Hi, Friend!

Yesterday, we dove into Psalm 2 from the psalmist’s perspective, the perspective of one who earnestly believed God’s promised King was coming, but had not seen Him for himself. If you missed that post and would like to check it out, click here.

Today, we’re going to examine Psalm 2 from our perspective, the perspective of those living on the other side of the cross, those who know that Jesus is the Living Son of our Living God and know that God’s salvation plan has been delivered through His Son, the Anointed One Who shall reign forevermore.

To get us started, take a moment to reread Psalm 2 from the Christian Standard Bible below or in your preferred version.

1 Why do the nations rage
and the peoples plot in vain?
2 The kings of the earth take their stand,
and the rulers conspire together
against the Lord and his Anointed One:
3 “Let’s tear off their chains
and throw their ropes off of us.”

4 The one enthroned in heaven laughs;
the Lord ridicules them.
5 Then he speaks to them in his anger
and terrifies them in his wrath:
6 “I have installed my king
on Zion, my holy mountain.”

7 I will declare the Lord’s decree.
He said to me, “You are my Son;
today I have become your Father.
8 Ask of me,
and I will make the nations your inheritance
and the ends of the earth your possession.
9 You will break them with an iron scepter;
you will shatter them like pottery.”

10 So now, kings, be wise;
receive instruction, you judges of the earth.
11 Serve the Lord with reverential awe
and rejoice with trembling.
12 Pay homage to the Son or he will be angry
and you will perish in your rebellion,
for his anger may ignite at any moment.
All who take refuge in him are happy.

Psalm 2 (CSB)

Just as we did yesterday, we’ll examine Psalm 2 verses 1-3 first, then we’ll jump to 10-11 and then back to 4-9 and close with verse 12.

As we examine verses 1-3, the first thought that comes to my mind is, “Oh, how little the world has changed.” Thousands of years after the psalmist wrote Psalm 2, do we not still hear of and/or know people and nations who are dead set against God and His Son and rebel against His way? Though we enjoy a great many religious liberties in the United States, in how many countries are Christians and Jews ridiculed and persecuted even today? How often are our attempts to share the Gospel met with the rebuttal that following God is too hard or too restrictive?

Pondering that last question, I must also ask myself, “Why is it that so many people believe that God is an overbearing or oppressive God? Why do so many believe His way is too difficult or too restrictive?”.

I mean, if they just knew, you know, really KNEW how much love and freedom and grace and mercy God offers to us. If they just KNEW how much peace His presence brings, how much joy is found in following His instruction. Much like the psalmist, at this stage in my life, I cannot fathom a life away from God’s loving leadership. In fact, my personal prayer time almost always includes the phrase, “Thank You, Father, for never leaving nor forsaking me.” or “Please bear with me, Father. Forgive my doubt and fear. Don’t give up on me. Grant me the strength, wisdom, maturity, etc…to follow You.”

But friend, this was not always so. Maybe it was not always so for you either. There were times in my life when I thought following God’s way was too difficult; when I was convinced that following God’s way would cause me to miss out on something good. And looking back on those days, I realize that many of the stumbling blocks in my path were a result of learning who and what all God is “against” before I learned who and what all God is “for”.

You see, much of my early religious training was just that – religious training; training to follow a set of rules and rituals based on the doctrine of a pastor or the traditions of the local church I attended. What I lacked until my late teens and early twenties, and then elected out of until my mid-30s, was Biblical training in how to have a healthy relationship with God. It was not until I dug into the Bible and into studies and sermons on relationship with God that I realized first and foremost that:

God is not against anybody; God, in fact, is for everybody.

This is made clear in the whosoever of John 3:16, and the love your enemies of Matthew 5:43-48, and in the fact that God showed His love for us while we were yet sinners presented in Romans 5:8, and my favorite – that God does not desire anyone to perish as we read in 2 Peter 3:9.

Thinking on these verses alongside the very present reality of Psalm 2:1-3, I have to ask myself, “Do my speech and my actions demonstrate that God is for all people, loves all people, does not wish anyone to perish? Have I ever led someone to believe that God is against anyone?”.

We know from His word that God is not against anyone, but what about the whats that God is against?

We know that God is against sin because the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23) and God desires that none should perish (2 Peter 3:9).

But I wonder, how good are we at relaying that message to others? Do we emphasize that God hates sin because it kills us, internally and eternally? Or do we tend to portray God as a lawmaker who sets the rules and then judges or punishes us based on how well or how poorly we follow them?

Are we against sin in our lives or the lives of others because we fully recognize that sin hurts us and them and we don’t want anyone to be harmed? Or are we against sin in our lives and the lives of others because we fear judgement or punishment? Or still yet, are we against sin in the lives of others because it takes attention away from the sin in our own lives? (Ouch!)

Pondering this, Holy Spirit brings to my mind Romans 3:23 – all have sinned, including me, and including you, and fallen short of the glory of God.

But, He also brings to me 1 John 4:18:

There is no fear in love; instead, perfect love drives out fear, because fear involves punishment. So the one who fears is not complete in love.

Sweet friend, how many Christians, you and me included perhaps, follow God’s way out of fear of judgement and punishment instead of out of recognition that His way protects us from harm? How many unbelievers refuse God because they fear accepting His leadership in their lives will cause them to be judged or punished when they fail to follow well?

How well do we walk in Romans 3:23 – recognizing that sin still creeps into our hearts and minds? How well do we walk in 1 John 4:18 – believing that we can come to God just as we are because He loves us and will not punish us but will instead instruct us and grow us up in His love?

To return to Psalm 1, how well do we delight in the Lord’s instruction? How well do we make that delight evident to others? Do we follow God’s ways with a smile on our faces, enjoying His protection even when it means denying ourselves of something sinful that looks appealing? Or do we follow God’s ways with dour faces, dragging our feet and complaining about what we are missing out on in the world?

I know we didn’t finish looking at this psalm from a modern perspective, but this seems like a good place to park us today. I’ll pose one more question and then lift a prayer to close us out.

Reflection:

• If the psalmist met me today, would he recognize a fellow believer who delights in God’s way, or would my actions and attitude toward following God’s way or toward sin lead him to place me with those he speaks of in verses 1-3?

Prayer:

Father God, we lament that thousands of years after the psalmist wrote Psalm 2 there are still people and nations who rage against Your rule and refuse to follow Your way. Lord, we recognize and confess that sometimes our attitude toward Your way make it appear tedious or restrictive to follow You. Forgive us, Lord, when we complain rather than delight in Your instruction. Forgive us, for anytime we have led someone to believe that following Your way is too difficult or too restrictive. Father, we confess that sometimes we are more focused on what You are against (sin) than what You are for (protecting and loving us). Forgive us, Father, for any times that we have influenced someone to believe You were against them rather than against sin, for any time we downplayed Your protection and love. Lord, Yours are the only words of life. Your way is the only way to everlasting life. May we grow daily in delight of Your rule and reign in our lives, serving You better more and more with each passing day. To You be all honor, glory, and praise. Amen.