointed.

a)      In life we sometimes “brace” ourselves for something.

b)      It may be a shot in a doctor’s office.  A nurse says, “this is going to hurt.”  We get prepared.

c)      A person may curl their toes, grab on to something, or generally tighten their body.

d)     The statement in Ps. 2 is about rulers who would be bracing themselves.

e)      They would be ready for an all out attack on Jesus.

 

13)  Perhaps to fully appreciate Ps. 2 we should put the setting into our modern world.

a)      Imagine a man who is so hated he is opposed by all the forces of the U.S government.

b)      Virtually every government agency is alerted to destroy one individual.

c)      Not only is the government out to get this man, many citizens also oppose him.

d)     If this type of thing were to happen, the man being sought would hide.

 

14)  Jesus was opposed by the government and average citizens, but He did not hide.

15)  Jesus did not do that.  He was very open and very available.

16)  He stood against political and religious leaders.  He had what would seem to us an impossible task.

17)  In spite of facing the worst possible adversaries, He moved forward with heaven’s plan and succeeded.

 

18)  At times we may think non-Christians are not all that smart.

19)  In Ps. 2 we are reminded that the unsaved can be some pretty sneaky folks.

20)  These men planned, schemed, plotted, and had some pretty clever ideas to oppose Jesus.

21)  In spite of all the plans, all the schemes and all the power, they failed.

a)      In verse 3 of this Psalm we have words that I believe have confused people.

b)      To understand the thought we need to know who is talking.

c)      It is not God; these words are coming from the mouths of rulers.

d)     It was as if these men said, “We will not have anyone rule over us.

e)      “We will be our own person and our own god.  We will control our own destiny.”

 

22)  Rulers can revolt against God.  It has happened in the past and can happen today.

23)  More than a few have observed that power can corrupt people.

24)  A person or a group of people can feel like they have the power; they are in control.

25)  God says, “watch out.  No matter what position we hold, man is still a mere mortal.”

26)  After the first three verses we come to verse 4 and here we find laughter.

a)      God would laugh at those who tried to oppose Him and His Son.

b)      This does not mean God thought the rejection and crucifixion of Jesus were funny.

c)      It is a way of saying that God knew the attempts to overthrow Jesus would be no match for Him.

d)     Trying to fight against God’s plan was an action that lacked common sense (it was irrational).

 

27)  There are some things in life that are crazy – there is no logic to them whatsoever.

28)  God cannot be successfully opposed; His plans will always succeed.

29)  Jesus is just one demonstration of that fact.

a)      A description of God’s power is then offered in verse 5.

b)      All deity must do is “speak.”

c)      God did not need to reach out and destroy the men who opposed the Lord.

d)     He said He had set His “king” on His “holy hill.”

e)      Most of us find times when a person’s word conveys great power.

f)       In some cultures a ruler’s word was enough to let a person live or cause them to die.

g)      God’s power is somewhat similar to this; all He needs to do is speak.

 

30)  In this case we find great irony.

31)  Long before Jesus came to the earth this Psalm was written.

32)  God said He “had set His King on Zion” (Jesus was going to succeed).

33)  Men had other plans and they did their absolute best to frustrate and overcome God’s plan.

34)  Years before these men were born God had already done what His enemies would later try to prevent.

a)      As human beings we cannot foil the will of God.  People have tried and will likely continue to try.

b)      There will be those who try to avoid the judgment at the end of time.

c)      If it will be possible to offer excuses on that day, we will likely hear some creative excuses.

d)     No matter how good a person is at making excuses, God will not accept them.

e)      God has ordained a judgment day and it will happen just as the scriptures describe.

 

35)  We should also make this observation about Ps. 2.

a)      Jesus is pictured as a king.  Premillenial thought says Jesus was supposed to become a king.

b)      According to the Premillenial view, this was God’s plan, but it failed.

c)      From the second Psalm heaven shouts to the world, “We did not fail.”

d)     Jesus was recognized as King before He ever stepped foot on the earth.

e)      “I have set My King upon my holy hill.”  That is what the text says.

f)       Jesus was made king, He still has a kingdom, and He will reign over it until the end of time.

 

36)  In verses 7-9 we find some words from the Lord.

a)      If the critics were not silenced by the Lord’s death, burial, and resurrection, Jesus had something to say.

b)      He said He had been “begotten” by the Father.

c)      The Father had said, “ask of me” and “I will give it to you.”

d)     “The nations belong to you.”

e)      “The ends of the earth are for your possession.”

f)       Even if nations chose to rebel, Jesus has the power to crush them.

 

37)  Ps. 2 affirms that Jesus is head of heaven and earth.

38)  It is the same point Jesus made before giving the great commission.

39)  The Lord looked at our planet and said, “It is all under my authority and power.”

40)  “Do, therefore, as I have commanded.”

a)      We recognize authority and the need to obey certain people and various rules.

b)      The ultimate authority in our life is to be Jesus; He is the one to whom all must answer.

c)      It is His authority that we must turn to for questions about worship and Christian living.

d)     We have no right whatsoever to approach religion with, “I think or I believe.”

e)      Christ’s authority is directly tied to the information in verses 10-12.

 

41)  Here the writer said that those who opposed Jesus had better start thinking straight.

42)  Verse 10 says, “be wise” (this statement was directed to the rulers who rejected Jesus).

a)      Our national leaders would do well to heed this Old Testament verse.

b)      Too often earthly rulers rely upon human wisdom and solutions.

c)      They say God has no place in government.

d)     To do well and to find true wisdom, we need to turn to the Lord.

e)      It is right for “all to serve the Lord with fear” (verse 11).

f)       Reverence, humility, and service are all to be joined together as we serve and honor Jesus.

g)      In 11b we read about fear; if Jesus is who this Psalm says He is, there is to be trembling.

h)      Someone has said fear without joy it torment—we do not want that.

i)        Joy without fear is presumption—we do we want that.

j)        We want joy mixed with godly respect.

 

43)  Blessed are they who trust in Jesus (verse 12) – “kiss the Son.”

44)  If we refuse to honor and serve the Son, He is going to be angry (12a).

45)  Also, only a “little” wrath is needed to destroy us.

 

46)  In the first Psalm we find a contrast between a “sinner” and a “righteous man.”

47)  In this second Psalm we find a contrast between Jesus’ power and the world’s rejection of Him.

 

48)  In Ps. 1 the wicked are said to be driven like the chaff.

49)  Here we see them broken to pieces like a potter’s vessel.

50)  In this Psalm we learn that nothing is more irrational in life than irreligion.

51)  Jesus once said that unless we believe in Him, we will die in our sins.

52)  This is precisely the point we find in Ps. 2.

53)  Without Christ we will die.  Without Jesus we will be eternally separated from God.

54)  Without Christ at the head of our life we will fail in life in every conceivable way.

55)  Winners have and love Jesus.  Losers do not.

56)  Are we a winner or are we a loser?