Psalm 2:1-12
“Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the LORD and against his Anointed One. “Let us break their chains,” they say, “and throw off their fetters.” The One enthroned in Heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them. Then he rebukes them in his anger and terrifies them in his wrath, saying, “I have installed my King on Zion, my holy hill.” I will proclaim the decree of the LORD: He said to me, “You are my Son; today I have become your Father. Ask of me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession. You will break them with an iron scepter; you will dash them to pieces like pottery.” Therefore, you kings, be wise; be warned, you rulers of the earth. Serve the LORD with fear and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry and you be destroyed in your way, for his wrath can flare up in a moment. Blessed are all who take refuge in him!”
This Psalm, in its primary sense, relates to David; it declares the opposition which would be made to his establishment on the throne of Israel, and the final subjugation of all his enemies; both of which events took place according to this prediction, 2 Samuel 5:6-7; 2 Samuel 5:17 and 2 Samuel 8:1-15.
But beyond a doubt, one greater than David is here. There are several expressions in this Psalm which are not at all applicable to David, and which can pertain to none but the Lord Jesus Christ himself. Not even the highest angel could have that said of him, “You are my Son; this day have I begotten you, Hebrews 1:5;” and, as that august title was inapplicable to David, so it could never be said of him, that he had “the uttermost parts of the earth for his possession.” Moreover, when it is considered that the expression, “Kiss the Son,” imported an act of divine worship; and that to “trust in” David would have been to give to a man the honor which was due to the Most High God alone, Jeremiah 17:5—it will be clear that the Psalm was intended to describe, not earthly, but heavenly things, even the reign of Messiah himself, “the Lord’s Anointed.” And of him the Jews, before the coming of Christ, interpreted this Psalm; as the modern Jews are constrained to acknowledge. Indeed it is manifest that the Apostles understood it in this sense; not only because immediately after the day of Pentecost they so interpret it, Acts 4:25-27, but because in their controversy with the Jews they quote it in this sense, and argue upon it as accomplished in Christ’s victory over death and the grave! Acts 13:32-33. In reference to Christ, then, we will explain it, and show:
I. The opposition that is made to Christ.
Christ is still, as formerly, opposed by all ranks and orders of men.
No sooner was he born into the world, than Herod sought to destroy him. During his ministry upon earth the attempts made upon his life were very numerous; and it was only by repeated miracles that he was saved. When the time for his being delivered into the hand of sinners drew near, the whole Jewish nation, as it were, rose up against him, to put him to death. His resurrection, and the descent of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, were calculated to rectify the mistaken apprehensions of his enemies, and to disarm their malice; but no sooner was his Gospel preached by his disciples, than the same opposition raged against them also, and every possible effort was made to suppress the rising sect. Not even death itself, in all its most tremendous forms, was deemed too severe a punishment for those who professed to believe in Christ. In this opposition all ranks and orders joined; the learned Scribes, the self-righteous Pharisees, the unbelieving Sadducees, all the highest orders both in Church and State, as well as the profane and licentious populace, were of one heart and mind in relation to this matter; those who agreed in no other thing under Heaven, agreed in this: a deadly hatred to Christ, and an inveterate opposition to his cause.
And is not the same phenomenon seen at this day? In this one point there is perfect unanimity, wherever we go. As Herod and Pontius Pilate, who were before at variance, united cordially with each other for the purpose of oppressing Christ—so now people who are most remote from each other in political and moral sentiment, or even in the general habits of their lives, all unite in decrying the Gospel as visionary in itself, and as injurious to the world. Let the Gospel be brought into any place, and this universal hatred to it immediately appears; nor can the Gospel be cordially embraced by any individual, without exciting in the minds of his friends and relatives a measure of indignation against him! Matthew 10:22-25; Matthew 10:34-36.
This opposition to Christ is founded on an aversion to his strict and holy laws.
Had the Apostles brought forward the Gospel as a matter of opinion only, they would never have been so bitterly persecuted in every place. The Jews were ready enough, of themselves, to follow false Apostles and false Christs; and the Gentiles would have welcomed the inventors or advocates of any new philosophy. But it was the gospel that required of all people to submit entirely and unreservedly to the dominion of Christ, which irritated and inflamed the whole world against the preachers of Christianity.
Thus, at this time, if we only brought forward the great truths of the Gospel in a speculative and argumentative way, no man would be offended with us; (multitudes of preachers do this without exciting any hatred or contempt in the minds of their hearers;) but the practical exhibition of divine truth, the showing that all men must receive it at the peril of their souls, the insisting upon an entire surrender of their souls to Christ, to be washed in his blood, to be renewed by his grace, and to be employed for his glory—this is the offence. We are then too earnest, too strict, too enthusiastic, too alarming; we then are represented as “turning the world upside down,” and are deemed little better than “the filth of the world and the off-scouring of all things!”
Nor will anything screen us from this odium; we may be as learned, as blameless, as benevolent, as active as Paul himself, and yet, if we have any measure of his fidelity, we shall be sure enough to have some measure also of his treatment from an ungodly world.
