Psalm 2
Voices Of Testimony
Testimony is a revelation of the truth.
It reveals the truth of hearts, natures, determinations and ends.
(August testimonials)
44 And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me. (Luke 24:44)
There is, a body of writing in the Psalms known specifically as The Messianic Psalms.
There are specifically 16 Messianic Psalms in the book of Psalms, and they are referred to as Messianic because they are identified as such in the bible itself, or specifically referred to Christ in the New Testament.
That does not mean that all the words in those Psalms refer to Christ, clearly in Psalm 69 when David wrote “O God, thou knowest my foolishness; and my sins are not hid from thee In verse 5, he was referring to himself, but when the text says “They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.” In verse 21 and it was applied to the Lord in Matthew 27:34 and 48, it is clearly Messianic.
Paul wrote to Timothy that we must “study to shew theyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Tim 2:15), so always be careful to ensure the context of what you are reading is properly applied.
Sometimes an entire Psalm applies to Christ, such as Psalm 22, sometimes it’s a paragraph such as Psalm 40:6-10, and sometimes is a single verse such as Psalm 41:9, or several verses such as Psalm 69:4, 9 and 21.
Nevertheless, these all form a body of writing known as the Messianic Psalms, there are 16 in total, that also include three Psalms that are clearly messianic, but not referred to in the New Testament;
Psalm 24 speaks of the King of Glory.
Psalm 72 outlines the millennial reign of Christ.
Psalm 89 expounds the Davidic covenant fulfilled by David’s greater Son, the Messiah.
The messianic Psalms don’t follow chronologically
Again, it is not my purpose in this series of David’s wonderful treasury to preach through the messianic Psalms. I am at this point subject to the Lord alone to lead me and have no set plan at this stage, unless one be revealed.
Psalm 2 however sets the scene and might be regarded as an introduction to the entire collection of Messianic Psalms, and I desire to preach on this Psalm today, as It seems both pertinent and timely.
Psalm 2
1 Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? 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 break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. 4 He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision. 5 Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure. 6 Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.
7 I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. 8 Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. 9 Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.
10 Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth. 11 Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. 12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.
Psalm 2 has twelve verses and are neatly arranged into four sections of three verses each, forming for us its own outline.
There are four voices that are illustrated as speaking in each of those four sections.
The first voice is the TESTIMONY of rebellious man saying of God; 3 Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.
The second voice is the TESTIMONY of God the Father proclaiming 6Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.
The third voice is the TESTIMONY of God the Son saying 7 I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.
The fourth and final voice is the TESTIMONY of God the Holy Spirit forewarning 10 Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth. 11 Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. 12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.
The First Voice, The Testimony of Rebellion
The Second Voice, The Testimony of Correction
The Third Voice, The Testimony of Affirmation
The Fourth Voice, The Testimony of Admonition
The First Voice, The Testimony of Rebellion
1 Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? 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 break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.
There is indeed a vanity in the minds of rebellious man that testifies of their true nature and their hatred for the Lord and his Christ. It makes itself manifest when they take counsel together, when they conspire for the specific purpose of breaking the purposes of the Lord.
This passage being written of the Lord well before ‘God was manifest in the flesh’ (1 Tim 3:16), it was fulfilled in part after the Lord came and they placed him on the cross for the purpose of taking away their own reproach.
For “light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil (Jn 3:19)
When the brothers of the Lord told him to make reveal himself in the feast in Jerusalem, Jesus said “7 The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil.” (Jn 7:7)
Man has a testimony of rebellion against God, and this had made itself specifically known when his very own people took counsel together, when the leaders of the people conspired one with another, when the The kings of the earth set themselves….together, against the LORD and against his anointed.
Peter spoke of this specific, yet also partial fulfilment in the book of Acts; Turn to Acts 4:23-29
Peter and John had been preaching Christ in the temple and had wonderfully healed a man who was lame from his mothers womb. He was asking alms of the men, desiring they might give money to him, and this is where Peter proclaimed; “Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.” (Act 3:6).
Well this all resulted in the very first persecution against them, in Acts 4 they were taken into custody. Questioned, chastised, warned and let go.
Acts 4:23-29
23 And being let go, they went to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said unto them. 24 And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, Lord, thou art God, which hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is:
25 Who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things? 26 The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ. 27 For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together, 28 For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done. 29 And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word,30 By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus. 31 And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.
The Testimony of Rebellion identified in Psalm 2, is quoted in fulfilment of this prophecy and yet its truth remains to be concluded up to and including the millennial reign of Christ.
Till that time we will continue to see mans rebellious testimony against the Lord, the rebellion against Christ, the conspiratorial determination to break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.
