Showing posts with label Psalm 2. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Psalm 2. Show all posts

Friday, February 14, 2014

Today I Have Begotten You

I will declare the decree:
The LORD has said to Me,
“You are My Son,
Today I have begotten You.”
(Psalm 2:7)
In this psalm of David, the Lord says to him, “You are My son, today I have begotten you.” Some have wondered what it means that God has “begotten” him. We usually find the Hebrew word in the “begats” section of Genesis and in other places throughout the Old Testament. So, how can God say to David, “Today I have begotten you”? And what does it mean?

To answer that, we need to look back to the history of David, particularly in 2 Samuel 7, where the Lord made a covenant with David, in which He promised David a throne that would endure forever. Here the Lord says of him, “I will be his father, and he will be my son” (v. 14).

We also find a similar reference to this covenant in Psalm 89, where the Lord says of David, “He will call out to me, ‘You are my Father, my God, the Rock my Savior.’ And I will appoint him to be my firstborn, the most exalted of the kings of the earth” (vv. 26-27).

The author Hebrews quotes Psalm 2:7 and 2 Samuel 7:14 together and applies them to the Lord Jesus, to demonstrate the superiority of Christ to the angels:
For to which of the angels did He ever say: “You are My Son, today I have begotten You”?

And again: “I will be to Him a Father; and He shall be to Me a Son”? (Hebrews 1:5)
This Father-son relationship is about David’s kingship. In Psalm 2, the Lord says, “I have installed my king on Zion, my holy mountain” (v. 6). Then David recalls God’s promise, “I will declare the decree: The LORD has said to Me, ‘You are My Son, Today I have begotten You’” (v. 7). Or as the NIV puts it: “I will proclaim the LORD’s decree: He said to me, ‘You are my son; today I have become your father.’”

So, the use of “begotten” in verse 7 refers to God’s promise that He would be David’s father, and David would be His son. The language is a bit different, but the meaning is exactly the same. God identifies the king as His son and His son as king. These are words of enthronement and indicate the special relationship He makes with David, and by extension, with those descendants who would reign on David’s throne.

The Hebrew readers in Old Testament times would have been reminded of the covenant God made with David. Of course, they realized very early that David was not the perfect king in whom all the promises and provisions would be fulfilled. However, because they took God as true to His word, they had an expectation that there would one day be a descendant of David who would sit on David’s throne, who would perfectly fulfill the role of king, and in whom all of God’s covenant promises would be made complete. They looked for this One who would be God’s anointed king. In other words, they looked for the Messiah.

This is why it is very significant that Jesus is the Christ. Christ means the same thing as Messiah. It refers to the Anointed. Jesus is the Christ, that is, the one God anointed to reign as king on David’s throne. It is also why it is very important that Jesus is the descendant of David, for only a descendent of David could qualify to sit on David’s throne forever.

This is not merely a matter of historical interest, however, but is also a very important part of Paul’s proclamation of the gospel. We see that in his letter to the believers at Rome, as well as in his final letter, which is to Timothy:
Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God — the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures regarding his Son, who as to his earthly life was a descendant of David, and who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 1:1-4 NIV)

Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David. This is my gospel (2 Timothy 2:8 NIV).
These two passages have three things in common in regard to the gospel:
  • They both identify Jesus as Christ, that is, the Messiah.
  • They both present Jesus as descended from David.
  • They both declare the resurrection of Jesus from the dead.
The fact that Jesus is descended from David is important to His identity as Messiah. Indeed, if He were not descended from Messiah, He could not be the Messiah. The resurrection demonstrates that Jesus truly is the Messiah, Son of God, whom God has anointed as King to reign on David’s throne forever. The gospel is the announcement that this is now so.

