Psalm 2:1
“Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing.” Psalm 2:1 KJV
As we will see in future studies, Psalm 2 is a purely Messianic psalm. It is concerned with the coming reign of God’s Anointed or Chosen One (vs3). It is about Jesus Christ, God’s Son (vs12). We know for certain this interpretation is right because Psalm 2 is the most frequently quoted psalm in the New Testament and the apostles always interpreted it to be about Christ (Acts 4:25-30, 13:32-33, Hebrews 1:5). This psalm may be divided up neatly into four parts. In verses 1-3 the people and kings of earth oppose the setting up of Christ’s kingdom. In verses 4-6 Jehovah sits in Heaven and laughs at their vain opposition. In verses 7-9 Christ himself responds to their opposition by declaring the decree of his Father and his triumph over them. In verses 10-12 David, the psalmist, warns the kings of earth to be wise and to kiss the Son lest they perish from the way.
In the first verse we see all the nations and peoples of earth expressing a general and violent hostility to the setting up of Christ’s Kingdom. The first half of this verse refers to their outward actions of rebellion toward God and Christ. They are raging in seething anger. They are like a confused, tumultuous mob. They are like an angry, foaming ocean. The second half of the verse refers to their inward thoughts and motives. They imagine a vain thing. They imagine that they can actually come together against the LORD and against his Anointed and break their bands asunder and cast away their cords (vs2-3). The Hebrew word translated “imagine” is “hagah”. It is the same word translated “meditate” in Psalm 1:2. The godly man meditates on God’s law day and night, but the general populace of earth meditates on wickedness and how they can throw off God’s rule. The wicked, “deviseth mischief upon his bed; he setteth himself in a way that is not good…” (Ps. 36:4). Their wicked meditation or imagination is of course vain because they cannot overthrow God’s reign. “The Lord bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought: he maketh the devices of the people of none effect.” (Ps. 33:10).
Crack open a church history book and see this opposition taking place down through the ages. The godless in our own nation rage against the truths of Scripture and the Gospel of Christ. Our own nation is trying to throw off the bands of God’s law and run headlong into a putrid sea of sin. Christians are being persecuted every day across the globe in our own time. Read of the apostate Roman Catholic Church and her persecution of Christians down through the ages. Read about the Bloody Marys, Diocletians and Neros of the world and their fierce persecution and torment of the church. Tertullian, the Roman, Christian author of the 2nd-3rd century observed, “the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church.” It has always been vain for men to plot against the Lord and his Anointed. The gates of Hell will never prevail against Christ’s Church.
The apostles applied this verse first and foremost to the crucifixion of our Lord Jesus Christ. In Acts 4:25-26, after standing before the Sanhedrin, Peter, John and the brethren quoted Psalm 2:1-2 and in vs 27 they said, “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,” Think of the tumult that was made in Pilate’s Hall against Christ. In Matthew 27:23-24, “they cried out the more, saying, Let him be crucified. Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made…” People and princes plotted and raged against Christ but it was all in vain. Had they known what would be the outcome, “they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.” (1Cor. 2:8). For, “God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:” (Phil. 2:9).
For further study see: (Acts 13:50; 17:5, Revelation 19:19)