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SELECTED PSALMS April 25th, 2004 Ray Van Neste Click here for Print Friendly Version! Audio Version Psalm 2 
ntro:
The challenge in preaching this psalm is not in finding something significant enough to show you, but is in discerning how to lift this magnificent gem and turn it just so in order that you might see the full strength of its beauty. This is one of the most quoted psalms in the NT and it brims with the exaltation of Christ and rich truths for His people. Preliminaries: Who is writing? Acts 4 attributes this to David Who/what is he talking about? Certainly originally the Davidic king; Jesus is the ultimate Davidic king and this is who the apostles interpret it as pointing to Flow/ structure of the psalm. There is an A B B’ A’ structure here: A vv1-3- Rebellion of the world B vv4-6- God’s confident response B’ vv7-9- Statement of the King A’ vv10-12- Evangelistic Appeal It is often hard with psalms to take them piece by piece, since as poetry they function as a whole. Therefore we will look at the psalm as a whole, rotating it as we go to see each gleam. In doing so we will attempt to follow the movement of the psalm as best we can so as to appreciate its movement and climax. 1. The world seethes with rebellion against God and His Christ The psalm starts with this reality and marvels at it. We too should marvel and the folly of it but we should not be surprised. This is the reality of the world. The seed of the serpent rises up against the seed of Woman. It was the case when some opposed the Davidic king in Israel. It was true earlier when Pharaoh took counsel to refuse the Word of the Lord through Moses. It was true when the leaders conspired against Christ (Acts 4). It is true today as political powers conspire to restrict the unapologetic proclamation of the gospel, when the culture seeks to throw off moral constraint, to mock and ridicule the things of God, when some even within the church refuse to submit to the Word of God and seek to impose terms on God. This is the reality and if we are surprised our ignorance of the Scriptures is exposed. The scriptures are clear. Paul said, “All those who would live godly will suffer persecution” (2 Timothy 3). Jesus said, “In this world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer for I have overcome the world”. 2. Note why the world rebels- v.3 The world seeks to throw off any restraint. This is the idea that autonomy is freedom, i.e. I am not free unless no one tells me what to do. This is the philosophy of our culture and it is the spirit of rebellion. It is certainly not Christian. This is what chafes culture today- restrictions on morality, that God would dictate one’s sex life, that God would dare to have rules at all! This is part of the Great Lie- God’s way might be right but they restrict full living/joy. This is the lie which Satan used on Eve in the garden- God is holding out on you. The psalmist in Psalm 119 says, “My heart runs in the path of your commands because you set my heart free.” This is the true perspective and we must have it if we are to submit to the king. Spurgeon said, “To a graceless neck the yoke of Christ is intolerable, but to the saved sinner it is easy and light. We may judge ourselves by this, do we love that yoke, or do we wish to cast it from us?” (Treasury of David). 3. God’s response If the world is united in opposition to God, particularly the powers of this world (note, “kings” and “rulers”), what is God’s response? Is He frightened, or at least shaken a little? Hardly! He scoffs and laughs them in derision! It is said, that upon hearing news of the approach of the Spanish Armada, the most impressive fleet of its day, Sir Francis Drake continued his game, saying, “There is plenty of time to finish the game and still whip the Spanish.” There is intentional poetic contrast here: the kings of the earth but God sits enthroned in heaven the nations are in uproar but God is calm they are seething but God is laughing God is in no way intimidated! Despite their fuming God has already installed His king. Thy cannot prevent it; it is already done. The nations are his inheritance. He rules them and shatters all resistance (vv8-9). It is important that the early church in Acts 4 turned to this Psalm in their prayer in days of persecution. They show us how to appropriately use the psalm. Pointing to the forces of evil mounting against them they remind themselves that God reigns in the heavens and then pray for boldness. If we serve this king, then we should not quake but should rest secure. Do people at work mock your faith? Do people at school ridicule your adherence to biblical morality? Are there those who conspire together to do you in and ruin your career because your stand on biblical truth? Remember, our God reigns! Do not fear. What can man do to us? If God be for us who can be against us? To fear in the face of opposition is to show that we do not really trust our victorious king. Rather than fear, let us boast in the greatness and sure victory of our King. This is what this psalm does. This psalm “is unsurpassed for its buoyant, fierce delight in God’s dominion and His promise to His King” (Kidner, 50) Prov 18:10- “The name of the LORD is