Psalm 2

 Psalm 2 - The Ultimate Victory Of The Messiah

1 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.”

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.”

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.”

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.

12 Kiss 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.

Psalms 2 ~ NIv

OBJECTIVES IN STUDYING THIS PSALM

1) To note the Messianic nature of this psalm

2) To consider its fulfillment as expounded by Jesus and His apostles 
   in the New Testament

3) To take comfort in knowing that the Messiah has ultimate control 
   over world affairs

SUMMARY

This psalm is Messianic in nature, with its theme being "The Ultimate
Victory Of The Lord's Anointed."  It is quoted by the apostles and
early church in their prayer for help against persecution (cf. Ac 4:24-
30), in which they applied it to the efforts of Pontius Pilate along
with Gentiles and those of Israel who crucified Christ.  From this
reference in Acts we also learn that David was the author.

The psalm is divided into four sections (or strophes), in each of which
there is a different voice that speaks.  The first strophe begins with
the psalmist observing the efforts of the nations and their leaders to
resist the Lord and His Anointed.  They declare their desire to break
away from the cords that bind them (1-3).  The second strophe depicts
the Lord in heaven as laughing in derision over their futile efforts.
In righteous anger He declares that despite their resistance He has
installed His King (i.e., His Anointed One) on Zion, His holy hill (4-
6).

In the third stanza or strophe, the Anointed One speaks, in which He
declares the decree of the Lord.  He is God's begotten Son, who upon
request is given the nations and ends of the earth as an inheritance
which He will rule with a rod of iron (7-9).  From Jesus and His
apostles, we learn that this rule began when He ascended to heaven and
sat down at the right hand of God (cf. Mt 28:18; Ep 1:20-22; 1Pe 3:22;
Re 1:5; 2:26-27).

The psalm ends with the fourth strophe containing the psalmist's
counsel of what the leaders of the nations should do:  Worship the Lord
with reverence, and do homage to the Son lest they incur His righteous
anger.  For all who put their trust in the Anointed One, they shall be
blessed (10-12).  

OUTLINE

I. THE NATIONS' RESISTANCE (2:1-3)

   A. THE PSALMIST'S INQUIRY (1)
      1. Why do the nations rage?
      2. Why do the people plot a vain thing?

   B. THE PSALMIST'S OBSERVATION (2-3)
      1. Against the Lord and His Anointed...
         a. The kings of the earth set themselves
         b. The rulers take counsel together
      2. Against the Lord and His Anointed they say...
         a. "Let us break Their bonds in pieces"
         b. "(Let us) cast away Their cords from us"

II. THE LORD'S REJOINDER (2:4-6)

   A. THE LORD'S REACTION (4)
      1. He who sits in the heaven shall laugh
      2. The Lord shall hold them in deep derision

   B. THE LORD'S REPLY (5-6)
      1. He shall speak to them in His wrath
      2. He will distress them in His deep displeasure
      3. He will proclaim:  "Yet I have set My King on My holy hill Of 
         Zion"

III. THE MESSIAH'S RESPONSE (2:7-9)

   A. THE DECREE GIVEN HIM (7)
      1. "You are My Son"
      2. "Today I have begotten You"

   B. THE AUTHORITY GIVEN HIM (8-9)
      1. The extent of His rule
         a. "The nations for Your inheritance"
         b. "The ends of the earth for Your possession"
      2. The power of His rule
         a. "You shall break them with a rod of iron"
         b. "You shall dash them to pieces like a potter's vessel"

IV. THE PSALMIST'S REPROACH (2:10-12)

   A. TO KINGS AND JUDGES (10-11)
      1. Be wise, be instructed
      2. Serve the LORD with fear
      3. Rejoice with trembling

   B. TO THEM AND ALL (12)
      1. Kiss the Son lest He be angry
         a. And you perish [in] the way
         b. When His wrath is kindled but a little.
      2. Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him. 

REVIEW QUESTIONS FOR THE PSALM

1) What are the main points of this psalm?
   - The nations' resistance (1-3)
   - The Lord's rejoinder (4-6)
   - The Messiah's response (7-9)
   - The psalmist's reproach (10-12)

2) Against whom are the kings and rulers taking counsel? (2)
   - The Lord and His Anointed

3) What are the kings and rulers saying? (3)
   - Let us break Their bonds in pieces, and cast away Their cords

4) What reaction does this prompt from the Lord in heaven? (4-5)
   - Laughter and derision
   - Wrath and displeasure

5) What will the Lord say to these kings and rulers? (6)
   - I have set My King on My holy hill of Zion

6) How will the Anointed One (i.e., the Messiah) respond? (7)
   - He will declare the decree spoken to Him by the Lord (God)

7) Who is the Anointed One? (7)
   - God's begotten Son

8) As applied by Paul, what "day" was the Messiah "begotten" by God? 
   (7; cf. Ac 13:33)
   - The day of His resurrection from the dead

9) What did the Lord promise His Anointed One? (8)
   - The nations and ends of the earth for His inheritance and 
     possession

10) According to Jesus and His apostles, has He been given this 
    authority?  If so, when?  (cf. Mt 28:18; Ep 1:20-22; 1Pe 3:22;
    Re 1:5; 2:26-27)
   - Yes; when He ascended to heaven and set down at the right hand of 
     God

