Tools for Interpreting the Psalms (Psalm 2)

Tools for Interpreting the Psalms (Psalm 2)

• Summary: The royal psalms demonstrate Israel’s belief that God was reigning through his anointed king. This messiah was seen as a “son of God'', displaying the glory of God and doing the work of God in securing justice, leading the people and extending God’s rule to the nations. Jesus came preaching “the good news of the kingdom”, and the early church understood Jesus to be the fulfillment of these psalms.

• Notes:

  • ROYAL PSALMS

    • Royal psalms are about the reign of God through the reign of the king. The people could look at the king and his majesty, glory, power, and wealth and get a glimpse of what God was like.

    • The king was charged with doing justice, protecting the poor and powerless, leading the nation in

battle and extending their territory, acting as a co-ruler with God.

    - The Hebrew word messiah means “anointed one.” The Jewish people in the first century hoped that God would send a “messiah”, a David or Solomon-like king, to free them from Roman oppression. The early church saw Jesus as the fulfillment of this psalm and other royal psalms.


- SIX INTERPRETIVE LENSES

    - *Author:* What was the author’s intended meaning (the AIM)?
        - Who was the author? When was the psalm written? What was going on in the world at the time? What was happening In the author’s life?

        - Psalm 2 is a psalm of David (Acts 4:25) for the occasion of his son Solomon’s anointing as king. 

    - *Theology:* What does this psalm tell us about the nature and character of God?
        - God is sovereign, just, active on the earth, and good (blessing those who take refuge in him).
    - *Editor:* Why is the psalm placed in this order? How might it be linked to the psalms before and after it?
        - Keywords that link Psalms 1 and 2: blessed, way, counsel, stand, sit, scoff, meditate, perish
        - Two major themes of the Psalms are that God is good (Psalm 1) and the LORD reigns (Psalm 2).
    - Jesus:* Does the psalm point us to Jesus in any way? Did he quote the psalm? Did someone connect with the psalm? On what occasion might Jesus have prayed this psalm?
        -  His baptism (Matt. 3:17), Peter’s confession (Matt. 16:13-20), His transfiguration (Matt 17:5)
    - *New Testament:* Is the psalm quoted by the writers of the New Testament? How did they understand the meaning and application of the psalm?
        - God is sovereign (Acts 4:25,26); Jesus is the son of God (Acts 13:33; Hebrews 1:5)
    - *Me (the Reader):* How does the psalm apply to my life today? What can I learn from it about God, the world, and myself?

Discussion:

1. Give some examples of the ways in which the nations rage against God and his messiah today.
2. What are the “bonds” and “cords” that they wish to throw off?
3. What is God doing during this rebellion? Does this bring you any comfort?
4. What descriptions of God are found in this psalm? What is the significance of each of them?
5. How is the promise of verses 8-9 being fulfilled in the church?
6. What does it mean to “kiss the son” (vs. 12)? What does the psalm suggest about our posture toward the son of God?
7. What is true of the individual in Psalm 1 is true of the community in Psalm 2 (blessing for obedience, curses for rebellion). Compare the common words and how they are used in each psalm: blessed, way, counsel, stand, sit, scoff, meditate, perish