Psa 2:8-10 | KingComments | STEP | In , the Lord Jesus is speaking. He tells of the decree that God made known in the previous verse. This means that no man is excusable if he does not know this decree. He who does not know it has to blame himself. He could have known, but he did not want to know. It is a conscious and therefore culpable ignorance. The Lord Jesus says what the LORD said to Him. First of all, there is that personal relationship: “You are My Son.” Here we hear God’s personal pleasure expressed in Him, a pleasure of which the Son is fully aware ( ; cf. ). The LORD promised David that the King Messiah, the Son of David, will be at the same time the Son of God: “I will be a father to him and he will be a son to Me” ( ). This means that the King will reign as the representative of His Father. Israel’s hope is inextricably linked to the Person of the King. The purpose of the entire history of the world is God’s plan with Him. The fact that people have seen the world as their property since the Fall and have treated it as such does not change that. On the contrary, it increases their responsibility toward God. They misuse what God has intended for His Son by using everything for themselves without any recognition of Christ as the rightful Owner. Christ as Creator is the Owner of creation. Through the sin of man, creation has come under the authority of satan. But the Lord Jesus as Redeemer has retaken the right to creation through His work on the cross. He does not yet exercise that right publicly, but He has it. In order to do the necessary work of redeeming creation, He, Who is the eternal Son, became Man. This happened because God the Holy Spirit conceived Him in Mary ( ). This means that the Lord Jesus is Son of God in two respects. First, He is the eternal Son. He is eternal, just like the Father ( ; ). It is clear that the Father is eternally Father because the Son is eternally Son. He is, in the second place, Son of God as Man. He has not been that eternally, but He has become that and will remain that forever. He, Who has always been and always remains the eternal Son, came in the flesh. He was not begotten by a sinful father, but by God the Holy Spirit. This means that He is also the Son of God as Man. Reference has already been made to Paul’s speech in Pisidian Antioch, in which Paul quotes this psalm, and specifically this ( ). It is clear from the quote that the Lord Jesus is more than just the Son of David. He is also, by His birth, the Son of God; it points to the origin of His life as Man on earth. After the quotation indicating His conception, Paul goes directly to His rising from the dead ( ). Christ, as the risen Lord, has been given all authority in heaven and on earth ( ). God says to Him here that He may ask to actually exercise that authority ( ). He doesn’t do that on His own either. The despised, rejected and dead, but now risen and glorified Messiah waits for the time of the Father. He remains the dependent Man, Who will only act when the Father commissions him to do so. Then He will actually appropriate His rightful property and possession. In His prayer to the Father the Lord Jesus says that He asks not for the world, but for those whom the Father has given Him ( ). Then He will ask for the ends of the earth. He will do that when the church is complete. Therefore, He is not yet claiming His property and possession. After the church is caught up, He will do so and begin to reign. The nations of the whole earth will notice this. When He rules “with a rod of iron”, He will shatter all the enemies of God and His people ( ). What He does to them is like smashing “earthenware”. This symbolizes the frailty of man. He is no more than easily broken pottery (cf. ). After all, man is made of dust of the earth ( ), to which the word “earthenware” refers. The exercise of judgment is here attributed to the Lord Jesus. This exercise of judgment is also declared applicable to the overcomers in the church in Thyatira. They are allowed to reign with Christ as a reward for their faithfulness ( ). Any grant of power by the Lord Jesus to others is the grant of a power which He Himself received from His Father (cf. ; ).

‏ Psalms 2:8-10

God’s Son, the Messiah

In Psa 2:7, the Lord Jesus is speaking. He tells of the decree that God made known in the previous verse. This means that no man is excusable if he does not know this decree. He who does not know it has to blame himself. He could have known, but he did not want to know. It is a conscious and therefore culpable ignorance.

The Lord Jesus says what the LORD said to Him. First of all, there is that personal relationship: “You are My Son.” Here we hear God’s personal pleasure expressed in Him, a pleasure of which the Son is fully aware (Lk 3:22; cf. Heb 1:5 ; Heb 5:5).

The LORD promised David that the King Messiah, the Son of David, will be at the same time the Son of God: “I will be a father to him and he will be a son to Me” (2Sam 7:14). This means that the King will reign as the representative of His Father. Israel’s hope is inextricably linked to the Person of the King.

The purpose of the entire history of the world is God’s plan with Him. The fact that people have seen the world as their property since the Fall and have treated it as such does not change that. On the contrary, it increases their responsibility toward God. They misuse what God has intended for His Son by using everything for themselves without any recognition of Christ as the rightful Owner.

Christ as Creator is the Owner of creation. Through the sin of man, creation has come under the authority of satan. But the Lord Jesus as Redeemer has retaken the right to creation through His work on the cross. He does not yet exercise that right publicly, but He has it. In order to do the necessary work of redeeming creation, He, Who is the eternal Son, became Man. This happened because God the Holy Spirit conceived Him in Mary (Lk 1:35).

This means that the Lord Jesus is Son of God in two respects. First, He is the eternal Son. He is eternal, just like the Father (Jn 1:1 ; Jn 16:28 ; Jn 17:4 ; 24; Heb 7:1-3). It is clear that the Father is eternally Father because the Son is eternally Son. He is, in the second place, Son of God as Man. He has not been that eternally, but He has become that and will remain that forever. He, Who has always been and always remains the eternal Son, came in the flesh. He was not begotten by a sinful father, but by God the Holy Spirit. This means that He is also the Son of God as Man.

