Psalm 2 -The One Enthroned

There is something very personal about the book of Psalms. Many individual Christians have their own stories about how words from this book have brought comfort or encouragement at all kinds of significant life moments.

However at the same time as being personal, there is also something very big about the canvas on which the writers of the Psalms paint. Psalm 2 begins by talking about ‘the nations’. Immediately we are reminded that the God of the Bible is not just a ‘personal God’ (though He is) but He is also the God of the nations. 

Psalm 2 pictures ‘the kings of the earth’ rising up and banding together. They have their plans, their agendas, their ideas. Through their eyes God’s word and God’s ways are not paths that lead to blessing but rather they are like ‘chains’ that get in the way of their freedom. So they boldly decide to cast those chains off.

Verse 4 catches us slightly off guard. Do you ever think of God as someone who laughs? Psalm 2 vs 4 does, and the One who laughs is seated on a throne. He laughs, and is in fact angry, at powerful people who imagine that they are ultimately in control of what happens in the world. 

There is a King, but He is not found in any position of earthly power, rather He is described in vs 7 as God’s Son. So like a signpost this Psalm points us forward to Jesus. Whether we are kings (vs 10) or just regular people, whether we feel powerful or feel weak, true wisdom, true blessing are found not in thinking we are in control (for we never are) but in embracing God’s Son and in taking refuge in Him. 

Pause for thought: There is something in all of us that feels safe when we are in control. But what if we never really are in control? What difference does it make to embrace King Jesus and to take refuge in Him?