The Blessed Life Finds Refuge in God.

Why are people so angry? Why is there so much hostility in our world? From fist fights in Wal-Mart to the riots of the summer, we live in a hostile and dangerous world. Add to it the mudslinging of an election season, and we have an angry world to engage. Psalm 2 speaks about the anger and the rage of people, specifically the world’s leaders.

In Psalm 2, we move from the contrast of the blessed and wicked man in Psalm 1 to the hostile leaders and God’s anointed King in Psalm 2. Psalms 1 and 2 set out the introduction for the book of Psalms. Psalm 1 sets out the laser focus on the person whereas Psalm 2 has the wide-angle lens on politics. Psalm one is personal, Psalm two is political (Eugene Peterson, Where Your Treasure Is).

It is timely that we turn to Psalm 2 just days away from a presidential election. In our time today, I want break down Psalm 2 into three parts: the hostile world, the words of God, and the choices before us. By looking at these three parts of the Psalm, we’ll find out that the blessed ones find refuge with the King.

We live in a hostile world (Psalm 2.1-3).

Psalm 2:1–3 ESV

Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against his Anointed, saying, “Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us.”

I watched first presidential debate a few weeks ago. I must be honest. I don’t know if I was frustrated more by how Donald Trump would not let Joe Biden finish a sentence or when Biden called the President of the United States a clown. Later, I read an article that stated, “The debate we witnessed was merely a reflection of our entire polarized nation. That was not “them” on the platform. That is us.” (“What Happened at the Debate and What Christians Should Do Moving Forward, by Jim Garlow, www.stream.org). [Disclaimer: I do not endorse the entire article, but I found this observation helpful.]

The current election season is the latest in a long series of people vying for power throughout the history of the world. In the days of Jesus, it was Herod and Pontius Pilate when the early church called called out their leaders by name in prayer. Listen to the bold prayer of the saints in Acts 4.24-31 in response to the arrest of Peter and John by the religious leaders.

Acts 4:24–31 ESV

And when they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God and said, “Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them, who through the mouth of our father David, your servant, said by the Holy Spirit, “ ‘Why did the Gentiles rage, and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers were gathered together, against the Lord and against his Anointed’— for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place. And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.

The early church used Psalm 2 as a catalyst for prayer. I encourage you to use this book of Psalms to deepen your prayer life. Find ways to capture these words and pray them back to our heavenly Father. Later in Psalm 2.8, God gives a command for prayer, “Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage.” Would you consider using Psalm 2 as your prayer for our nation and the world?

“No other thing that we do is as simultaneously beneficial to society and the soul as the act of prayer” (Eugene Peterson, Where our Treasure Is, Chapter 1, “The Unselfing of America”).

Before Pilate and Herod, we had a long list of fractured kings in a fractured kingdom throughout Israel’s history. There were glimpses of glory and beauty in Saul, and David, and Solomon but even those kings were imperfect and fallible leaders. Throughout the Bible you read about leaders both in God’s kingdom and the surrounding kingdoms. We read about Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon and Sennacherib of Assyria, and Pharaoh in Egypt. Men who had taken their stand against God’s people. In response to all the kings who take their stand against His kings, the Lord defines reality.

God defines reality (Psalm 2.4-9).

Psalm 2:4–9 ESV

He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision. Then he will speak to them in his wrath, and terrify them in his fury, saying, “As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill.” I will tell of the decree: The Lord said to me, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you. Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.”

Notice God’s posture and His proclamation. His posture is one of authority as He sits in heaven and laughs at the futile attempts of kings to grab power.

Then, He announces His king, “I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill.” His king resided in Jerusalem. Jerusalem or Mount Zion, is the place where God’s king lived and ruled. In our country, it would be Washington D. C. Psalm 2 may have been used as part of the coronation ceremony for those who would follow after King David. Jerusalem was the sight of the coronation much like Washington D. C. is the sight of our presidential inauguration.

God calls His King, “His Son.” In 2 Samuel 7, God speaks to King David through the prophet, Nathan. God tells David, that after you die, one of our descendants will take the throne after you. “I will establish his kingdom forever. I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son” (2 Sam 7.13-14).

One day, another Son of David, near the beginning of His ministry, would meet up with His cousin, John at the Jordan River. Jesus was baptized by John and the Spirit of God descended in the form of a dove and a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3.17).

Later on, the apostles continue this theme in their preaching of the living Christ who conquered death in Acts 13.

Acts 13:32–33 ESV

And we bring you the good news that what God promised to the fathers, this he has fulfilled to us their children by raising Jesus, as also it is written in the second Psalm, “ ‘You are my Son, today I have begotten you.’

A few years ago, we were preparing for Christmas Eve service. I was planning to share the Christmas story from the book of Revelation 12. During our pre-service prayer, we went over the cues for the service. I had chosen Psalm 2 for the reading for Christmas Eve. Weren’t you thinking of Christmas as we have read through this Psalm? Nations in rage, peoples plotting, God in heaven laughing, wrath, terror, fury, smashing pottery to pieces with a rod of iron. Doesn’t that sound like Silent Night and O Little Town of Bethlehem? As we were preparing, the reader who had prepared to read Psalm 2 asked me, “Are you sure you want this Psalm read for Christmas eve? It sounds violent.” I said, Yes, read it. Hopefully it will make sense.