Rebellious and sinful man does not desire the yoke of the Lord on them. Though it is for their good and for their ongoing prosperity, yet they see it as a band, and as a cord that binds them.
But to those who know Christ, and who are saved by his blood, a wonderful sentence by John Trapp in the early 1800’s gives the truth of it;
He says “the yoke…of the Lord are no more a burden to regenerate man, than wings to a bird” John Trapp.
Heathen and rebellious man as made and will continue to make repeated efforts to establish the world in their own image without the law of God to guide and lead them, their ultimate testimony remains to break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. They seek to return to the pagan life apart from Christ today.
And this same rebellion will have its final fulfilment at the end of the golden age of Christ.
One thousand years of prosperity for the world, one thousand years of Christ ruling with a rod of iron and Satan bound, there will be enough residual sin in man, the godless heathen man, where his testimony of rebellion will find this verse perfectly applied.
Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? 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 break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.
This is the voice of rebellious man, this is the testimony of rebellion.
Turn to John 15:18-19
18 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. 19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.
You are NOT of the world, and this is a joy and a cause of rejoicing.
Unlike the testimony of the rebellion, you are to give a testimony of reconciliation.
Yet with all their efforts, with all their imaginations to dispel with the reality of God, their work is considered a vain thing and can not prosper.
But in the greatest contrast, all your efforts to proclaim the truth of Christ is promised to prosper.
Isa 55:10-11
10 For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: 11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
The Second Voice, The Testimony of Correction
4 He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision. 5 Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure. 6 Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.
Here we see the testimony of God’s correction.
For all their effort and for all their desire to do away with the Lord, to come against his Christ, the Lord will speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure. 6 Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.
God corrects them, ensuring they understand that His King will be set in his place in Zion, in spite of the rebellion of his subjects.
We find ourselves troubled today because of the conspiring efforts of man in the world. The scriptures speak of conspiracy, that is what we just read in Psalm 2:3.
The word Conspiracy simply means, “With common breath”.
The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed
These rebel with common breath
In this world We hear of one conspiracy effort after another.
We are told of things planned and things expected to come.
We are made fearful of the efforts of the kings of the world to take from us that which God has given.
And here is their testimony that CANNOT BE DENIED,
THIS IS their true desire, their true intent, Let us break their bands asunder, We might as easily here those words today as we do of ancient times;
Let us break their bands asunder
let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name (Gen 11:4).
Let us break
Let us build
Let us make
(If you had seen this years MayDay series, consider part 6 on the Coming Global Government and draw your own conclusions as to how well that fits.)
The desire has ALWAYS BEEN TO “RESET” THE WORLD INTO THEIR OWN IMAGE.
But for all their conspiring, for all their efforts to RESET the world IN THEIR OWN WAY; He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.
Beloved we are told that man will again attempt to make another tower to heaven so to speak, man will build a monstrosity that cannot hold together, just as Iron does not bind to clay (Dan 2:33-45).
Man can only create division, rebellion cannot bring reconciliation. This is why it will be ONLY Iron and Clay before the Lord returns!
And we can now see how the Lord looks upon the vain attempts of man to circumvent God’s decree and command. He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh.
Prov 19:21
21 There are many devices in a man’s heart; nevertheless the counsel of the LORD, that shall stand.
This is the Testimony of correction, God always corrects man, he always repays to man that which man thought to deal against God.
History proves for us how well his voice is the voice of correction, history is a TESTIMONY OF GOD CORRECTING MAN:
Diocletian, a well-known persecutor of Christians in the early Church, he created a medal with the inscription “The name of Christians being extinguished.”
In Spain, this same emperor raised two huge pillars, which on the one is inscribed “Diocletian Jovian Maximian Herculeus Cæsares Augusti, for having extended the Roman Empire in the east and the west, and for having extinguished the name of Christians, who brought the Republic to ruin.”
On the second pillar is inscribed. “Diocletian Jovian Maximian Herculeus Cæsares Augusti, for having adopted Galerius in the east, for having everywhere abolished the superstition of Christ, for having extended the worship of the gods.”
One modern writer well observed: “We have here a monument raised by Paganism, over the grave of its vanquished foe. But in this, ‘the people imagined a vain thing;’ so far from being deceased, Christianity was on the eve of its final and permanent triumph, and the stone guarded a sepulchre empty as the urn which Electra washed with her tears. Neither in Spain, nor elsewhere, can be pointed out the burial place of Christianity; it is not, for the living have no tomb.”[1]
God’s voice in history is a TESTIMONY OF CORRECTION TO REBELLIOUS MAN.