Wednesday, February 12, 2014

Reigning King and Well Pleasing Servant

When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:16-17)
This scene is recorded in all three of the synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke). John’s account of the Gospel refers to it only indirectly, as John the Baptist simply gives this witness: “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him” (John 1:31). But the thing I would like to focus on today are the words that were spoken from heaven: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

This is My Son

The first part, “This is My beloved Son,” identifies Jesus as the Son of God. Jewish expectation was that Messiah, God’s Anointed, whom God would establish as king over Israel and the nations, would be His Son. This comes from Psalm 2, which is a messianic psalm. In verse 2, kings and nations conspire together against God’s Anointed. God’s response to them in verse 6 is, “Yet I have set My King on My holy hill of Zion.” And He declares to this Messiah King, in verse 7, “You are My Son, today I have begotten You.” All the nations would be given to Him for an inheritance, and the raging kings would be brought into submission (vv. 8-12).

Israel, in the days of Jesus, was deep in exile and awaited a divine Son, the kingly Messiah. When the time had finally come for this King to arrive, John the Baptist began his ministry preaching, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven it as hand!” (Matthew 3:2). He preached a baptism of repentance and identified himself as the forerunner who was promised in Isaiah 40, the voice crying out in the wilderness, “Prepare the way of the LORD.”

And now came Jesus to be baptized of John. This would identify Him with all who were repentant and prepared for true righteousness to be fulfilled. So Jesus was baptized, and the voice from heaven said, “This is my Son.”

In Whom I Am Well Pleased

The second part of the saying, “In whom I am well pleased,” is also full of prophetic significance. It identifies Jesus as God’s “servant” in Isaiah 42: “Behold! My Servant whom I uphold, My Elect One in whom My soul delights!” (v. 1). This also is Messiah, and it becomes clear later on in Isaiah that this Servant would suffer for the sins of His people (see Isaiah 52:13-53:12). However, the Jews were not sure how these two seemingly opposite images of Messiah — as reigning King and as suffering servant — were to be reconciled. Some even thought that there might be two Messiahs. But what the voice from heaven at Jesus’ baptism shows is that Jesus is the anointed one who would be King over all as well as the one who would suffer for the iniquity of all.

The Servant Messiah

But let’s take a closer look, in Isaiah 42, at this Servant Messiah in whom God is well pleased:
Behold! My Servant whom I uphold,
My Elect One in whom My soul delights!
I have put My Spirit upon Him;
He will bring forth justice to the Gentiles [the nations].
He will not cry out, nor raise His voice,
Nor cause His voice to be heard in the street.
A bruised reed He will not break,
And smoking flax He will not quench;
He will bring forth justice for truth.
He will not fail nor be discouraged,
Till He has established justice in the earth;
And the coastlands shall wait for His law.

Thus says God the LORD,
Who created the heavens and stretched them out,
Who spread forth the earth and that which comes from it,
Who gives breath to the people on it,
And spirit to those who walk on it:
I, the LORD, have called You in righteousness,
And will hold Your hand;
I will keep You and give You as a covenant to the people,
As a light to the Gentiles,
To open blind eyes,
To bring out prisoners from the prison,
Those who sit in darkness from the prison house.
(Isaiah 42:1-7)
This is very much a description of the ministry of the Lord Jesus. He came to open blind eyes and set prisoners free from the darkness. He came to bring justice to the earth and a shining light to the nations. He came not only to establish a new covenant with God’s people but to be that new covenant. He is the divine Servant whom Isaiah foretold, and in whom God delights and is well pleased.

