Who by the mouth of thy servant David has said
In ( Psalms
2:1 Psalms
2:2 ) from whence we learn, that that psalm, though it is
without a title, and does not bear David's name, yet is one of
his and so Kimchi says, that David composed it at the beginning
of his reign; though Aben Ezra thinks, that it was composed by
one of the singers for him, on the day he was anointed; yet he
afterwards seems to doubt of it, and on ( Psalms 2:7 ) says, they
are the words of David, or the words of the singer. And certain
it is, that in the apostles' time this psalm was reckoned to be
David's by the Jews in common; and therefore they speak of it as
such: and it was the sense of the ancient doctors of the
synagogue, that this psalm is to be understood of the Messiah.
Jarchi says, our Rabbins expound the business (of this psalm)
concerning the King Messiah; and Kimchi observes, that there are
some that interpret this psalm of Gog and Magog F11, and
the Messiah, or anointed, that is the King Messiah; though one of
these writers was of opinion, that it is best to understand it of
David himself; and Aben Ezra says, that it was composed either
for David, or for the Messiah, and to understand it of the
Messiah, the thing is more clear. The verses ( Psalms 2:7 Psalms 2:8 ) are
particularly applied to the Messiah in some of their most ancient
writings F12, and also in modern ones
F13, as is ( Psalms 2:2 ) to Messiah
ben Joseph F14: and indeed the whole psalm belongs
to the Messiah, as appears from the express mention of him, and
the vain attempts of the kings of the earth against him; from the
decree and resolution of God to make and declare him king of
Zion, notwithstanding their utmost efforts; from his having the
Gentiles for his inheritance, which is true of no other; and
especially from that reverence, adoration, and worship, which
were to be given to him, and that trust and confidence to be
placed in him, which can by no means agree with David, nor with
any mere creature. The Syriac version reads, "who in the Holy
Ghost, by the mouth" and so read Beza's most ancient copy, and
five other manuscripts of his; and the Vulgate Latin, and
Ethiopic versions, read, "who in the Holy Ghost, by the mouth of
our father David" and the Alexandrian copy, but does not seem to
be a genuine reading; since the Jews were not used to call David,
but Abraham, their father; nor is it, with propriety, expressed,
that God the Father said in, or by the Spirit, what follows,
why did the Heathen rage, and the people imagine vain
things?
that is, the Gentiles, and the people of the Jews, Pilate, and
his council, with the Roman soldiers, and the Jewish sanhedrim,
with the common people; who raged against Christ, seized him in a
furious manner, led him as a malefactor, and hurried him from bar
to bar, in a tumultuous way, and with great noise and clamour
urged the crucifixion of him; nor did their rage cease until they
had put him to death: yet it was a vain thing in them to imagine
he should be held under the power of death; or that this would
put a stop to the spread of his doctrine, and the enlargement of
his kingdom and interest; since he rose from the dead, as a
triumphant conqueror, over all his enemies, and pouring forth his
Spirit, in an extraordinary way, he spread his Gospel, and his
glory throughout the earth.
F11 Vid. T. Bab. Avoda Zara, fol 3. 2.
F12 Zohar in Numb. fol. 82. 2. Bereshit Rabba, sect. 44. fol. 38. 4. & T. Bab. Succa, fol. 52. 1.
F13 Maimon. in Misn. Sanhedrin, c. 11. sect. 1. Abarbinel Mashmiah, Jeshua, fol. 37. 4. & 38. 1.
F14 Pirke Eliezer, c. 19.