11) What will He do to the nations with this authority? (9; cf. Re 2:
    26-27)
   - Break them with a rod of iron
   - Dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel

12) What wisdom and instruction does the psalmist give to kings and
    judges? (10-12)
   - Serve the Lord with fear
   - Rejoice with trembling
   - Kiss (do homage to) the Son
   - Lest He be angry and you perish when His wrath is kindled

13) What of those who put their trust in the Son? (12)
   - They will be blessed

taken from Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2011

Psalm 1 - The Truly Happy Man

"THE BOOK OF PSALMS"
 Psalm 1 - The Truly Happy Man
 Psalm 1
1 Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers,
2 but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night.
3 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers.
4 Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away.
5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
6 For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to destruction. PSALM 1 ~ NIV


 OBJECTIVES IN STUDYING THIS PSALM 
 1) To examine the blessedness of the righteous, in stark contrast to the desperation of the wicked
 2) To note both the negative and positive elements that lead to the truly happy life
 3) To note four examples of parallelism that are indicative of Hebrew poetry

 SUMMARY 
 The first psalm, didactic in style, serves as an appropriate preface to the entire collection of psalms. Its theme can be described as "The Truly Happy Man" as it depicts the blessedness, or happiness, of the righteous man in contrast to the wicked. The blessedness of the righteous man is described first from a negative perspective, in what he will not do. With the aid of stair-like progressive parallelism, the truly happy man is depicted as not allowing himself to be in the presence or under the influence of the wicked. Instead, he finds delight in meditating day and night on the law of the Lord. His blessedness is pictured as a healthy, fruitful tree, nourished by rivers of water. Whatever he does, he prospers (1- 3). The wicked, in stark contrast, are not so blessed. They are like chaff driven by the wind. In the judgment, they shall not be able to stand. Nor shall they be blessed to be in the congregation of the righteous (4-5). The psalm ends with a contrast between the two "ways." The way of the righteous is known (blessed, providentially cared for) by the Lord. The way of the ungodly shall perish, like a trail leading into a swamp that eventually disappears (6).

 OUTLINE 
 I. THE BLESSEDNESS OF THE RIGHTEOUS MAN (1:1-3)
   A. HIS CHARACTER (1-2)
      1. Described from a negative point of view
          a. Walks not in the counsel of the ungodly
          b. Nor stands in the path of sinners - Pr 4:14-15
          c. Nor sits in the seat of the scornful - Ps 26:4-5
      2. Described from a positive perspective
         a. His delight is in the law of the Lord - Ps 40:8; 119: 47,48; Jer 15:16
         b. In God's law he meditates day and night - Ps 119:97-99
    B. HIS PROSPERITY (3)
       1. Like a tree planted by rivers of water - Ps 92:12-15; Jer 17: 7-8
         a. That brings forth fruit in its season
         b. Whose leaf shall not wither
      2. Whatever he does shall prosper - Josh 1:7-8 
 II. THE DESPERATION OF THE WICKED (1:4-5)
    A. NOTHING LIKE THE RIGHTEOUS (4)
       1. The ungodly are not so (lit., "Not so, are the ungodly!")
       2. They are like the chaff which the wind drives away - Job 21: 17-18
    B. THEIR SORRY END (5)
       1. The ungodly shall not stand in the judgment
       2. The sinners shall not stand in the congregation of the righteous
 III. A FINAL CONTRAST BETWEEN THEIR TWO WAYS (1:6)
    A. THE LORD KNOWS THE WAY OF THE RIGHTEOUS (6a)
    B. THE WAY OF THE UNGODLY SHALL PERISH (6b)

 REVIEW QUESTIONS FOR THE PSALM 
 1) What are the main points of this psalm? - The blessedness of the righteous man (1-3) - The desperation of the wicked (4-5) - A final contrast between their two ways (6)

 2) What is the theme of this psalm? - The truly happy man

 3) What is the style of this psalm? - Didactic, i.e., designed to teach or instruct

 4) What does the blessed man not do, as described in this psalm? (1) - Does not walk in the counsel of the ungodly - Does not stand in the path of sinners - Does not sit in the seat of the scornful

 5) What example of parallelism, or thought rhyme, do we find in verse one? - Stair-like progressive parallelism

 6) What is the source of delight for the one who is blessed? (2) - The law of the Lord

 7) What does the blessed man do to experience such delight? (2) - Meditates in the law of the Lord day and night

 8) What example of parallelism, or thought rhyme, do we find in verse two? - Synonymous parallelism

 9) What will such a blessed person be like? (3) - A tree planted by rivers of water - That brings forth fruit in its season, and whose leaf shall not wither

10) What example of parallelism, or thought rhyme, do we find in verse three? - Synthetic parallelism

11) What else is said about this blessed man? (3) - Whatever he does shall prosper

12) What are the ungodly like? (4) - The chaff driven away by the wind

13) What will not happen to the ungodly and sinners? (5) - They shall not stand in the judgment - They shall not stand in the congregation of the righteous

 14) How are the righteous and the wicked contrasted at the end of this psalm? (6) - The Lord knows the way of the righteous - The way of the wicked shall perish

 15) What example of parallelism, or thought rhyme, do we find in verse six? - Antithetical parallelism