Oct 17
2
The subject of this Psalm is the establishment of David upon the throne of Israel, notwithstanding the opposition by his enemies. But the eye of faith shall clearly see that this is “The Psalm of Messiah the King;” and it sets forth the rage of the wicked against the Lord’s anointed, the purpose of God to exalt His own Son, and the ultimate reign of Christ over all His enemies. The Psalm, is best understood under these four heads.
1. (Vs. 1-3) AN EVIL CONSPIRACY OF DEMONS AND MEN TO REJECT THE RULE OF GOD.
“We will be our own god! We will rid ourselves of all restraint and be free to commit all manner of aboirination.” What a vain and foolish thing! Yet–
(a) SATAN TRIED IT (Isa. 14:12-15). “O son of the morning, O day star how has mischief entered thine heart,” to rid thyself of God. What a vain and empty scheme!
(b) ADAM TRIED IT (Gen. 3:5-6). This was the first man’s sin. “We will be gods ourselves,” thereby rejecting the reign and rule of the Lord God.
(c) MEN TRIED IT AT CALVARY (Acts 4:25-28). “We will not have this man reign over us. We have no king but Caesar. Crucify Him!”
(d) THE CONSPIRACY, LED BY THE ANTICHRIST SATAN, CONTINUES TODAY from pulpit and pew to deny and destroy the sovereign Christ (II Cor. 11:3-4, 13-15) and enthrone the human will. “The will of God must wait upon the will of the creature. God wills to save,” they say, “and wants to enthrone and exalt Christ; but He has done all that He can do and must depend on the cooperation of man to realize His purpose.” How vain and foolish this is, in the light of the Holy Scriptures (Exo. 33:18-19; Psalm 135:5-6; Isa. 46:9-11: Eph. 1:5,11). Salvation and eternal life depend solely on the will of God, not the will of men (John 1:11-13; Rom. 9:15-16; James 1:18; John 5:40; Psalm 110:3). Our God is God and King over CREATION, PROVIDENCE, and SALVATION; and all of the organized efforts of foolish, religions men will not alter that fact (John 6: 37-39; Rom. 8:28-31).
2. (Vs. 4-6) THE LORD GOD SHALL MOCK HIS ENEMIES.
(a) “He that sitteth in the heavens.” The Lord God is not alarmed over the tumult and mutiny of the earth. He SITTETH (His purpose and work completed through His own obedience and death) in the HEAVENS (on a throne of absolute sovereignty) and LAUGHS. Mark the quiet dignity of the omnipotent God. He does not take the trouble to rise up and do battle with the raging people. HE LAUGHS! How absurd, how irrational, how futile are the claims and boastings of weak and frail creatures against Him!
(b) “Then (in His own good time) shall He speak.” He doesn’t have to lift His hand nor move from His throne. He only has to speak. He does not speak in compromise nor cooperation but in WRATH. Despite your ambitions, despite the wisdom of your counsels, despite the malice of your hearts, and despite the unanimous opinion of all earth and hell, “I have set my King upon my holy hill of Zion.” Jesus Cbrist is King of kings and Lord of lords. All things are delivered into His hands. All power over all flesh is His. All authority is given unto Him in heaven and earth. The Son quickeneth whom He will. He shall not fail, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hands. GOD’S APPOINTED IS APPOINTED AND SHALL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED!. (Phil.2:9-1l). You may rage, you may resolve, you may take counsel, and you may boast of the power of your will; but Jesus Christ is King by decree, by design, and by death. God’s will shall be done (Dan. 4:34-35).
(Vs. 7-9) THE SON HIMSELF PROCLAIMS THE DECREE.
We have looked at the counsel of the wicked and heard their raving and boasting. We have looked to the throne of God and observed His infinite power, wisdom, and unperturbed counsel and decree. “I have set my King upon my holy hill of Zion.” Now Christ, the anointed, risen Redeemer, Himself, comes forward and says, “I will declare the decree.”
(a) “The Lord said unto me, THOU ART MY SON: this day have I begotten thee.” He is the true, proper, eternal, and only begotten Son of God, declared, owned, and acknowledged by Jehovah, the Father (Heb. 1:3-5). “This day,” refers to eternity, which is one continuous day, an everlasting NOW (Isa. 43:11-13).
(b) “Ask of me and I shall give thee.” It was the custom of great kings to give to favored ones whatever they might ask, so the Lord Jesus has but to ask and have. God, the Father, has promised to uphold our blessed Surety and Substitute in all His conflicts (Isa. 42:1); yet He prayed for His own (John 17). A seed is promised to Him and victory over His enemies; yet, for both He prayed.
(c) “I will give thee the heathen (God’s elect among the Gentiles) for Thy kingdom,” and Thy kingdom shall be to the uttermost parts of the earth (Rev. 5:9-10). The stubborn and rebellious, who will not have Christ to reign nor bow to His crown rights, shall He crush and destroy.
4. (Vs. 10-12) ADVICE IS GIVEN TO ALL TO YIELD WORSHIP AND OBEDIENCE TO THE LORD’S ANOINTED.
“Be wise, be instructed.” It is always wise to be willing to be taught, especially when the Lord speaks and His instructions relate to His glory and the salvation of our very souls. “Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling.” Let REVERENCE and HUMILITY be mingled with your service that you be not presumptuous, for Christ is a great God and we are puny creatures. But God mingles REJOICING with fear that obedience may not be slavish. “Kiss the Son,” in love, faith, and submission. Put aside all doubt, resistance, and rebellion and embrace Him as Lord and King. They are blessed who put their trust in Him.