a strong tower, the righteous run into it and they are safe” Ps 46:1-3, 6-7- God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change, And though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea; Though its waters roar [and] foam, Though the mountains quake at its swelling pride. … The nations made an uproar, the kingdoms tottered; He raised His voice, the earth melted. The Lord of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our stronghold Ps 62:5-8- My soul, wait in silence for God only, For my hope is from Him. He only is my rock and my salvation, My stronghold; I shall not be shaken. On God my salvation and my glory [rest]; The rock of my strength, my refuge is in God. Trust in Him at all times, O people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. Jer 20:11- But the Lord is with me like a dread champion; Therefore my persecutors will stumble and not prevail. They will be utterly ashamed, because they have failed, With an everlasting disgrace that will not be forgotten. Note the outcomes of those who have sought to depose God throughout history: Pharaoh- One tries to destroy the Hebrews by drowning their sons, and eventually another finds himself at the bottom of the Red Sea. Rome Eventually the empire sought to destroy Christianity. The empire fell but Christianity continues. For one instance, note the Emperor Diocletian. It is said that he had made a medal bearing the inscription: “The name of Christians being extinguished” He also erected in Spain two monumental pillars with the following two inscriptions: “Diocletian Jovian Maximian Herculeus Caesares Augusti, for having extended the Roman Empire in the east and west, and for having extinguished the name of Christians who brought the Republic to ruin.” “Diocletian Jovian Maximian Herculeus Caesares Augusti, for having adopted Galerius in the east, for having everywhere abolished the superstition of Christ, for having extended the worship of the gods.” Voltaire- as noted in S. S., he predicted the soon coming demise of the Bible, and at last notice his old home was owned by a Bible society and used as a warehouse for the Bibles they were shipping around the world Note clearly the end of those who oppose God and the reality of God’s wrath in this passage- Broken, shattered, etc. (v9) This can be seen elsewhere in Scripture: Nahum 1:2-9: A jealous and avenging God is the Lord; The Lord is avenging and wrathful. The Lord takes vengeance on His adversaries, And He reserves wrath for His enemies. The Lord is slow to anger and great in power, And the Lord will by no means leave [the guilty] unpunished. In whirlwind and storm is His way, And clouds are the dust beneath His feet. He rebukes the sea and makes it dry; He dries up all the rivers. Bashan and Carmel wither; The blossoms of Lebanon wither. Mountains quake because of Him, And the hills dissolve; Indeed the earth is upheaved by His presence, The world and all the inhabitants in it. Who can stand before His indignation? Who can endure the burning of His anger? His wrath is poured out like fire, And the rocks are broken up by Him. The Lord is good, A stronghold in the day of trouble, And He knows those who take refuge in Him. But with an overflowing flood He will make a complete end of its site, And will pursue His enemies into darkness. Whatever you devise against the Lord, He will make a complete end of it. Distress will not rise up twice. See also Psalm 18:7-15 Why is it important for us to ponder the reality and severity of God’s wrath against sin? to convince us that we really do not have to get our own justice. God tells us to leave vengeance to Him because in fact He will repay. Moves us to pity and compassion for those who have wronged us. reminds us of what we have been saved from. 4. Evangelism Though the psalm is unapologetic in describing the utter defeat of those who resist the King, it does not stop there! It concludes with a call to throw down your arms and submit to the king. NB: Proper glorying in the victory of our king is not to leave us gloating over the defeat of our oppressors but calling out to them to repent before it is too late. Faith produces this because by faith we know the fate that awaits them if they remain in their sins is far worse than anything they could do to us. In light of the fact that God has been unmoved by your schemings, that He has installed His King, and that His King will rule and shatter His enemies- Be Wise! Be Warned! With appropriate fear, come and do homage to the King. And don’t dally! His wrath may soon be kindled and then all hope is lost. This is true evangelism! Not begging for God to be given a chance. Far from it!! The call is rather: The Conqueroring King has come crushing all resistance in His path. I, as His emissary, have been sent ahead to warn you. I plead with you, lay down your arms! Resistance is futile. You should be afraid. Kneel to him now and he will show you mercy. Entertain imaginary objections: He’s not really angry Oh, if he’s angry he won’t accept you, can’t love you If you today have not submitted to Christ, this exhortation is for you. Why would you die? Turn to Christ. He is ready and willing to save. But if you refuse Him you will face the wrath of God. Note also the last phrase: “How blessed are all who take refuge in Him!” The fierce hymn closes in beauty. When He comes there will be no refuge from Him; but, there will be refuge in Him (Kidner’s wording). O saints, ponder for a moment the blessedness of finding refuge in Him! We were among those shaking our fists at the Almighty. We should have been those broken, shattered by His rod of iron, but instead the Son Himself was broken for us that we might be made His children. We are now covered from His wrath, proteted, beloved. His awesome power is now wielded in our defense rather than in our judgment. Blessed indeed! “Noel” story RCO's question: What is the message of Psalm 2? How does the NT clarify the fullness of that message? And what does God intend to accomplish in our souls through Psalm2? [exactly the right questions!] The basic message is that God reigns and does so through the Davidic king. Rebellion is futile so the nations should submit. The NT clarifies this by showing that Jesus is the ultimate Davidic King who brings to fullness God's reign. Thus Jesus reigns and the nations should submit to Him. I think this movement to Jesus and NT fulfillment is then very natural. It is not awkward or stretched. As Calvin states: That David prophesied concerning Christ, is clearly manifest from this, that he knew his own kingdom to be merely a shadow. And in order to learn to apply to Christ whatever David, in times past, sang concerning himself, we must hold this principle, which we meet with everywhere in all the prophets that he, with his posterity, was made king, not so much for his own sake as to be a type of the Redeemer. We shall often have occasion to return to this afterwards, but at present I would briefly inform my readers, that as David’s temporal kingdom was a kind of earnest to God’s ancient people of the eternal kingdom, which at length was truly established in the person of Christ, those things which David declares concerning himself are not violently, or even allegorically, applied to Christ, but were truly predicted concerning him. If we attentively consider the nature of the kingdom, we will perceive that it would be absurd to overlook the end or scope, and to rest in the mere shadow. That the kingdom of Christ is here described by the spirit of prophecy, is sufficiently attested to us by the apostles, who, seeing the ungodly conspiring against Christ, arm themselves in prayer with this doctrine, (Acts iv. 24.) Also, Kidner: “A greater, however, than David or Solomon was needed to justify the full fury of these threats and the glory of these promises” (50). This then shows several implications: Stability of God's kingdom- though the world rages against him all is secure. Church, rest secure in your King Kidner, 50- This psalm “is unsurpassed for its buoyant, fierce delight in God’s dominion and His promise to His King.” Evangelism- the call is for the people to lay down their arms, cease their rebellion and kiss the Son. This shows the inclusion of the Gentiles. This envisions world missions. evangelism is not a call to do god a favor or give Him a chance. It is a merciful call to submit before being crushed see John Angell James: “It is as if he had said, ‘wherever we go, we find men in unprovoked hostility, inveterate enmity, and mad rebellion, against God’s holy nature, law, and government: we carry with us, as his ambassadors, the proclamation of mercy through the mediation of our Lord Jesus Christ: we tell them that we are appointed by God whom they have offended, and who could overwhelm them with the terrors of his justice, to call upon them to lay down their arms and accept the offer of eternal pardon and peace: but we find them every where so bent upon their sins, and the enjoyment of their worldly occupations and possessions, that we are compelled to use the language of the most vehement entreaty, and to beseech and implore them in God’s name, and in Christ’s stead, to come into a state of reconciliation.” Our proper boasting in God's rule and power should lead not to despising others, but to pitying them and desiring their repentance When the King comes there will be no refuge from Him, but there will be refuge in Him (language from Kidner). Let this, therefore, be held as a settled point, that all who do not submit themselves to the authority of Christ make war against God. (Calvin) There is an A B B’ A’ structure here: A vv1-3- Rebellion of the world B vv4-6- God’s confident response B’ vv7-9- Statement of the King A’ vv10-12- Evangelistic Appeal A. Rebellion of the world the seed of the serpent at enmity with the seed of woman chafing at God’s authority- the Great Lie, God is holding you back (cf. Gen 3) Futility, silliness of this rebellion plotting, scheming is in view (also in the fulfillment seen in Acts 4) historical examples: Diocletian (acc to Spurgeon) Voltaire Beatles B. God’s Confident response scoffs at them- “Ha!”; reinforces the futility mentioned previously So far from being frightened or intimidated, God sees this rebellion as folly God is not frightened but He frightens when He speaks I have set My King here- implied, so He’s not moving 3720 North Highland Avenue Jackson, TN 38305 731-664-3295 Contact the Webmaster
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