Advent 2023: November 16 - Psalm

Thursday, November 16th: Psalm

Read Psalm 2.

While last week we covered Psalm 1, this week we push ahead into the next Psalm, Psalm 2.
A good thing to remember when reading the Psalms is the structure of the book.  How the Psalms are ordered matters.  They are not haphazardly placed.  When you look at them, the Psalms are broken into 5 “books.”  Psalm 1-41 are placed together into Book One.  Out of these Psalms 3-41 are attributed to David, while Psalms 1-2 have no author attributed to them.

Psalms 1-2 provide us with an introduction to the entire book of Psalms.  They are telling us how to read the Psalms.  Psalm 1, as we discussed last week, is about Jesus.  He is the Blessed Man.

Psalm 2 continues this trend.  With the exception of Psalm 110, Psalm 2 is the most quoted psalm in the New Testament.  Psalm 2 is all about the anointed King of Israel.  The Anointed one is both the Hebrew and the Greek for “Christ.” Psalm two is then all about the Lord and Christ.  Acts 4 even quotes this psalm as talking about Jesus.

The nations of the world gathered to conspire against God and against his Son, Jesus.  But this was faulty.  This makes God laugh.  He has raised his Son from the dead.
 
God’s answer to the fury of the world around us is to seat Jesus at His Right Hand.  Jesus sits enthroned as King beyond anyone’s reach.  Not even the angels can reach him.

One day, Jesus will ask his Father for the kingdoms of this world and they will become his heritage and possession and he will give it out to whom he pleases.
 
We are told then to not mess with him.  The kings and rulers of this age should check themselves and make peace with the Son of God, our Lord Jesus Christ.  For if they continue to rebel, he will deal with them.

But to all those who trust in the King of Israel, God’s Son, and our Savior, we will be blessed.  For there will be no rescue from him.  His reach extends over all.  So resistance is futile.  But blessed are all who take refuge in him.
 
Psalm 2 teaches us about the work of Jesus Christ and the reality of his reign around us.  Though the world scoffs and wonders how to destroy him, Jesus will crush any rebellion that threatens him and the ones who take refuge in him.