Henry Mahan.
You may have read the Bible from childhood, and may know it almost by heart from end to end. You may be able to read the Hebrew text, and understand the Greek original. You may study commentator after commentator. And yet all your reading, and all your searching after the meaning of the Scripture, if continued until your eyes are worn out with fatigue, will never give you that spiritual and saving knowledge of the Person and work, grace and glory of the Lord Jesus which one five minutes of His manifested presence will discover to your soul. The light of His countenance, the shining in of His glory, and the shedding abroad of His love, will teach you more, in a few minutes sweet communion, who and what He is as the King in His beauty, than without this manifestation you could learn in a century.
JC Philpot
WISE MEN, THE KING AND WOULD-BE KINGS
Matthew 2: 1: Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, 2: Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. 3: When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
In these three verses we have three categories which describe all who ever walked this earth. There are wise men, THE KING and would-be kings.
WISE MEN
Those made wise by God’s free and irresistible grace come from the east to Christ. After Adam plunged us all into sin, God cast him out of God’s presence east of Eden. The only entrance back into God’s presence was from the east. (Gen 3: 24) Every sinner that Christ saves is called from the east of our depravity into Christ into God’s presence. Wise men are turned from vain religion as these men were turned from Jerusalem with her bondage. Those made wise are drawn by God to Christ’s Light as these men were drawn to his star. They come into Bethlehem, the house of Bread, to Christ the Bread of life. (Num 24: 17; Mt 2: 9) Those made wise come bowed down worshipping Christ. (Nu 24: 17; Mt 2: 2, 9) Are you a wise man?
THE KING
Another category we see here is that of THE KING. The wise men came to him who was “born King of the Jews.” (v2) Christ is the true King of righteousness and the King of peace. He is the child born of David and the Son of God given on whose shoulder the government rests. (Is 9: 6-7) As Man he was able to be made sin and die in the room and stead of his people; as eternal God he accomplished “eternal redemption” for all God’s elect by his one offering on the cross. Now he is risen and his people in him. (Heb 9: 12: Eph 2: 5-6; Heb 1: 3) In justice, Christ is ruling the universe and all people in it, the devil and wicked powers, as well as his church. It is because Christ is King of kings and Lord of lords. (Mt 28:18; Pro 21:1) Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end. (Ps 145:13; Mt 6: 13) Our King has given his people a kingdom which cannot be moved. Therefore, let us serve him with reverence and godly fear. (Heb 12: 28)
WOULD-BE KINGS
The rest of mankind fits into this last category, “would-be kings.” Herod heard these things and was troubled and all Jerusalem with him. Why? Herod and the religious host were would-be kings. All men, dead in sins, would be the king of glory themselves. Therefore, they are troubled when they hear the gospel declare Christ is King. When they hear the truth would-be kings do as Herod and all Jerusalem did, they seek to take Christ off his throne! Why do mean usurp God from the pulpit and in the pew? Why do lawmakers usurp God’s law in the legislator legalizing sin? Why do men hold their word to be true and God’s word to be a lie? It is because unregenerate sinners are all would-be kings! (Ro 1: 21-28; 2 Thess 2: 10-12) “Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision. Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure. Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.” (Ps 2: 1-6) “These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.” (Rev 17: 14) All would-be kings shall bow and confess Christ to be Lord of lords and King of kings. (Php 2: 9-11) Therefore, this is God’s word to all would-be kings, “Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth. Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.” (Ps 2: 10-12) As long as this day of grace lasts our gracious King says ““Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Mt 11: 28)
Clay Curtis.
Can he scale heaven and dethrone our God?
(Henry Law, “Psalms”)
“Let us break their chains,” they cry, “and
free ourselves from this slavery.” Psalm 2:3
Self will rejects restraint.
Pride will not yield to rule.
Conceited reason lifts up defiant head.
The gentle scepter of Christ’s kingdom;
His sweet, His light, His easy, and His
loving yoke; are hated as chains which
restrain, and cords which fetter.
When Jesus came, earth raised the cry,
“We will not have this man to reign over
us.” It still resounds.
When will man learn that widest liberty
is true submission to the Gospel sway?
He is a free man whom the Son makes free.
He is a slave in whom unbridled lusts and passions rule.
But can proud man prevail?
Can he drive back the ocean’s might with a feather?
Can he lift up his puny hand, and bid the sun conceal its rays?
Can he bind the hurricane with straws?
Can he lay mountains low, lift up the
valleys, and change the laws of nature?
Can he scale heaven and dethrone our God?
Such, doubtless, is his frantic will.
“Let us break their chains,” they cry, “and
free ourselves from this slavery.” Psalm 2:3
But give ear again!
“But the One who rules in heaven laughs.
The Lord scoffs at them. Then in anger He
rebukes them, terrifying them with His
fierce fury.” Psalm 2:4-5
God may be silent long; but His patience
is not impunity. Reprieve brings not release.
When the appointed time comes, the
floodgates open and wrath overflows!
Who can conceive these terrors?
What must His displeasure be?
Who can endure when His anger issues forth?
What weeping! What wailing! What anguish!
What gnashing of teeth! When God arises to
execute due judgment on His foes!