Now, notice particularly, in Isaiah 42:1, that God would put His Spirit upon this Servant. And that is indeed what happened at Jesus’ baptism. When Jesus came up out of the water and “the heavens were opened to Him” (which is a very significant thing in itself), the Spirit of God descended like a dove, came upon Him and settled there. This is the anointing by the Spirit of God that showed Jesus to be the Son and Messiah of Psalm 2 as well as the Suffering Servant of Isaiah 42. And in this perfect Trinitarian moment, the voice of the Father declared, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

Sunday, October 9, 2011

The Promised Kingdom


Nicodemus came to Jesus and recognized Him as “a teacher come from God” (John 3:2). Jesus spoke to him about the gospel of the kingdom of God. “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3). The kingdom of God is the rule and reign of God, His will being done on earth as it is in heaven. God had long promised His people, Israel, that He would anoint a King would come and rule over Israel and the nations. Jesus recognized Nicodemus as a “teacher of Israel” (v. 11), and as such, Nicodemus would have been aware of the various prophesies of the kingdom, such as the following, from Psalm 2.
Why do the nations rage,
And the people plot a vain thing?
The kings of the earth set themselves,
And the rulers take counsel together,
Against the LORD and against His Anointed.
(Psalm 1:1-2)
Yahweh’s Anointed is the Messiah (“Messiah” means Anointed One; in Greek, it is Christos). God says of Him, “Yet I have set My King on My holy hill of Zion” (v. 6). This is the Son, to whom God says,
You are My Son, today I have begotten You.
Ask of Me, and I will give You
The nations for Your inheritance,
And the ends of the earth for Your possession. (vv. 7-8)
The one God calls “My Son” is the Messiah, the one anointed to be King. Not just king over Israel, but over all the nations of the earth. The prophecies about Messiah are about the kingdom of God inhabiting all the earth. Isaiah spoke of a coming messianic king and a kingdom of ever increasing dominion and endless peace.
For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of His government and peace
There will be no end,
Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom,
To order it and establish it with judgment and justice
From that time forward, even forever.
The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.
(Isaiah 9:6-7)
This is the gospel God promised would be announced. Isaiah tells of those who would bring the good news, and also what the content of that good news would be:
How beautiful upon the mountains
Are the feet of him who brings good news,
Who proclaims peace,
Who brings glad tidings of good things,
Who proclaims salvation*,
Who says to Zion,
“Your God reigns!”
(Isaiah 52:7)
The Septuagint, an ancient Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible, uses the word for “evangelize,” to gospel or to preach the gospel, twice in this verse. It is a proclamation of peace and salvation, and the content is about the kingdom. It is the declaration, “Your God reigns!” (*The Hebrew word for “salvation” here is yeshuah, which as a name is Yeshua, the name of Jesus in Hebrew.)

Daniel also prophesies of the promised kingdom and the “Son of Man” (which is how Jesus often referred to Himself), to whom would be given everlasting dominion over all the nations of the world.
I was watching in the night visions,
And behold, One like the Son of Man,
Coming with the clouds of heaven!
He came to the Ancient of Days,
And they brought Him near before Him.
Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom,
That all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him.
His dominion is an everlasting dominion,
Which shall not pass away,
And His kingdom the one
Which shall not be destroyed.
(Daniel 7:13-14)
Jesus not only announced, from the beginning of His ministry and throughout, that the kingdom of God was at hand. At the end of His ministry, He declared, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth” (Matthew 28:18). The promised kingdom, the rule and reign of God on earth, had begun.

Nicodemus would have known about the promised kingdom, though he did not recognize that he was in the presence of the King. The question he would ask, however, was not about the kingdom. What perplexed him was why Jesus would be talking to him about being “born again.” There is another important prophesy about the kingdom that he apparently had not understood. We will look at that in the next post.

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Claim Your Inheritance, LORD


