Psalm one and Psalm two have been deliberately placed at the start of this book of songs for a purpose. Psalm one zooms in like the microscope to help the reader or singer reflect on the kind of person God wants us to be in order that we might receive His blessing. By contrast, Psalm 2 is like the telescope that helps us look outwards at the bigger picture beyond our immediate little world. What does this Psalm tell us about our world and our God?
1.There are people who hate God and those who follow Him (Psalm 2:1-3)
Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain? 2 The kings of the earth rise up
and the rulers band together against the Lord and against His anointed, saying, 3 ‘Let us break their chains and throw off their shackles.’ We live in a world where there are many loud voices advocating their particular causes. Naturally if we want freedom to express our opinions we should also want other people to have similar freedoms. Yet we live in a world where past and present there have been many rulers who have no time for God or for tolerating the existence of Christian Churches. In 1976, for example, Enver Hoxha, leader of the Communist Party in Albania outlawed all religious practices and declared the country the world’s first completely atheistic state.
It was the great leader and the party that must be revered alone. This reign of terror failed. The regime fell in December 1990 and in the census of 2011 just over twenty years later a mere 2.5% of the population self-identified as atheists. Unfortunately, this is not an isolated example; there are plenty of contemporary examples today of regimes hostile to the practice of Christianity or to other faiths.
What is important to remember is that this is far from a new development; it has been witnessed over many centuries. However, this extreme discrimination or actual persecution for holding to the Christian faith does not last forever. The day of freedom eventually comes. The challenges and discouragements in the current Covid-19 virus pandemic for most of us in the United Kingdom are on an apparently smaller scale, but they can seem so large to us. The important point to remember is this: they will not last forever.
2. There is One who is in control (Psalm 2:4-6)
4 The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them. 5 He rebukes them in his anger and terrifies them in his wrath, saying, 6 ‘I have installed my king on Zion, my holy mountain.’ The Psalmist pictures God looking down at those on earth who want to prevent other people worshiping Him and bursting out in laughter. Evil things happen in our world and sometimes those who do wrong appear to get away with it. But God will have the final word. The Psalmist drew attention to an installation of a king by God in Jerusalem. It is business for Him as usual in heaven and on earth He is not confined. As a result of the Covid-19 virus pandemic church buildings have been closed for more than three months, but God’s Spirit is very much at work in the world. Record numbers of people have accessed at least one church service online during the lockdown. God is not confined by our difficulties on earth. We have our struggles and our tears at times, but we will not forget that God is on the throne.
3. God has spoken! (Psalm 2:7-9)
7 I will proclaim the Lord’s decree: He said to Me, ‘You are My son; today I have become Your father. 8 Ask Me and I will make the nations Your inheritance, the ends of the earth Your possession.9 You will break them with a rod of iron; You will dash them to pieces like pottery.’ God has spoken! He is building His kingdom in the hearts and lives of His people across the planet. How often in church do we pray these words: ‘Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven’ (Matthew 6:10); This is what God is doing throughout the world year after year. Often it takes place quietly in the lives of individuals who commit their lives to follow Jesus. On other occasions there are more obvious answers to pray and signs of God at work.
In our church Bible verse for the year in 2020, Ephesians 3:20-21, this prayer begins with these words: Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us… I believe that God is bringing this to fruition in the life of our church during these difficult times. What will be the ultimate result of the work of God’s Spirit in our midst? ‘I don’t know’ is the honest answer, but we serve an amazing God who will be at work in the lives of people drawing them to faith in Him. These cryptic verses in Psalm 2 are understood to be God the Father setting Jesus apart for the worldwide kingdom He will rule over at the end of the age. Those who refuse to tolerate the existence of His Church and seek to wipe out its membership with their imprisonments and other forms of persecution will one day be required to give an account of their lives to God. He will have the final say as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
4. God’s message to the world leaders (Psalm 2:10-12)
10 Therefore, you kings, be wise; be warned, you rulers of the earth. 11 Serve the Lord with fear and celebrate His rule with trembling. 12Kiss His son, or He will be angry and your way will lead to your destruction, for His wrath can flare up in a moment. Blessed are all who take refuge in Him. In effect, we might say in contemporary language if you want to be on the right side of history sign up for God’s team. ‘Jesus is Lord’ was the minimum statement of faith of the Early Church and the words uttered from the lips of baptismal candidates in the first few centuries of Church history. The imagery here is of earthly rulers acknowledging that God is God and that they too must bow the knee to Him. These words of many centuries before the time of Jesus were intended as an encouragement to Gods people that despite all the obstacles in our pathways at times like this that the final triumph of King Jesus is assured. Let us go into this new day with confidence that God is on the throne of His universe and give Him all the glory and praise.
Our song for reflection today is: ’10,000 reasons’ (Bless the Lord)
Brian Talbot