Psalms 2:1

Why do the Heathen rage,.... Or "the nations"; which some understand of the Jews, who are so called, Genesis 17:5; because of their various tribes; and of their rage against the Messiah there have

Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? Why - expressing indignant astonishment and horror. The pagan - the Gentile nations [ gowyim (H1471)], as distinguished from the Jews.

Psalms 2 THE The penman of this Psalm was David, as is affirmed, . As for the matter or subject of it, it may seem to have some respect unto David, and to his advancement to and settlement in the throne of Judah and Israel; but the chief design and scope of it, and the primary intention of the Holy Ghost in it, was to describe the Messiah and his kingdom, as is manifest, 1. From express testimonies of the New Testament to that purpose, as 13:33 5:5; and 2. From the consent of the ancient Hebrew writers, who did unanimously expound it so, as is confessed by their own brethren, particularly by Rabbi Solomon Jarchi upon this place; who hath this memorable passage, Our doctors expounded this Psalm of the King Messiah, but that we may answer the heretics (by which he means the Christians, as all know) it is expedient to interpret it of David’ s person, as the words sound; which words, although they are left out of the latter editions of that book, either by the fraud of Jews, or carelessness or mistake of others, yet are extant in the ancient editions of it. 3. From divers passages of the Psalm, which do not agree to David, but to Christ only, the title of Son, of which see ,5, the extent of his kingdom, , and Divine worship, ,12. The kingdom of Christ, and the opposition of the heathen foretold, . God giveth him the earth for his possession, ,9. He summons all the kings and judges of the earth to submit themselves to him, . Why? upon what provocation, or to what end or purpose? The heathen, or, Gentiles; who did so against David, as we see, ,17 , &c.; and against Christ, , &c. And the people: this is either another expression of the same thing, as is usual in Scripture; or as the former word notes the Gentiles, so this may design the Jews or Israelites, who also combined against David, , &c., and against Christ, , though they were all of one nation, and descended from one and the same mother, as this word signifies, and it is used . Imagine a vain thing; what they shall never be able to effect; and if they could, it would do them no good, as they fancy, but great hurt.

Psalms 2:1 Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?Ver. 1. Why do the heathen rage?] WHY? or for what reason? The psalm beginneth abruptly, with an angry interrogation; q.d. What? are they mad to attempt such things, as whereof they can neither give any good reason, nor expect any good effect? The Lord Christ, of whom David was both a father and a figure (as here appeareth), shall surely reign, maugre all the rage and resistance of his enemies, who may seem to be ambitious for their own destruction, and are therefore in this psalm schooled, and counselled to desist. Nothing is more irrational than irreligion. Why do the heathen tumultuously rage, or hurtle together, Fremunt et ferociunt? When the Philistihes heard that David was made king in Hebron, they came up to seek him, and to dethrone him, 2 Samuel 5:17; so the heathen and people, that is, Gentiles and Jews, would have dealt by Christ, Acts 4:25-26. The devil, ever since he was cast out of heaven, tumultuateth and keepeth ado; so do unruly spirits acted and agitated by him. Daniel 6:15, Then those men kept a stir with the king against Daniel; it is the same Hebrew word that is here, and possibly Daniel’ s spirit might think of David’ s terms. John 11:33, Jesus troubled himself, but after another manner than these his enemies; his passions were without mud, as clear water in a crystal glass; what was an act of power in Christ is an act of weakness, if not of wickedness, in others. The apostle’ s Greek word for this in the text denoteth rage, pride, and fierceness, as of horses that neigh, and rush into the battle, εφρυαξαν, Acts 4:25. And the people imagine] Heb. meditate, or mutter a vain thing, an empty design, that shall come to nothing. Niteris incassum Christi submergere puppem: Fluctuat, at nunquam mergitur illa ratis. Dipped may the Church’ s ship be, but not drowned; Christ will not fail her enemies to confound. Some think that by this muttering people are meant, such as act not open outrages against Christ, but yet in words murmur and mutiny, whispering treason.

(1) Why do the heathen rage?—Better, Why did nations band together, or muster? The Hebrew occurs only here as a verb, but derivatives occur in Pss. 4:14, Psalms 64:2: in the first, of a festive crowd; in the second, of a conspiracy allied with some evil intent. This fixes the meaning here, band together, possibly as in Aquila’s translation, with added sense of tumult. The LXX. have “grown restive,” like horses; Vulg., “have raged.” Imagine.—Better, meditate, or plan. Literally, as in Psalms 1:2, only here in bad sense, mutter, referring to the whispered treasons passing to and fro among the nations, “a maze of mutter’d threats and mysteries.” In old English “imagine” was used in a bad sense; thus Chaucer, “nothing list him to be imaginatif” i.e., suspicious. The verb in this clause, as in the next, is in the present, the change being expressive: Why did they plot? what do they hope to gain by it?

PSALM II This Psalm treats of the opposition raised, both by Jew and Gentile, against the kingdom of Christ, 1-3. Christ's victory, and the confusion of his enemies, 4-6. The promulgation of the Gospel after his resurrection, 7-9. A call to all the potentates and judges of the earth to accept it, because of the destruction that shall fall on those who reject it, 10-12. NOTES ON PSALM II Verse 1. Why do the heathen rage] It has been supposed that David composed this Psalm after he had taken Jerusalem from the Jebusites, and made it the head of the kingdom; 2 Samuel 5:7-9. The Philistines, hearing this, encamped in the valley of Rephaim, nigh to Jerusalem, and Josephus, Antiq. lib. vii. c. 4, says that all Syria, Phoenicia, and the other circumjacent warlike people, united their armies to those of the Philistines, in order to destroy David before he had strengthened himself in the kingdom. David, having consulted the Lord, 2 Samuel 5:17-19, gave them battle, and totally overthrew the whole of his enemies. In the first place, therefore, we may suppose that this Psalm was written to celebrate the taking of Jerusalem, and the overthrow of all the kings and chiefs of the neighbouring nations. In the second place we find from the use made of this Psalm by the apostles, Acts 4:27, that David typified Jesus Christ; and that the Psalm celebrates the victories of the Gospel over the Philistine Jews, and all the confederate power of the heathen governors of the Roman empire. The heathen, גוים goyim, the nations; those who are commonly called the Gentiles. Rage, רגשו rageshu, the gnashing of teeth, and tumultuously rushing together, of those indignant and cruel people, are well expressed by the sound as well as the meaning of the original word. A vain thing. Vain indeed to prevent the spread of the Gospel in the world. To prevent Jesus Christ, the King of kings, and Lord of lords, from having the empire of his own earth. So vain were their endeavours that every effort only tended to open and enlarge the way for the all-conquering sway of the sceptre of righteousness.

1–3. The muster of the nations and its design.

Why do the heathen rage - “Why do nations make a noise?” Prof. Alexander. The word “heathen” here - גוים gôyim - means properly “nations,” with out respect, so far as the word is concerned, to the character of the nations.

1. The heathen rage—The nations tumultuously assemble. The idea is that of a hasty gathering of conspirators, as Daniel 6:6; Daniel 6:11; Daniel 6:15.