Psalm 2 begins with a question — or is it a cry?
Why do the nations rage,
And the people plot a vain thing?
The kings of the earth set themselves,
And the rulers take counsel together,
Against the LORD and against His Anointed [Messiah], saying,
“Let us break Their bonds in pieces
And cast away Their cords from us.”
(Psalm 2:1-2)
God’s response to these kings and rulers? Yahweh laughs. Then He goes on to say,
“Yet I have set My King
On My holy hill of Zion.”
I will declare the decree:
“The LORD has said to Me,
‘You are My Son,
Today I have begotten You.
Ask of Me, and I will give You
The nations for Your inheritance,
And the ends of the earth for Your possession.’”
(Psalm 2:6-8)
This is about the Messiah, Jesus. God is giving Him the nations for His inheritance, and the ends of the earth for His possession. After the Cross and the Resurrection, and before He ascended to His throne at the right hand of the Father, Jesus came to the disciples and said,
All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. (Matthew 28:18-20)
Jesus has been given all authority in heaven and on earth, and out of that authority, He sends us to make disciples of all the nations, to baptize them in His name and teach them to obey His teaching. Luke records how Jesus gave His disciples the power to fulfill this Great Commission to the nations.
But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. (Acts 1:8)
God has given Jesus the nations for His inheritance and the end of the earth for His possession. The prayer of my heart as I read this psalm today and consider the turmoil in the world is a prayer of agreement:
Claim Your inheritance, Lord.

Friday, April 2, 2010

Consecrated on God’s Holy Mountain

I have consecrated My King on Zion, My holy mountain.
(Psalm 2:6 HCSB)
The nations raged, the people plotted together, kings and rulers conspired and set themselves against Yahweh and His Messiah (Psalm 2:1-2). “Let us break Their bonds in pieces and cast away Their cords from us,” they said (v. 3). God’s response?
He who sits in the heavens shall laugh;
The Lord shall hold them in derision.
Then He shall speak to them in His wrath,
And distress them in His deep displeasure:
“Yet I have set My King
On My holy hill of Zion.”
(vv. 4-6)
Yahweh laughs! All their rage and spite and conspiracy amount to nothing, because God has set His King on His holy hill, Zion. The Hebrew word for “set” means to “pour out,” as a drink offering, and by analogy speaks of anointing a king. It is a consecration, a setting apart for God’s special purpose. Zion, God’s holy hill, speaks of Jerusalem, the place He chose to manifest His presence in a special way among His people.

This is a messianic prophecy, as good as done when God first spoke it as it is today. It happened in history with the coming of Jesus the Messiah, God’s Anointed King. He was consecrated, poured out as a drink offering, when He carried a wooden cross up God’s holy hill and allowed Himself to be nailed upon it. Though it did not seem like it at the time, this was the place of victory over His enemies — and ours. In the old prophesy, Messiah recounts God spoke to Him.
I will declare the decree:
The LORD has said to Me,
“You are My Son,
Today I have begotten You.
Ask of Me, and I will give You
The nations for Your inheritance,
And the ends of the earth for Your possession.
You shall break them with a rod of iron;
You shall dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel.”
(vv. 7-9)
The apostle Paul speaks of that victory in this way:
And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it. (Colossians 2:13-15)
Here are the enemies of King Jesus and His people — vanquished. The indictment that stood against us, the list of crimes we have committed against God and each other — wiped out, thoroughly obliterated. The principalities and powers, all the demonic forces that oppressed us and held us in subjection — completely disarmed. As John said, “For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil” (1 John 3:8). And from the author of Hebrews: “Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage” (Hebrews 2:14-15).

All these evil powers threw everything they had at Jesus that day when He hung from the cross. Everything — and it amounted to nothing, as they soon discovered when He committed His spirit into God’s hands, who raised Him from the dead on the third day.

What remains now is an invitation for all who have ever set themselves against God. It is a word of wisdom, a warning and a promise.
Now therefore, be wise, O kings;
Be instructed, you judges of the earth.
Serve the Lord with fear,
And rejoice with trembling.
Kiss the Son, lest He be angry,
And you perish in the way,
When His wrath is kindled but a little.
Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him.
(vv. 10-12)
God consecrated Jesus on Zion all those centuries ago. It was the day of victory that changes the world — and all who put their trust in God’s Messiah King.

