Psalm 2:5 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Then he will speak to them in his wrath, and terrify them in his fury, saying,

NIV: He rebukes them in his anger and terrifies them in his wrath, saying,

NASB: Then He will speak to them in His anger And terrify them in His fury, saying,

CSB: Then he speaks to them in his anger and terrifies them in his wrath:

NLT: Then in anger he rebukes them, terrifying them with his fierce fury.

KJV: Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure.

NKJV: Then He shall speak to them in His wrath, And distress them in His deep displeasure:

"The nations," meaning the cultures and people groups of a fallen world, plot to usurp God from His throne and establish themselves as the sole rulers of earth (Psalm 2:1–3). God has other plans (Psalm 2:4). In His wrath, He will speak to them and terrify them in His fury.

These words preview Revelation chapter 20, where we read that the Devil gathers the nations for battle. The armies are so numerous that they resemble the sand of the sea (Revelation 20:8). The militant nations march on "the camp of the saints and the beloved city" (Revelation 20:9). In His wrath and fury, God rains fire from heaven upon the armies and consumes them.

The wrath of God is not a pleasant subject. Naturally, most would rather hear about God's love. However, wrath is as much a part of God's character as is His love. Sin naturally angers God, and His wrath abides on all sinners who refuse to believe on His Son, who paid the penalty for sin and offers forgiveness to all who believe on Him. Scripture states: "Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him" (John 3:36).

Psalm 2:1–6 portrays nations arrayed in military fashion against the Lord God and His anointed King. They have plotted to throw off the Lord's control. However, their scheme causes the Lord to laugh and to defeat their evil plan. He addresses them in His wrath and terrifies them in a display of His fury. After being released by the Sanhedrin, the Jews' ruling body in the first century, Peter and John returned to a gathering of believers and reported what had transpired. Together, the believers quoted Psalm 2:6 and applied it to the risen Son of God (Acts 4:23–30).

Psalm 2, written by King David (Acts 4:25), begins by questioning the nations' frenzied attempt to overthrow the Lord and His anointed King, Jesus. Godless cultures plot to rid themselves of divine authority. But trying to escape God's will is ridiculous. He will direct His wrath toward them and asserts He has established His King upon Mount Zion. God addresses His Son as His only begotten. This passage predicts the anointed King—the Messiah—will smash the rebellious nations to pieces with an iron rod. The psalmist urges the kings and rulers of the earth to submit to the Son's rule and come to friendly terms with Him. The psalm closes with the declaration that all who take refuge in the Lord's anointed King are blessed.

Psalm 2 is often labelled a royal psalm, because it refers to the King above all kings. This complements several other psalms: Psalms 18, 20, 21, 45, 72, 89, 101, 110, 132, and 144. Acts 13:33 relates Psalm 2:7 to Jesus. Revelation 2:27, spoken by the risen Savior, relates Psalm 2:9 to His victory over the rebellious nations and His reign on earth. Revelation 19:19–21 describes when and how Jesus will defeat the nations that assemble to go to war against God's anointed Son.

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.