II. But the experience of all ages abundantly attests to the vanity of that opposition.
Notwithstanding all the exertions of his enemies, Christ was exalted.
It was “a vain thing that the people imagined,” when they supposed that they could defeat the purposes of the Most High in relation to the establishment of his Son upon the throne of Israel. “He who sits in the heavens laughs at them, and has them in derision.” In vain were the stone, the seal, the guard; at the appointed hour, Christ rose triumphant from the grave; and, on his ascension to the right hand of God, sent forth his Spirit to erect, in the hearts of men, that spiritual kingdom that shall never be moved, “Yet,” says God, “I have set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.”
As the purpose of Jehovah respecting the typical David was fulfilled in due season, so was that “decree which Jehovah had declared” respecting “his anointed Son.” “The word grew and multiplied” in every place; and “the stone that had been cut out of the mountain without hands, broke in pieces” all adverse powers, and filled the whole Roman empire! Daniel 2:34-35. The opposition raised by the Jewish nation against the Lord and his Christ, terminated only in the confusion of the opponents, on whom “the wrath of God” soon fell, and who are to this hour the most awful monuments of “his displeasure.”
In due time, his exaltation shall be complete.
God having, in the resurrection of Christ, borne witness to him as his only-begotten Son, Romans 1:4, has engaged, in answer to his requests, to “give him the utmost ends of the earth for his possession.” And this he is gradually accomplishing; in every quarter of the globe is the Redeemer’s kingdom extending on the right hand and on the left; and though there is very much land still unsubdued before him—yet shall he “go on conquering and to conquer,” “until every enemy is put under his feet.”
The enmity of the human heart, indeed, will still vent itself against him; but all who will not bow to the scepter of his grace, “shall be broken in pieces like a potter’s vessel!” Whether we look to the world at large, or to any particular individual in the world, the final outcome of the contest will be the same; Christ must prevail, and “all his enemies shall become his footstool! Matthew 22:44.”
Let us then contemplate,
III. Our duty with respect to Christ.
If He is “the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords,” then:
Our duty is to submit to Christ and serve him.
A “holy reverential fear” befits us in his presence, “He is greatly to be feared, and to be had in reverence by all those who are round about him.” Our reverential fear of him should swallow up every other fear, and annihilate every desire that is contrary to his will. An external conformity to his laws will not suffice; he should reign in our hearts, and our “every thought should be brought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.”
Not that our fear should be of a slavish kind; it is our privilege, and even our duty, to rejoice in him, Philippians 3:3; Philippians 4:4; yes, we should rejoice in him with most exalted joy, even “a joy that is unspeakable and full of glory! 1 Peter 1:8.”
Yet our joy should be tempered with humility, and our confidence with contrition. We should never so contemplate him as to forget ourselves, nor ever so triumph in him as to lose a jealousy over ourselves; we should “rejoice in the Lord always;” but still we should so temper this heavenly feeling as to “rejoice with trembling.”
With this reverential fear, we should also maintain a devout affection towards him. Idolaters were accustomed to kiss their idols, in token of their entire and affectionate devotion to them, 1 Kings 19:18. Hosea 13:2. Hence it is said, “Kiss the Son,” that is, let us consecrate ourselves to his service affectionately and with our whole hearts. A constrained service is altogether unacceptable to him; obedience would lose all its worth, if we accounted his yoke heavy or “his commandments grievous.” His law should be in our hearts, and a conformity to it should be our supreme desire and delight.
Submission to Christ is the duty of all, without exception.
It is a common sentiment that religion is only for the poor, and that the rich and learned are in a good measure exempt from its restraints. But in the sight of God all men are on a level: all are equally dependent on him; all must give up an account to him; and “kings or judges of the earth” are quite as much subject to the command of Christ as the basest of the human race. O let this awful delusion be banished! Let none imagine that a superiority of rank or station at all lessens their responsibility to God, or absolves them from the smallest measure of obedience to Christ.
Submission to Christ is also our truest wisdom.
If we say to any, “Serve the Lord,” we say, in effect, “Be wise;” for “the fear of the Lord is the very beginning of wisdom.” Those alone who have never tasted of true piety, deride it as folly; and they only do it, because they do not like to confess their own folly in neglecting it; in their serious moments, and when their conscience is permitted to speak, the very despisers of godliness are constrained to say in their hearts, “Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his!”
Moreover, submission to Christ is the only true path of happiness.
For what happiness can they have who are liable to the wrath of God? “If his wrath be kindled, yes, but a little”—can they endure the thought of meeting his displeasure? “Are they stronger than he,” that they can feel themselves at ease, when they “have provoked him to jealousy?” No! The most careless of mankind, if he reflects at all, must be sensible that “it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” We say then, “How blessed are all who put their trust in Him!” Psalm 2:12
They shall be protected by His power.
They shall be preserved by His grace.
They shall be enriched by His bounty.
They shall be blessed by Him with all spiritual blessings.
And in the last day, they shall be seated with Him on His throne, and be partakers of His glory for evermore!
Charles Simeon