This week’s study is from Tehillim / Psalms 2: 1-12. The Psalm begins by asking the question לָמָּה רָגְשׁוּ גוֹיִם וּלְאֻמִּים יֶהְגוּ-רִיק: 2:1 Why are the nations in an uproar And the peoples devising a vain thing? (NASB) The author goes on to say that the kings and rulers of the earth take counsel and stand against the Lord God and his Mashiach (מְשִׁיחוֹ, anointed one, 2:2). The Hebrew phrase נְנַתְּקָה אֶת-מוֹסְרוֹתֵימוֹ means “to tear their fetters” or “to burst their bonds” is a Hebraic metaphor for rebellion against the Lord and his Messiah. The casting away of their cords (2:3) is suggestive these kings and rulers want nothing to do with God and the One He establishes. The Scriptures then tell us that the Lord God Almighty scoffs at the nations and He will speak to the nations saying וַאֲנִי נָסַכְתִּי מַלְכִּי עַל-צִיּוֹן הַר-קָדְשִׁי “But as for Me, I have installed My King Upon Zion, My holy mountain.” The Lord then says אֲסַפְּרָה אֶל חֹק יְהוָה אָמַר אֵלַי בְּנִי אַתָּה אֲנִי הַיּוֹם יְלִדְתִּיךָ: “I will surely tell of the decree of the LORD: He said to Me, ‘You are My Son, Today I have begotten You.” This son that the Lord has begotten, He will give dominion and power over them (2:8-9) and the kings and judges of the earth are warned to worship the Lord with reverence showing respect and to rejoice with the fear of the Lord in trembling. The nations of the earth are then warned to נַשְּׁקוּ-בַר פֶּן-יֶאֱנַף | וְתֹאבְדוּ דֶרֶךְ כִּי-יִבְעַר כִּמְעַט אַפּוֹ אַשְׁרֵי כָּל-חוֹסֵי בוֹ: “Do homage to the Son, that He not become angry, and you perish in the way, For His wrath may soon be kindled. How blessed are all who take refuge in Him!” (2:12). The Scriptures literally say נַשְּׁקוּ-בַר “kiss the son” where “to kiss” the Son is an act of submission (1 Samuel 10:1) and the word “Son” is not the usual Hebrew word used but an Aramaic word for Son (בַר, bar). It is also interesting to discover while studying the Ketuvei Shelachim (Apostolic Writings), Tehillim / Psalms 2 is used quite frequently and the understanding of these Scriptures in the minds of the apostles is that these Scriptures are very messianic in nature. This week we will look at the various uses of Tehillim / Psalms 2 throughout the NT and discuss how these Scriptures have come to be used as a proof text documenting Yeshua the Messiah the only begotten Son of God in the writings of the Tanach. (Tehillim / Psalms 2:1-2 → Acts 4:25-26, Tehillim / Psalms 2:7 → Acts 13:3, Hebrews 1:5 and 5:5, and Tehillim / Psalms 2:8-9 → Revelation 2:26-27, 12:5, and 19:15.) Tehillim / Psalms 2, Part1
