We Kiss The Son's Feet (Psalm 2:1-12) Series

This morning we're going to work through Psalm 2. OT scholars call Psalm 2 a royal psalm. And what they mean by that, is that it's one of the psalms that centers around some aspect of the Davidic kingship.

This is a psalm that's really important to the NT. It's read as being true both about Jesus, and the church through Jesus (compare Revelation 2:26-28 with Psalm 2:9). It's a psalm that can be read at a number of different levels.

Today, I'm going to try to read it, mostly as it would've first been heard. I'm not saying this is "the" right way to read it, or even that it's necessarily the best way to read it. And I'm not going to pretend to do any more, than scratch the surface of what this psalm means for us today.

When we look about Psalm 2 as a whole, it's a celebration of a new Davidic king taking the throne. The closest picture we have to this is found in 2 Kings 11:1-12. So let's turn there, just to help us enter into the mood for this.

11 Now when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the royal family. 2 But Jehosheba, the daughter of King Joram, sister of Ahaziah, took Joash the son of Ahaziah and stole him away from among the king's sons who were being put to death, and she put[a] him and his nurse in a bedroom. Thus they[b] hid him from Athaliah, so that he was not put to death. 3 And he remained with her six years, hidden in the house of the LORD, while Athaliah reigned over the land.

4 But in the seventh year Jehoiada sent and brought the captains of the Carites and of the guards, and had them come to him in the house of the LORD. And he made a covenant with them and put them under oath in the house of the LORD, and he showed them the king's son. 5 And he commanded them, “This is the thing that you shall do: one third of you, those who come off duty on the Sabbath and guard the king's house 6 (another third being at the gate Sur and a third at the gate behind the guards) shall guard the palace.[c] 7 And the two divisions of you, which come on duty in force on the Sabbath and guard the house of the LORD on behalf of the king, 8 shall surround the king, each with his weapons in his hand. And whoever approaches the ranks is to be put to death. Be with the king when he goes out and when he comes in.”

9 The captains did according to all that Jehoiada the priest commanded, and they each brought his men who were to go off duty on the Sabbath, with those who were to come on duty on the Sabbath, and came to Jehoiada the priest. 10 And the priest gave to the captains the spears and shields that had been King David's, which were in the house of the LORD. 11 And the guards stood, every man with his weapons in his hand, from the south side of the house to the north side of the house, around the altar and the house on behalf of the king. 12 Then he brought out the king's son and put the crown on him and gave him the testimony/decree. And they proclaimed him king and anointed him, and they clapped their hands and said, “Long live the king!”

There are parts of this story that aren't normal-- but this, I think, is basically what it looked like when a new Davidic king claimed the throne. The king, and the people, would go to the temple-- to Yahweh's earthly house-- and there the king would be given the "decree" by the temple priests. This decree (same word as Psalm 2:7) was probably something like 2 Samuel 7 or part of Psalm 89-- it included the promises Yahweh had made to David to protect him, and bless him, and give him victory over his enemies. The priests would proclaim the royal descendant as king, place the crown on his head, and anoint him with oil just as David had been. Then everyone would cheer, clap their hands, and say, "Long live the king."

When we read psalm 2, we should read it as what comes next. Imagine this new Davidic king, freshly crowned, freshly anointed. The people are cheering him, and celebrating his inauguration. The king rises to speak, and the people quiet down. Then, this new king confidently, powerfully proclaims psalm 2. Hear this psalm, as the king's words.

Verses 1-3:

(1) Why have the nations/Gentiles been restless,