Psalms For Life
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Yahveh Elohim hear our prayers

Psalm 2

Coronation song

While the West’s faith in the God who came down to save us has long been hemorrhaging away, those who hold the Messiah in contempt find true rest only in surrendering to him.

1 What nonsense!
Mere earthlings, whole nations
furiously plotting the overthrow of heaven!
2 Earth’s kings take a stand
and its princes conspire against YHWH
and his anointed king.
3 “Come on!” they bellow
“Let’s break their chains off us
and break free from these tyrants
once and for all!” 

4 Enthroned in heaven above
the Lord laughs out loud at the absurdity of it all.
5 Then he angrily rebukes them
the heat of his anger terrifying them:

6 “Now get this!
It’s all over and done:
I’ve already installed my king
on Zion, my holy mountain.”

7 This is what YHWH decreed:
“I hereby make you my royal son
and today become your royal father.
8 Just ask me
and I’ll make the nations your coronation gift!
Draw your boundaries
around earth’s remotest corners.
9 You’ll crush all resistance
like an iron rod smashing a clay pot.” 

10 So look out, you kings
and wise up, you judges!
11 Submit to YHWH reverently
gladly, though trembling in awe.
12 Quick!
Fall before the son and kiss his feet
lest he destroy you while you deliberate!
His anger could flare up at any moment
but if you run to him for shelter
all that awaits you is blessing.

The first psalm pictured two alternative ways of living—serving God and asserting self-rule. This psalm builds on that, as the second half of the book’s introductory frame (see Psalm 1 above). Here the world’s leaders defiantly unite in trying to rid themselves of God’s “interference” in their lives. He responds by laughing at their attempted coup. Then, disturbed by their insolence, he angrily rebukes them.

In ancient times, an emperor adopted vassal kings as his sons, thus giving them a son’s full rights and responsibilities. So God announces the coronation of his royal son as a fait accompli. Even as God’s enemies plot their move, he installs his king on Zion’s holy hill, declaring him his chosen son. This decree is the heart of the psalm.[1] Since the anointed king reigns in his stead, God invites him to go big and ask for the whole earth as his kingdom. His enemies are no match for him at all.

The psalmist then urges everyone resisting to surrender unconditionally—humbly, reverently, gladly, promptly. What’s to deliberate when the choice is between God’s blessing and his judgment, which could fall anytime? For all its passion and drama, the psalm ends with the calm assurance that all who submit to God’s chosen king find joy and rest.

The Hebrew word mashiah, or “anointed” (v. 2), described every Israelite king, but especially David’s greater son, the Messiah, whose eternal reign the prophet Nathan had predicted. Emphasizing God’s sovereignty against all odds, this psalm focuses on the ultimate Davidic king, whose mandate literally encompasses the earth. By framing the entire book with this psalm, the post-exilic Psalms compiler declared that God’s purposes hadn’t been thwarted by the apparent end of David’s line. Beginning with the rage of those opposing God’s rule, Psalm 2 ends with the blessedness of all who submit to it. The Psalter’s concluding psalms (Psa. 146-150) touch on these same themes.

Prayer:

Thank you, Jesus, that your foes are no match for you. Even when all seems lost, you reign in wisdom, power, and love. Thank you for the refuge you offer—constant flourishing, even when surrounded by foes. I bow in worship before you and kiss your nail-scarred feet. Amen.

During your free moments today, meditate on these words:

His anger could flare up at any moment
but if you run to him for shelter
all that awaits you is blessing.

 

[1] The psalm’s chiastic structure focuses on the Messiah’s appointment:  A: Earth’s kings depicted in angry rebellion (vv. 1-3), B: God’s reaction to their rebellion (vv. 4-5), C: God’s announcement to the rebels (v. 6), D: God’s appointment of the Messiah (v. 7), C: God’s invitation to the Son (v. 8), B: God’s action through his Messiah to subdue the rebellion (v. 9), A: Earth’s kings called to submit joyfully (vv. 10-12).

Why YHWH?

Every translator of the Psalms must decide how to handle God’s personal name, YHWH or YHVH, which occurs repeatedly in its Hebrew text. Translators of the King James Version usually translated it “LORD” (all caps) and sometimes transliterated it (badly) as “Jehovah.” Likewise, all modern translations either translate or transliterate it. Some other options for translating it are “the Eternal,” “the Almighty,” or “the Sovereign Lord.”

While translating it aims to make it more accessible to readers, transliterating it seems to me more faithful to the text since it’s not a word at all, but rather God’s uniquely personal name. This roots it more firmly in the biblical story as the name God revealed to Moses on Mount Sinai. Meaning “the self-existent One who answers to no one,” the name YHWH set Israel’s God apart from all the gods of Israel’s neighbors.

Personal names are, well, very personal. Even the sound of a name can evoke strong emotion. I’ve chosen to transliterate only YHWH’s consonants since the earliest Hebrew manuscripts contain only consonants, the vowels being added much later. My aim in doing so is to honor God’s name and set it apart, as unique.

One problem with YHWH is that we aren’t sure how it was pronounced since Jews long ago stopped saying it out of reverence. (They read Adonai instead whenever they come to YHWH in the text.) I take the advice of my esteemed Hebrew professor, Raymond Dillard, who advocated pronouncing it as Yahveh (Yah·vay). He favored that over the standard Yahweh since the modern Hebrew pronunciation of its third consonant makes the name sound more robustly Jewish. It also makes it sound more robust, period.

Finding strength in the ancient psalms
May these psalms be a light to you in dark times. You can read more of Mark Anderson's writings on Christianity, culture, and inter-faith dialogue at Understanding Christianity Today.