IN 1776 the French Infidel Philosopher Voltaire wrote, “One hundred years from my day, there will not be a Bible on earth except one that is looked upon by an antiquarian curiosity-seeker.”
But, within fifty years after his death, in an ironic twist of Providence, the very house in which he once lived and wrote was used by the Evangelical Society of Geneva as a storehouse for Bibles and Gospel tracts.
INCREDIBLY, the printing presses Voltaire used to print his irreverent and godless works was used to print Bibles.[2]
Gods voice is The Testimony of CORRECTION.
Prov 19:21
21 There are many devices in a man’s heart; nevertheless the counsel of the LORD, that shall stand.
But God’s testimony of correction, so evidently seen here in this passage is found even against those who have persecuted Christ throughout his Church.
The efforts of man to dispel the work of God, we find his TESTIMONY OF CORRECTION falling upon their own heads.
Of the many persecutors of the children of the Lord, we find only evidence of their illustrious and desperate and often violent end CORRECTING THEIR ERROR.
(Nero) – bereaved of authority, and fallen from the height of empire, suddenly disappeared, One report states “and even the burial-place of that noxious wild beast was nowhere to be seen”. Believed in modern times he committed suicide.
Lactantius, writing in the 4th century speaks of
(Domitian)- murdered in his own palace was not vengeance ample enough: the very memory of his name was erased. For although he had erected many admirable edifices, and rebuilt the Capitol, and left other distinguished marks of his magnificence, yet the senate did so persecute his name, as to leave no remains of his statues, or traces of the inscriptions put up in honour of him.
[Decius]– he was suddenly surrounded by the barbarians or Carpi, and slain stripped and naked, he lay to be devoured by wild beasts and birds,
[Valerian] – Roman Emperor from 22 October 253 AD to spring 260 AD
According to Lactantius, advisor to Constantine 1st, stated that Valerian was Taken captive by Sapores, the king of the Persians, who had made him prisoner, whenever he chose to get into his carriage or to mount on horseback, commanded the Roman to stoop and present his back; then, setting his foot on the shoulders of Valerian, he rose to his seat.
“Valerian lived for a considerable time under the well-merited insults of his conqueror; so that the Roman name remained long the scoff and derision of the barbarians when he had finished this shameful life under so great dishonour, he was flayed, and his skin, stripped from the flesh, was dyed with vermilion, and placed in the temple of the gods of the barbarians.
[Aurelian]- he himself lay all bloody on the earth in Thrace, assassinated by his familiar friends, who had taken up groundless suspicions against him.
Throughout history is found the TESTIMONY OF CORRECTION
William S Plummer stated that “Of thirty Roman emperors, governors of provinces, and others high in office, who distinguished themselves by their zeal and bitterness in persecuting the early Christians, one became speedily deranged after some atrocious cruelty, one was slain by his own son, one became blind, the eyes of one started out of his head, one was drowned, one was strangled, one died in a miserable captivity, one fell dead in a manner that will not bear recital, one died of so loathsome a disease that several of his physicians were put to death because they could not abide the stench that filled his room, two committed suicide, a third attempted it, but had to call for help to finish the work, five were assassinated by their own people or servants, five others died the most miserable and excruciating deaths, several of them having an untold complication of diseases, and eight were killed in battle, or after being taken prisoners.”
Beloved, if and when such a time might come upon you, then sorrow for your persecutors. Plead for their own lives and most especially for their eternal soul. For there will be a testimony of correction against them, and we can be in no doubt of it!
No matter what the vain attempts man has of thwarting the work of God, Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure. 6 Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.
Whether it be Pharaoh in his command to drown every Israelite male, that ends up with his own daughter saving Moses the deliverer, and appointing his own mother to raise him. God has a TESTIMONY OF CORRECTION.
Or it be of Joseph, given up for dead to not rule his brethren, yet all HIS BROTHERS efforts turned to make it come about is a testimony of Correction
Or it be Dagon put back in his place only to have him fall once more to lose his hands and head.
Or if it be Nabal who’s care for not giving to David of his fruit, costs him both his life and his wife.
Or even of Judas, who’s betrayal was motivated by the riches he would never live to spend.
Gods VOICE and WORK is a TESTIMONY OF CORRECTION
And so will it be with rebellious man;
This is why you truly should have no fear in this world, you are not on the wrong side of God if you are his. But the rebellious will be laughed at for their efforts, the Lord will have them in derision, and his King will reign.
The Third Voice, The Testimony of Affirmation
7 I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. 8 Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. 9 Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.