Thursday, January 3, 2008

Prosperity for the Nations

Now therefore, be wise, O kings;
Be instructed, you judges of the earth.
Serve the LORD with fear,
And rejoice with trembling.
Kiss the Son, lest He be angry,
And you perish in the way,
When His wrath is kindled but a little.
Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him.
(Psalm 2:10-12)
Psalm 1 shows how the individual can prosper and be blessed. Psalm 2 shows how all the nations of the earth can prosper and be blessed. Though it ends with a note of hope and assurance for all those, even heads of state, who put their trust in God, this psalm begins with a conspiracy of nations in rebellion: “Why do the nations rage, and the people plot a vain thing?” (v. 1). What is interesting here is that the Hebrew word for “plot” is the same one used for “meditate” in Psalm 1. There it speaks of meditation — one’s self-talk — on the Word of God; here it refers to the vain imaginations of traitors egging one another on in accusation against God.

The psalm writer continues, “The kings of the earth have set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together against the LORD and His Anointed [Messiah]” (v. 2). This is the counsel of the wicked, the path of the sinful, the seat of the mockers. Hear the bile of their anger: “Let us break Their bonds in pieces and cast away Their cords from us” (v. 3). They devise, they scheme, they connive. They twist and contort and imagine themselves a great terror to the purposes of God.

God laughs. Their brilliant strategy is utter nonsense, as comical as a flea trying to work jujitsu on an elephant. It does not slow Him down one bit as He prepares for the Great Coronation, and He lets them know it.
He who sits in the heavens shall laugh;
The Lord shall hold them in derision.
Then He shall speak to them in His wrath,
And distress them in His deep displeasure:
“Yet I have set My King
On My holy hill of Zion.”
(Psalm 2:4-6)
And Messiah receives the assignment:
“I will declare the decree:
The LORD has said to Me,
‘You are My Son,
Today I have begotten You.
Ask of Me, and I will give You
The nations for Your inheritance,
And the ends of the earth for Your possession.
You shall break them with a rod of iron;
You shall dash them to pieces like a potter's vessel.’”
(Psalm 2:7-9)
All the nations of the earth are His inheritance; the whole world belongs to Him. Though He is the stone the kings and builders of the world rejected, He has become the Cornerstone with which everything must be set in proper order — or else be demolished.

And here’s an unexpected turn. Instead of dropping the hammer on them, God graciously extends an invitation, an opportunity to get a little life-saving wisdom.
Now therefore, be wise, O kings;
Be instructed, you judges of the earth.
Serve the LORD with fear,
And rejoice with trembling.
Kiss the Son, lest He be angry,
And you perish in the way,
When His wrath is kindled but a little.
Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him.
Get a clue. Receive correction. Figure out who is Lord of All and serve Him with all your heart, realizing how awesome He is and counting yourself fortunate to have come to your senses just in time. Run to His embrace and honor Him with a kiss, while there is yet time to know the happiness — the bliss — of finding all your peace and prosperity in Him.

Messiah has ascended to His throne and is receiving the nations for His inheritance, and He is calling them to receive Him, and know Him as King over all kings and Lord over all lords. The prosperity of the nations is found in Him alone.

Tuesday, January 10, 2006

Yahweh Laughs

He who sits in the heavens shall laugh;
The LORD shall hold them in derision.
(Psalm 2:4)
Yahweh is not the God of “Oh, no.” He is not troubled by the wicked, not one bit. In fact, He laughs at them, makes sport of them, makes merry at their expense. Pay attention to the set-up:
Why do the nations rage,
  And the people plot a vain thing?
The kings of the earth set themselves,
  And the rulers take counsel together,
Against the LORD and against His Anointed, saying,
  “Let us break Their bonds in pieces
  And cast away Their cords from us.”
(Psalm 2:1-3)
“He who sits in the heavens shall laugh,” comes the response. “The LORD shall hold them in derision.” The nations rage, kings fuss and fume, the peoples plot against God and His Messiah. But it is all in vain, because here is the punch line:
“Yet I have set My King
  On My holy hill of Zion.
I will declare the decree:
  The LORD has said to Me,
‘You are My Son,
  Today I have begotten You.’
(Psalm 2:6-7)
All the plots and schemes of the nations do not deter or delay God’s plan one single bit. God has set His King. To Hebrew for “set” means to pour out, as an anointing. God has already anointed His King and established Him in Zion. He has made the decree, and nothing in all the world can stop what God has declared. The King has been anointed, the Anointed has been exalted, the Son has been declared. It is irrevocable. But there’s more:
“Ask of Me, and I will give You
  The nations for Your inheritance,
  And the ends of the earth for Your possession.
You shall break them with a rod of iron;
  You shall dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel.”
(Psalm 2:8-9)
The nations were plotting to overthrow the King. But it turns out that they themselves will be overthrown. They are but an inheritance, give to the Anointed One for the asking.