We had Christmas Eve service, Psalm 2 was read really well. I got up to teach from Revelation 12, the Christmas story from heaven’s perspective. Revelation 12 is a sign in heaven with a woman clothed with the sun with the moon under her feet and a crown of 12 stars. She was pregnant and about to give birth. Is there a pregnant lady and a birth story in our Christmas story? So, the first sign is a beautiful woman that is powerful and about to give birth. Sign #2 arrives in Revelation 12.3 with the word, “behold”. We meet a great red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns. He is before the woman and wants to eat her baby as soon as the baby is delivered. Later, this dragon is called the ancient serpent or the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world (Rev. 12.9).

The woman’s baby is born and we read about the birth in Revelation 12.5.

Revelation 12:5 ESV

She gave birth to a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, but her child was caught up to God and to his throne,

My friends, this male child sounds a lot like God’s anointed king from Psalm 2. The one that rules the nations with a rod of iron. The red dragon is the one who gathers the kings of the earth to make war against God’s anointed one. However, the rod of iron shows up later on in Revelation 19, describing the King of Kings and Lord of Lords who rides a white horse.

Revelation 19:15 ESV

From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty.

From Psalm 2 through the gospels and Acts into the book of Revelation, God’s anointed one rules. While the kings of the earth may think they are ruling, God has the final word. So, my friends, take heart no matter how the election turns out in the coming days. The true King still reigns on His throne.

We have a choice (Psalm 2.10-12).

Psalm 2:10–12 ESV

Now therefore, O kings, be wise; be warned, O rulers of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled. Blessed are all who take refuge in him.

Psalm 2 closes with several challenges to the kings, and I think we can listen in on these commands as well. In verses 10-12, the commands are: be wise and be warned (v. 10), serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling(v. 11), and kiss the Son (v. 12). I think we can summarize these commands this way: listen up and love.

Listen to the message you have received, you kings of the earth. Be wise and be warned. Thank you for placing yourself in a position to hear the warnings from Scripture. It is important to heed the warnings. If you travel very far in your car, your will find warning lights and signs to keep you safe. Scripture provides the same types of warnings. God wants what is best for His children.

Listen up and love. If you love someone, then you will serve them. Yes, the Psalm talks about fear and trembling. God is a strong God and will punish evil, but He is merciful as well. Maybe another way to rejoice with trembling is how Bruce Waltke suggests, “celebrate his rule.”

In verse 12, the Psalmist commands, “Kiss the Son.” Two times in the gospels we find people kissing the Son, Jesus. One time, a band of soldiers sent out by some of he rulers of the earth are led by Judas Iscariot. Judas gave the soldiers a sign, “The one I kiss is the man; seize him” (Matt 26.48). Judas betrays the Son of Man with a kiss. We could kiss Jesus with the kiss of betrayal or the kiss of love and submission.

There is another time someone kissed Jesus. A religious leader invited Jesus to dinner in Luke 7. Behold, a woman of the city who was a sinner brought a jar of ointment. She came in weeping and wet the feet of Jesus with her tears, wiped his feet with her hair, anointed his feet with the ointment and kissed his feet (Luke 7.38). Jesus seized this moment to teach this leader a lesson. He told the leader when I entered your house you did not greet me with a common greeting of a kiss, but she has not stopped kissing my feet. You didn’t anoint my head with oil, but she anointed my feet. Her sins which are many are forgiven for she loved much. Jesus turned to the woman and said, “Your sins are forgiven…Your faith has saved you; go in peace” (Luke 7.48, 50).

This woman found refuge at the feet of Jesus. She understood the blessing from Psalm 2. Oh, that nations and rulers would find that same blessing.

Dominant Thought: The blessed ones find refuge at the feet of the King.

Communion Prayer modeled from Psalm 2:

Lord, you sit enthroned in heaven. We praise you for your strength, power, and protection. We ask that you will bring the kings of the earth and our world rulers, presidents and prime ministers to stand with You and Your Son, Jesus Christ. Help us all to live wisely according to Your path of truth. Help us to heed the warnings from you found in our Bibles. Help us to serve you with respect and honor and enjoy your rule. We love you, Jesus, the Anointed and perfect king. We thank you for laying your life down before the kings of the world. We know that true and lasting freedom and security is found in Your kingdom, King Jesus. We know you punish evil completely and bless those who come to you. Come Lord Jesus. Amen.

5 Day Devotional Guide on Psalm 2

Dominant Thought: The blessed ones find refuge at the feet of the King.

You may want to refer to the sermon notes for further discussion. Take a moment to read the assigned Scripture and then reflect or discuss the questions. Customize this outline to your situation. Here are some questions to ask from the Discovery Bible Method:

What are you thankful for today or this week?

What challenges are you facing?

Have 2 or 3 people read the scripture out loud.

Can you summarize this passage in your own words?

What did you discover about God from this passage?

What have you learned about people from this passage?

How are you going to obey this passage? (What is your “I will” statement?)

With whom are you going to share what you have learned?

Based on this passage, what can we pray about?

Day 1: Psalm 2.1-6

Day 2: Psalm 2.7-12

Day 3: Acts 4.23-31

Day 4: Acts 13.26-39

Day 5: Psalm 2.9; Revelation 2.27; 12.5; 19.15