“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.” (Psalm 2:1–3)

When Jesus came to this earth, many people hated and opposed Him because they loved darkness more than light. In darkness, filth remains hidden, but before Jesus, the “true Light” (John 1:9), every sin and unrighteousness is exposed. That is why Jesus said:

“For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.” (John 3:20)

But the exposure of sin in the light is never intended to bring destruction. Like the woman caught in adultery, those whose sins are exposed may instead receive His grace and be freed from the condemnation and bondage of sin to enjoy true freedom. Jesus also said:

“The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10)

As these words tell us, Jesus did not come to bind us, but to release us from the bondage of sin and give us true life and freedom.

Even so, those who love sin do not want Jesus to rule over them because they want to live as they please. To such people, Jesus appears not as a Savior but as one who binds and restrains them. That is why they say, “Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.”

The Pharisees and scribes were the same. They loved themselves more than God. They refused to acknowledge their sins and come into the light. Instead, they opposed Jesus and tried to eliminate Him in order to protect the positions they enjoyed.

“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.” (Psalm 2:4–6)

Because God is exceedingly great and exalted, it is only right that people revere Him. Yet people unite together to oppose Him. This vividly shows how lightly human beings, who are His creatures, regard the God who made them and how they disregard His authority.

But God knows that all their schemes are futile, so He laughs at them. No matter how united people may be in opposing God, their rebellion cannot overturn His will. People rejected Jesus and finally nailed Him to the cross, but even that could not thwart God’s will to establish Jesus as King.

On the day of Pentecost, Peter proclaimed to the Jews gathered in Jerusalem:

“Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.” (Acts 2:36)

People thought they had eliminated Jesus by nailing Him to the cross, but God raised Him from the dead and exalted Him as Lord and Christ. Human opposition became the very means through which God’s will was fulfilled.

The words “He that sitteth in the heavens” are also significant. Human beings are on earth, while God is in heaven. This speaks not merely of a difference in location but of God’s absolute sovereignty and transcendence. Human beings can defy and oppose God’s will, but they cannot thwart or alter it. God does not change His purposes because of human rebellion; He accomplishes all things according to His own good pleasure and plan.

“I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.” (Psalm 2:7–9)

God has established Jesus as King, and now Jesus proclaims what God has said to Him.

God said to Jesus, “Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.” This does not mean that Jesus became God’s Son for the first time at that moment. Jesus has been the Son of God from all eternity. The apostle Paul connected this passage to Jesus’ resurrection, saying:

“God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee.” (Acts 13:33)

In Romans 1:4, Paul also said that Jesus was:

“And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.”

Therefore, the words “this day have I begotten thee” do not mean that Jesus became God’s Son for the first time on that day. Rather, they can be understood to mean that through His resurrection from the dead, it was revealed and declared with power that He is the Son of God and the Messiah King whom God has established.

God also said to Jesus, “Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.” God promised to give Jesus not only the people of Israel but all nations as His inheritance and to extend His rule to the ends of the earth. Therefore, Jesus is not the King of one nation alone but the King who reigns over all nations and the whole world.

Furthermore, by saying, “Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel,” God gave Jesus authority to rule and to judge. Just as a clay pot cannot withstand an iron rod, no worldly power, however strong, can continue to oppose the King whom God has established and ultimately prevail.

Therefore, Jesus is not only the Savior who came to save sinners but also the King who rules all nations and judges those who persist in rejecting and opposing His reign to the very end.

“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.” (Psalm 2:10–12)

This passage, which begins with “now therefore,” is the conclusion of the preceding verses. Proverbs 1:7 says:

“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.”

There is no greater folly than opposing God and the King He has established. Now God urges people to turn from the folly of opposing Him and His Christ, to gain wisdom, and to receive His instruction. Since God has already established Jesus as King, He tells them to stop opposing Him, turn back, and submit to that King.

God also says, “Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling.” To fear God does not mean to be afraid of Him and run far away. It means to acknowledge His greatness and exaltation and to come under His rule. God wants us to enjoy true joy under His rule as we revere and serve Him.

God also says, “Kiss the Son.” To kiss a king is an act expressing respect, loyalty, and submission to him. Therefore, this command can be understood as a call to accept Jesus, whom God has established, as our King and to submit to Him.

If a person does not repent and continues to reject and oppose Jesus, that person cannot escape God’s judgment. Human beings may reject the King whom God has established, but they cannot overthrow His authority.

But for those who fear God’s wrath, turn from their rebellion, and take refuge in God, a wonderful promise is given:

“Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.”

The Hebrew word used here for “blessed” is Ashrei, the same word used in “Blessed is the man” in Psalm 1. Psalm 1 begins with the words “Blessed is the man,” and Psalm 2 ends with the words “Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.”

Thus, we can see that Psalms 1 and 2 are connected to each other. The truly blessed person is not one who leaves God and goes his own way but one who takes refuge in God; not one who opposes the King whom God has established but one who accepts Christ as his King. Such a person abides in God’s Word and, like a tree planted by streams of water, receives life from God and enjoys the true blessing that God gives.