Yahweh laughs, but He gives these nations and their kings an opportunity to get in on the joke. For He turns and says,
Now therefore, be wise, O kings;
  Be instructed, you judges of the earth.
Serve the LORD with fear,
  And rejoice with trembling.
Kiss the Son, lest He be angry,
  And you perish in the way,
When His wrath is kindled but a little.
  Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him.
(Psalm 2:10-12)
God always has the last word, but for those who will receive it, it is a good word. He always gets the last laugh, but He is not stingy with it. He invites all to laugh with Him, to stand in awe of Him and join in His wonderful work. The laughter of the LORD is suddenly revealed to be great joy and blessing for all who will run to Him, and not away from Him.

(See also Yahweh Laughs Again)

Thursday, December 22, 2005

Christmas in Psalm 2

Why do the nations rage,
  And the people plot a vain thing?
The kings of the earth set themselves,
  And the rulers take counsel together,
Against the LORD and against His anointed, saying,
  “Let us break Their bonds in pieces
  and cast away Their cords from us.”
(Psalm 2:1-3)
King Herod went into a rage at the news of the new King born in Bethlehem, God’s anointed one — Messiah (Hebrew), the Christ (Greek). The anointing of God breaks lifts the burden and shatters the yoke of oppression, but Herod wanted no part of it, precisely because he was one of the oppressors.
He who sits in the heavens shall laugh;
  The LORD shall hold them in derision.
Then He shall speak to them in His wrath,
  And distress them in His displeasure,”
“Yet I have set My King
  On My holy hill of Zion.”
(Psalm 2:4-6)
Christmas celebrates the birth of this King, who comes to set all things right. The oppressors of this world thought they were in control, but it turns out that they were seriously self-deceived — what a laugh!
“I will declare the decree:
  The LORD has said to Me,
‘You are My Son,
  Today I have begotten You.
Ask of Me, and I will give You
  The nations for Your inheritance,
  And the ends of the earth for Your possession.
You shall break them with a rod of iron;
  You shall dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel.’”
(Psalm 2:7-9)
This is the Word that became flesh and dwelt among us, whose glory we behold, “the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). God’s truth shines a searchlight on the lies of the tyrants, and His grace — the favor of heaven — is far greater than their cruelties and comes to wipe them out. “For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the words of the devil” (1 John 3:8).
Now therefore, be wise, O kings;
  Be instructed, you judges of the earth.
Serve the LORD with fear,
  And rejoice with trembling.
Kiss the Son, lest He be angry,
  And you perish in the way,
When His wrath is kindled but a little.
  Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him.
(Psalm 2:10-12)
Wise men came, kingly in stature, and bowed before God’s anointed one, for they understood the portent of the heavenly sign. "When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy” (Matthew 2:10). They kissed the Son, as it were, honoring Him with gifts befitting a great King.

This psalm begins by depicting the conspiratorial rage of tyrannical kings and despots, but suddenly — and surprisingly — ends with an invitation to receive wisdom, a repentance that ends in exceedingly great joy. It is a promise of blessing — the power of favor of heaven — on all who entrust themselves to God’s anointed one, Jesus Christ.