Psalm 2 Study Notes

2:7 To validate the point of legitimacy further, there is a decree from the Lord. This term is used to indicate royal protocol in order to validate the right to rule. This was a particular concern in the ancient world where there was often a conflict following the crowning of a new king. The idea of the Davidic ruler being identified as God’s Son was made clear in the covenant that God made with David (89:26-27).

2:8 The right of sonship includes the right to inheritance and possession of what belongs to one’s father. In this case, it is not limited but extends to the ends of the earth, an expression meaning the whole world and everything in it. This includes the nations, the same word used in v. 1 to identify those who were raging against God.

2:9 Some ancient manuscripts use “shepherd” instead of break, but the parallel shatter shows that “break” is better. Smashing nations like pottery represents the effortless way in which something is annihilated (Is 30:14; Jr 19:11). Such imagery appears in ancient Egyptian and Assyrian texts to indicate subjugation of one’s enemies.

2:10-11 The word of warning for the rebellious nations is to be wise and receive instruction. This bears a remarkable resemblance to OT Wisdom literature (Pr 8:32-33). The nations are given an opportunity to change their ways and submit to God’s King. Their submission should include reverential awe and trembling, showing the connection between fearing the Lord and the acquisition of wisdom (Pr 9:10).

2:12 The word Son here is a different word than the one used in v. 7. It is an Aramaic word, causing some scholars to question its authenticity because (1) it seems out of place, and (2) Aramaic did not become the main language of the region until the Neo-Babylonian Empire under Nebuchadnezzar. Therefore, some have proposed that it should be changed to “his feet,” adding a few Hebrew letters to the existing form. However, there is no good reason to reject this form as original since Aramaic, while not the main language of the region until later, had been in existence since Abraham’s time and was a more commonly used Semitic language than Hebrew among other nations. To pay homage is to express obedience. The alternative is to perish as a result of God’s anger that could ignite at any moment. This psalm ends where Ps 1 began—with the word happy. The contrast is that those who follow the Lord see his dominion as a place of refuge rather than slavery (v. 3).