Reference has already been made to Paul’s speech in Pisidian Antioch, in which Paul quotes this psalm, and specifically this Psa 2:7 (Acts 13:32-33). It is clear from the quote that the Lord Jesus is more than just the Son of David. He is also, by His birth, the Son of God; it points to the origin of His life as Man on earth. After the quotation indicating His conception, Paul goes directly to His rising from the dead (Acts 13:34-35).

Christ, as the risen Lord, has been given all authority in heaven and on earth (Mt 28:18). God says to Him here that He may ask to actually exercise that authority (Psa 2:8). He doesn’t do that on His own either. The despised, rejected and dead, but now risen and glorified Messiah waits for the time of the Father. He remains the dependent Man, Who will only act when the Father commissions him to do so. Then He will actually appropriate His rightful property and possession.

In His prayer to the Father the Lord Jesus says that He asks not for the world, but for those whom the Father has given Him (Jn 17:9). Then He will ask for the ends of the earth. He will do that when the church is complete. Therefore, He is not yet claiming His property and possession. After the church is caught up, He will do so and begin to reign.

The nations of the whole earth will notice this. When He rules “with a rod of iron”, He will shatter all the enemies of God and His people (Rev 19:15b). What He does to them is like smashing “earthenware”. This symbolizes the frailty of man. He is no more than easily broken pottery (cf. Jer 19:11). After all, man is made of dust of the earth (Gen 2:7), to which the word “earthenware” refers.

The exercise of judgment is here attributed to the Lord Jesus. This exercise of judgment is also declared applicable to the overcomers in the church in Thyatira. They are allowed to reign with Christ as a reward for their faithfulness (Rev 2:27). Any grant of power by the Lord Jesus to others is the grant of a power which He Himself received from His Father (cf. Mt 11:27a ; Mt 28:18; Jn 3:35 ; Jn 5:22 ; 27 ; Jn 13:3).

Invitation to Do Homage to the Son

After the Father speaking to the Son (Psa 2:6) and the Son speaking about Himself (Psa 2:7-8), the Holy Spirit speaks in Psa 2:10-12. The anger of God has not yet been kindled and the Lord Jesus does not yet rule with an iron rod on earth. With the exhortation, “now therefore”, the leaders, “kings” and “judges of the earth”, are called to action (Psa 2:10).

It is “now” the prosperous time, it is “now” the day of salvation (2Cor 6:2b). “Now therefore”, quickly, change your attitude toward God. Kings must begin to show discernment, to act wisely. This is only possible if they break with their sins (cf. Dan 4:27). Judges or rulers must no longer seek their own advantage, but must begin to administer justice honestly. To do so, they must be willing to be taught and accept the teaching of God’s Word. Perhaps it is also meant that they let themselves to be taught and repent by the discipline that God brings upon them.

True repentance is evidenced by worshiping or serving “the LORD with reverence”. Human life is about worshiping or serving God. This is what God created man for, and therein lies the true meaning of his humanity, through which He fulfills his deepest desires. Worshiping or serving God is the only thing that gives satisfaction and meaning to one’s existence. We may worship or serve God with reverence for Who He is. It is worshiping or serving Him Who is far above us and entitled to our worship or service because He created us and sustains us.

There is joy associated with worshiping or serving God. That means it is not a forced, slavish worship or service. Yet we must never forget that the One we worship or serve is “the Lord who is great and awesome” (Neh 4:14). That includes an appropriate “trembling”. This is not about fear, but about reverence. Acknowledging the majesty of Him Whom we may worship or serve will keep us from a frivolous, arrogant attitude toward Him.

The last verse contains a gracious invitation and an earnest warning (Psa 2:12). In order to worship or serve the LORD in a way that is pleasing to Him, it is necessary for man to be in the right relationship with the Son. With this, the whole life of any human being stands or falls. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father either (Jn 5:23b), no matter what he may claim about his own worship or service to God. To honor God means to honor the Son. Therefore, in conclusion, the call is to do homage to [literally: kiss] the Son, that is, to bow before Him in reverence (cf. 1Sam 10:1; 1Kgs 19:18; Hos 13:2; Lk 7:38 ; 44-45) and be reconciled to Him.

The flip side is the kindling of His wrath. His wrath hangs menacingly over any man who is in “the way” and lives for himself without regard to the authority of the Son. Those who do not kiss the Son perish by the kindling of the Son’s wrath. The wrath kindling “soon” means a rapid end of the man who has not kissed Him. “It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Heb 10:31). “For our God is a consuming fire” (Heb 12:29).

The psalm ends with the word “blessed”, the same word with which Psalm 1 begins. This “blessed” is offered to all who have not yet kissed the Son. It is a final invitation. In it a safe refuge from God’s wrath is offered. That refuge is none other than He Who exercises judgment. He is also the One Who protects everyone from judgment who takes refuge in Him. He rejects no one who comes to Him with sincere repentance and confession of his sins.

Prophetically, this verse is also an introduction to the following psalms, Psalms 3-7. Before the violence of the great tribulation erupts over the heads of the believing remnant, it is proclaimed here where salvation is to be found: only with the LORD. We can compare this to the ark being built as a means of salvation before and in view of the coming flood. The ark is a picture of Christ and the flood is a picture of the great tribulation.