Psalm 2: Where is your refuge? Praying through the Psalms



Psalm 2: The Reign of the LORD’s Anointed – see below

When we looked at the first Psalm, it became obvious that the company we keep matters. In Psalm 2, we see what happens to those with whom we shouldn’t spend time: those who mock the Lord God and His people. Our society thinks that we all can have our own beliefs, and yet, it mocks Christians for believing in the one true God. God’s word gives us comfort because we see that, although evil may seem to prosper at times, God is in control and He will punish those who “plot in vain” against Him.

David’s words in Psalm 2 are prophetic, describing the rebellion of the nations, but also the coming of the Messiah. In verse 7, he points forward to when God would say of Jesus, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:17). David also knew that God had anointed him to be king, and he trusted God’s promises. A Savior would come into the world through his own bloodline; true God, true Man, the only begotten Son of God.

Our world thinks that freedom is relying on ourselves and not having to obey God’s law; however, we can only find true freedom when we are grounded in true faith and earnestly seek to be what God has created us to be. In James 1:25, James describes the law as being “the law of liberty”, saying that “a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.” Further in the book of Psalms, we can see that “The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.” (Psalm 19:7). So, not only do we find freedom in God’s law, but we will be blessed and our souls revived by it!

David reminds us that when the nations rage, we can trust in God’s omnipotent power, knowing that nothing can even begin to compare with God’s boundless might. God laughs at the pride of the kings and rulers of the earth because any power they may have is only because He gives it to them. Not only is He the one who puts them in positions of authority, but He can also take it all away at any time.

At the end of the Psalm, David warns those who are evil of the consequences of their actions; they make God angry, and He will cause them to perish. He makes it obvious how important it is to take refuge in our Savior and, “Serve the LORD with fear and rejoice with trembling.” (Psalm 2:11). Do not be like the ungodly, for God’s “wrath is quickly kindled.” (Psalm 2:12). Just as David did, so, we too, must take refuge in God, trust in His power and promises and rely on Him alone.

Praying through the Psalms:

Gracious God and heavenly Father,

I come before you now, reminded of the evils of the nations and rulers of this world. I know that you are my King on Zion, and that You alone hold all power and authority. You promised to send a Savior through David’s line, and I am so thankful for the salvation You have given us in Christ Jesus. You alone can punish the wicked and bless the righteous. Help me to trust in Your promises and bless me as I take refuge in Your word. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit, that I may live in accordance with Your will and law, and when and where I fall short, please forgive me. All this I ask, not because I am worthy, but in Jesus’ name alone, Amen.

 

Psalm 2: The Reign of the Lord's Anointed

1 Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain?
2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against his Anointed, saying,
3 “Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us.”

4 He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision.
5 Then he will speak to them in his wrath, and terrify them in his fury, saying,
6 “As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill.”

7 I will tell of the decree:
The Lord said to me, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you.
8 Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession.
9 You shall break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.”

10 Now therefore, O kings, be wise; be warned, O rulers of the earth.
11 Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling.
12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled.
Blessed are all who take refuge in him.

 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

When you think about family.

Image
  Family. For some, family is a happy, healthy, and comforting thing, but for others, it can be quite a painful word. For some, hearing the word family brings thoughts of warmth and love, but there are also those who feel anxiety, or fear, or anger, some even feel bitterness or regret. Family is supposed to be a beautiful gift; there are many verses in the Bible that speak about how a wife and children are a blessing and a gift from the Lord. "He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the Lord." (Proverbs 18:22 ESV) And turning to Psalm 127:3-5 ESV, we read, "Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them!" Proverbs 17:6 ESV says, "Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of children is their fathers." Family is meant to be a gift, but because we live in a sinful world,...
Read more

Disappointment

Image
Have you ever felt disappointed in God? Something happens in life that you can’t understand, and it makes you feel let down that God allowed it to happen. Sounds pretty awful, but hear me out. I always wanted children, but when I received them, it was nothing like I had imagined. God blessed me with nine children; however, He chose to call every one of them home to Himself before I could even meet them. When I was pregnant with our last child, I ended up carrying her for the longest time. I got to a point where I thought perhaps I would be allowed to keep this one. But God had other plans, and my little girl was called to her heavenly home long before I was ready. My disappointment and hurt were harder to endure than anything else in my life. God gave me what I wanted, but I felt He took them away too soon. I was devastated and disappointed that God would let me go through the same loss and pain so many times and still not let me keep and raise a child. I was disappointed that He waite...
Read more

"What then shall we do?"

Image
What then shall we do? The Bible is filled with verses that teach us how to live our lives and how to use the many blessings and gifts God gives us. Many of us don’t like to be told how to spend our money or use our time, and it can be uncomfortable to hear that we may not be living as God requires. But it is wiser to learn to use our blessings, be it talents, money, or possessions, as God tells us to. Proverbs 11:24-25 says, One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give and only suffers want. Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered. This seems contradictory; the world will tell you to hold on to as much as possible, after all, didn’t you work hard to get what you have? God has every right to tell us what to do with ourselves and our possessions; we are His, and all good things we have are gifts He has given us. So, what does God tell us about giving? We are to give freely, generously, and even sel...
Read more