Beloved it is the triune nature of God alone that can ever make sense of this Psalm. Simply it is not possible to comprehend it apart from understanding that there is a plurality in God that makes this Psalm comprehensible.
Without understanding the plurality in God, none of this can be understood.
The father has said to the Son, Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. 9 Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.
There is a Testimony of Affirmation in this passage.
Though the heathen considers themselves so great, though vain man sets himself to do his own will apart from God, they are yet chattel and they are given or taken away as God sees fit.
Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance
God affirms Christ the Son and Christ the Son Testifies to the affirmation of God toward him in asking the heathen for his own inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for his possession, but with it also comes the rod of judgement;
9 Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron
In this instant it is not a rod of wood, it’s not a rod that declares rule and government that is employed, but it is a rod of judgment and justice, a rod of iron that will break the heathen, dash them in pieces like a potters vessel.
Each person is seen as clay in the hands of the potter.
One might see or consider that, having been pleased with his creation, he sets his pottery to its employment. The potter never makes pottery without purpose.
But if it does not function as employed, what good is it but to be turned back to the earth in pieces.
This is the Son, this is the redeemer who lives, and he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth (Jb 19:25), and he shall be governor… and will rule Gods people Israel (Mt 2:6), because he was born to that end, and he will rule with a rod of Iron (Rev 19:15).
This is a Testimony of affirmation
The Fourth Voice, The Testimony of Admonition
10 Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth. 11 Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. 12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.
The Spirit of God is he who convicts the soul of man.
It is that same spirit that reveals the Son in man, but before he does so there must be a conviction in man for their sin against God.
10 Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth.
There is first that wisdom that comes from the fear of the Lord, without this it is near impossible to be wise, nor is it possible for that lack of wisdom to receive instruction.
That lack of fear is evident from the first verse where vanity is imagined, an imagination that intends rebellion by the third verse. You wonder how it is that man will actually believe that he will consciously fight against God.
When the fourth angle pours out his vial upon the sun and power was given him to scorch men with fire, we wonder how it can be that these same men scorched with great heat would rather raise their fist against God and blaspheme the name of God rather than repent and turn back to him in sorrow? (Rev 16:9)
They don’t cry for mercy, they don’t sorrow for their sin, this is completely opposite to how we might feel today standing in a court of law convicted of a crime. There is no sorrow demonstrated in that passage, but a further hardening of their heart.
What we see is Pharaoh’s heart hardened all the more, what we see is the same demonic delusion that afflicts Satan’s multiplied claim of exalting himself above the stars of God, to be like the most high.
He is their father and the lusts of their father they will do.
Beloved these are not people we are to be afraid of.
There is a TESTIMONY OF ADMONITION against them, They are warned to serve him the Lord with fear, they are admonished to “kiss the Son lest he be angry andthey perish from the way”.
Not the kiss of betrayal as Judas did, but the kiss of fellowship that those redeemed by him do one to another. It is the kiss of love and of honour; it is the kiss of fellowship and brethren.
If no such kiss is forthcoming, then neither is fellowship;
The same mouth formed by God is used to blaspheme him.
The same breath instilled by God is exhaled in rebellion.
The same hand that feeds them with the fruit God provides is lifted as a fist against him.
12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little.
BUT: Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.
Lets first acknowledge that there is a BLESSED PEOPLE in this Psalm.
Not all are identified with the rebellious in the world, there are those that are BLESSED.
And they put their trust in him, not in man.
Those that do so are like a lighthouse on a turbulent peninsula.
The waves crash against them to such degree that it would threaten ships passing by, yet they are founded upon a rock and their tower is well built on the word of God, they give both light and bearing to all who pass by.
There are those who are tossed about in the turbulent seas of this world, but even they are drawn toward the safety of the coast by the light coming from them who have placed their trust in him.
Beloved, the world has begun its last turn before the Lord comes for his Church. Publicly announced their RESET of the world.
This will create further division in the world.
There are many who are troubled at what is before them, many ships will be wrecked on the rocks they were unable or unwilling to see. You are that lighthouse that leads many to a safe haven.
The lighthouse reveals the EVIDENT ROCKS ABOVE THE SURFACE OF THE WATER, not the rocks hidden that none can see.
Sin is the greatest and most evident rock of all.
Separation from God is just as evident.
These are the rocks that will wreck a fleet of ships if they are not revealed.
This is the charge of the blessed…that put their trust in him.
[1] C. H. Spurgeon, The Treasury of David: Psalms 1-26, (London; Edinburgh; New York: Marshall Brothers), 1:14.
[2] https://crossexamined.org/voltaires-prediction-home-and-the-bible-society-truth-or-myth-further-evidence-of-verification/
0 Comments