What does Psalms Chapter 2 say, and which statements belong to its speaker?

Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary

The psalm questions raging peoples and rulers assembled against the Lord and His Christ. It speaks of heavenly derision, the appointed king, sonship and promised inheritance. It exhorts kings and judges to instruction, fear, discipline and trust.

Chapter breakdown

The Latin incipit is Quare fremuerunt. The separate edition heading interprets the psalm as the vain efforts of persecutors against Christ and His church. The psalm asks why Gentiles rage and people devise vain things. Kings stand up and princes gather against the Lord and His Christ, saying to break their bonds and cast away their yoke.

In the psalmist’s speech, it says the one dwelling in heaven shall laugh and the Lord deride them, then speak in anger and trouble them in rage. A first-person voice says he is appointed king by Him over Sion, His holy mountain, preaching His commandment. He reports the Lord saying, 'Thou art my son, this day have I begotten thee.' The reported promise invites him to ask for Gentiles as inheritance and earth's utmost parts as possession, ruling with an iron rod and breaking them like a potter's vessel.

In the psalmist’s speech, the psalm addresses kings to understand and earthly judges to receive instruction. It commands service with fear, rejoicing with trembling and embracing discipline lest the Lord be angry and they perish from the just way. It concludes that when wrath is kindled in a short time, all who trust in Him are blessed. It does not narrate a named ruler's ensuing compliance or a historical battle.

The story inside

Opening: The psalm questions raging peoples and rulers assembled against the Lord and His Christ. Development: It speaks of heavenly derision, the appointed king, sonship and promised inheritance. Conclusion: It exhorts kings and judges to instruction, fear, discipline and trust.

Lessons worth keeping

1
The psalm questions raging peoples and rulers assembled against the Lord and His Christ.
2
It speaks of heavenly derision, the appointed king, sonship and promised inheritance.
3
It exhorts kings and judges to instruction, fear, discipline and trust.

Test your recall

Which images and requests does the speaker use, and what does the chapter leave unresolved?

Source edition and notes

Douay–Rheims, revised by Richard Challoner (1749–1752). Project Gutenberg no. 1581. Locators refer to lines in the admitted pg1581.txt edition. Source notes may include Challoner commentary.

Lines 57849–57855
2:1. Why have the Gentiles raged, and the people devised vain things? 2:2. The kings of the earth stood up, and the princes met together, against the Lord, and against his Christ. 2:3. Let us break their bonds asunder: and let us cast away their yoke from us.
Lines 57857–57864
2:4. He that dwelleth in heaven shall laugh at them: and the Lord shall deride them. 2:5. Then shall he speak to them in his anger, and trouble them in his rage. 2:6. But I am appointed king by him over Sion, his holy mountain, preaching his commandment.
Lines 57866–57873
2:7. The Lord hath said to me: Thou art my son, this day have I begotten thee. 2:8. Ask of me, and I will give thee the Gentiles for thy inheritance, and the utmost parts of the earth for thy possession. 2:9. Thou shalt rule them with a rod of iron, and shalt break them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.
Lines 57875–57884
2:10. And now, O ye kings, understand: receive instruction, you that judge the earth. 2:11. Serve ye the Lord with fear: and rejoice unto him with trembling. 2:12. Embrace discipline, lest at any time the Lord be angry, and you perish from the just way. 2:13. When his wrath shall be kindled in a short time, blessed are all they that trust in him.